Harvey Peterson, long-time leader of CATCO Parts & Service, was named the Polk Heavy-Duty Aftermarket Hall of Fame Award winner Tuesday during the opening general session at Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week in Las Vegas.
Peterson joined his father’s company Clutch and Transmission Services in 1951. He slowly worked his way up in the business, becoming company president in 1966. During his time leading the business, which he would later rename CATCO Parts & Service, Peterson expanded the operation from two to 19 locations. He was a member of the VIPAR Heavy Duty board from 1995 to 2002, and has been an active member in the aftermarket for nearly 60 years.
“Thank you so much for honoring me with this award,” said Peterson via video. “I have appreciated all of the people I have worked with in this industry, and I want to thank [Polk] and the aftermarket industry for honoring me.”
CATCO Parts & Service was purchased by FleetPride in 2012. Peterson said the company’s growth up to that point was a testament to the people he met in the heavy-duty aftermarket.
“Over the years as I became involved [in the aftermarket] I learned how important this industry was to me. It gave me the opportunity to learn about other companies throughout the country, and how this industry works.”
His advice to the crowd was simple.
“Work hard. The [next] job you save could be your own.”
