Lifetime Achievement Award

Al Blanchard

MAPA Lifetime Service Award

Honoring Al’s Involvement in Michigan’s Automotive

Aftermarket for More Than 50 Years

Presented this 11th day of September, 2013 

Al Blanchard

2013 MAPA Lifetime Service Award

(Presented by Terri Thompson, September 11, 2013)

Al started out owning a couple service stations in the mid 50's. The last station had a rather large parts inventory. Other service stations in the area knew this, and turned to Al for their after-hours parts.  Al’s partner Jack Sugars got upset because they were “helping out the competition”.  One day Al said to Jack, "What do you think about  opening a parts store? I don't want to pump gas the rest of my life!", and on February 15, 1959 they opened Mid-5 Auto Supply, an independent auto parts store in Livonia.  They continued running the service station until the lease was up. The business finally took off by being open from 8 am until 10 pm Monday-Saturday and 10 am until 4 pm on Sundays. Al always thought that if you weren't open when a customer needed something, he'll buy it somewhere else. You could always depend on Al to be ready and willing to be of service.

Al & his wife Patty Ann celebrated their 62nd anniversary in June, they have 3 children, Joyce, Mike and Ron. All 3 have worked in the family business over the years, and Ron became Al's partner when Jack Sugars passed away in 1991.

Al was a supportive and active member of MAPA for 42 years. He has served on MAPA’s Board of Directors as Chairman in 1989, then Past Chairman and on the Advisory Committee serving a total of 28 years.

Al is a Korean War Veteran, served for 6 years (1948-1954) in the United States Air Force. He is a 50 plus year member of the Livonia Lions Club, regularly participates in fund raising activities, is an avid coin collector and member of the Wayne Coin Club. After 53 years of success in business, Al sold Mid-5 Auto Supply in 2012. Now that he is retired, his spare time consists of Golfing, Hunting, Fishing and Visiting Casinos.

Thank you Al for supporting your association, and your industry through the years!  Congratulations on receiving the 2013 MAPA Lifetime Service Award!