INSPIRING CHANGE

Thisyear’sTop12Installers,Top12Retailers andTop5SalesProssharelessonslearned andhopesforthefuture.

WORDSBY ROSASOPHIA

Chris McWhinnie ANDRES CAR AUDIO Kelowna, BC

As a 23-year veteran in the industry, Chris McWhinnie said he’s best at custom fabrication. He currently works at Andres Car Audio in Kelowna, BC. However, one day, he’d like to start his own company, “focusing on high-end custom subwoofer enclosure lines, hand-built in Canada.”

He recalled an early learning experience which took place during his second year as an installer: “I mounted three amplifiers to the floor of my ’79 Cadillac Coupe-Deville, not realizing that I had screwed into my gas tank and the screws acted like wicks, pulling gasoline from my tank into the trunk which contained three batteries. Thankfully, I realized my mistake before I exploded….”

McWhinnie said Tim Bailey inspired him when he was about 23 years old by encouraging him to “challenge myself to go beyond my skills. This allowed me to gain confidence to go outside the box.” He added that Ken Ward is also a big inspiration to him: “His OEM integration skills are untouched by anyone else. I’ve been to six to 10 of his knowledge courses over the last 15 years. I find his courses to be incredibly informative and I have learned so much from him.”

Conrad Leduc SUDBURY CAR AUDIO

Sudbury, ON

Conrad Leduc opened Sudbury Car Audio in 2013, basing the company’s core values on proper installation practices. He also works in sales and serves as the business’s senior technician. “We’re here to inform clients about the very best ways to install and use 12-volt accessories so that their experience is nothing but positive and mind-blowing,” he said.

Leduc said Keith McCumber has greatly influenced his career. “He believed in me more than anyone else,” he said. “Keith sat with me one day at a distributor training and told me I was doing good things, and for the right reasons. I had no idea who he was at the time, but after learning that he was one of the most influential individuals in our industry, I felt proud knowing that if Mr. McCumber had faith in me, I could work to become something better then what I was. Keith is a great mentor. He asks me questions to get me thinking of the solution, so the next time something comes up and I need advice, I end up thinking of the questions he had asked the first time and I come up with the solution on my own.”

In the past year, he said, he’s also become good friends with Marty Adamschek. “He has helped push me to grow my install skills,” he said. “I am looking forward to meeting Marty at KnowledgeFest in Las Vegas. He has become a true friend.”

Outside of work, Leduc said his family is always busy with extracurricular activities for their two children. “I spend time with my family on weekends when the shop is closed,” he said. He also plays softball during the summer, and in the fall he enjoys grouse hunting. “In the winter, I spend time in the garage working on my ’64 Ford Galaxie, watching hockey on TV or playing pinball on my own machine.”