Industry Impact Award

Jim Phillips

Senior Vice President, Purchasing, Product Development, Sourcing, Worldpac

 

Jim Phillips has dedicated his entire career to the import automotive aftermarket, fueled by a passion for cars that began in his childhood. Growing up in Northern California, Jim was introduced to sports cars at a young age, igniting a deep interest in the automotive industry.

His first job, at a local auto parts store right after high school, marked the beginning of a lifelong commitment to the import parts sector. Starting from the ground up, Jim quickly demonstrated his leadership by turning underperforming stores into top performers.

A pivotal moment in Jim’s career came when he joined Worldwide Trading Corporation (WWTC) in 1990. At WWTC, he played a significant role in the merger that led to the creation of Worldpac, a leader in the import automotive aftermarket. His contributions to the company include the development of a robust marketing department and spearheading the launch of Worldpac's American parts and fluids programs, which have been crucial to the company’s growth. As Senior Vice President of Purchasing, Product Development and Sourcing, Jim has been instrumental in building strong teams and processes that continue to drive Worldpac's success today.

Jim credits much of his career achievements to the support of his family, particularly his wife Pam and their two sons, Ryan and Karl. Outside of work, he enjoys restoring and racing sports cars, a lifelong passion.

Reflecting on his career, Jim says: "This industry has given my family and me a wonderful life. It allowed us to buy a nice home, send our kids to college, travel the world, and indulge in our passion for collecting, restoring, and racing sports cars. I will always be grateful to Worldpac and the entire Import Automotive aftermarket community for making this possible."