CoolDrive Team Comes Together at Annual Manager’s Conference

2 Sep, 2025

CoolDrive Auto Parts recently brought together managers from its 38 branches across Australia and New Zealand for its annual Manager’s Conference, held this year in Melbourne.

The event delivered a dynamic mix of workshops, presentations and networking sessions, creating valuable opportunities for collaboration, idea sharing, and future planning.

The 2025 theme - “Focused Today – Building Momentum” – reflected the company’s commitment to sustainable growth and the ongoing pursuit of excellence across all areas of the business.

“Our annual conference is about more than just reviewing the past year – it’s about ensuring our teams are working together with a clear focus on the opportunities ahead,” said Tim Blanchard, Chief Operating Officer at CoolDrive Auto Parts.

“The energy, commitment, and unity on display from our branch managers and partners this year had laid a strong foundation for the next stage of our journey.”

A highlight of the conference was the presentation of the Branch of the Year Awards, which recognised the top-performing teams and regions within the business.

Measured on a number of performance criteria, the awards are split into revenue turnover and regional categories, with the awards themselves named after the company founders and key personnel.

The WJ (John Senior) Blanchard was awarded to Orange, New South Wales, with the runner-up named as Perth, Western Australia.

“This was an outstanding achievement for Orange having secured its third consecutive title after previously winning twice in the Small Branch category, before moving up this year to claim the top award in the Large Branch category,” said Tim Blanchard.

The SL (Shirley) Blanchard Small Branch of the Year was presented to Wangara, Western Australia with Hobart, Tasmania recognised as runner-up.

Meanwhile, the JW (John) Blanchard Region of the Year was awarded to the Western Australia/South Australia Region for the second consecutive year, acknowledging its impressive growth and contribution to the wider network.

Other awards presented at the conference were the recent inductees into the CoolDrive Hall of Fame, who for 2025, were Sunny Mizzi and Joy Zhang.

Adding further inspiration to the evening, attendees were privileged to hear from Olympic Games Gold Medallist in Women’s Cycling, OAM Grace Brown, who shared her story of resilience, determination, and overcoming setbacks on her path to becoming one of the world’s best in her field.

The 2025 Manager’s Conference once again reinforced CoolDrive’s strong culture of collaboration and recognition, celebrating the achievements of its people while setting a clear path for momentum and growth in the year ahead.