Kunzman and Associates rep John Iannotte was recently inducted into the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Hall of Fame at the 2023 Leaders and Legends Gala at the Anaheim Marriott Convention Center. John’s 45+ year career in the automotive industry began at a body shop in North Carolina at 13 years old, where he met Bob Barker, who became one of his mentors. Bob was instrumental in guiding John towards professional sales as Bob himself was working for the Mr. Phone/Mr. Gasket Co.’s. John was hired on in 1974 as the first service rep for the Mr. Phone Organization where his main responsibility was to call on jobbers in the Southeast.
Bob and John left the Mr. Phone Organization in 1977 to start their own rep agency, Bob Barker Marketing & Sales. John went back to the Mr. Gasket lines in 1981. At Bob’s death in 1989, it was his wish that John come back and take the reins again, which John did. By 2001, John and his team had built a very strong rep group in the Southeast. That spring, N.A. Williams, Co. offered John the opportunity to merge Bob Barker Marketing & Sales into their company as the Performance and Truck Accessory Division. John joined Kunzman and Associates in 2015 to head up its Southeast division.
Congrats, John, on this well-deserved recognition!
About Kunzman & Associates
With over 50 years of experience as Manufacturers Reps in the automotive industry, Kunzman & Associates’ 26-member expert staff covers territories that include the entirety of the United States and Canada. The Kunzman team combines countless years of expertise within the automotive aftermarket industry with a devout passion as automotive enthusiasts. The staff’s experience allows them to guide and aid manufacturers in building, maintaining, and advancing their respective brands in the automotive aftermarket industry.
