Auto Care Insider Volume 111 - 28

MEET A
STAFFER
IN 1999, the world was in what
seemed to be a frenzy over "Y2K"
and the possibility of computers
everywhere going defunct in the
New Year. It was this event in history
that first sparked Jonathan Larsen's
interest in computer databases.
"I was working at a manufacturer
facility where I was doing computer
aided drafting in the engineering
department and they had some
old databases that were not
going to work properly after
2000," said Larsen. "After that
job I went to college at Western
Michigan University, where I
studied business information with
a focus on databases and business
application development."
Prior to joining the Auto Care
Association, Larsen worked at
MAHLE in Farmington Hills, Mich.,
as a catalog manager using the
Auto Care Association's ACES and
PIES standards. Today, Larsen is the
association's data architect manager,
where he provides recommended
changes to the ACES and PIES
standards and improves the data
that is provided within the databases
that are used for these standards.
"It is very satisfying to know
the work I do helps the industry
as a whole," said Larsen.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST
PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT
AT THE AUTO CARE ASSOCIATION
SO FAR?
Working with the technology team
to develop autocarevip.com.

WHAT IS ONE PIECE OF ADVICE
YOU'D GIVE TO SOMEONE
INTERESTED IN STARTING A
CAREER IN TECHNOLOGY?
My recommendation to anyone
joining the workforce is that
you should enjoy what you
do and work with people that
have that same passion.

TELL US A FEW FUN FACTS ABOUT
YOU THAT WOULD SURPRISE
PEOPLE (SPECIAL SKILLS, AWARDS,
ACCOMPLISHMENTS, ETC.).

jonathan

LARSEN
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE
PART ABOUT WORKING AT THE
ASSOCIATION? WHAT ARE THE
BIGGEST REWARDS?
My favorite part of this work is
helping to reduce cost out of
the overall supply chain. This
can be improving the quality of
the data that we provide to the
industry or helping to develop
new processes that help get the
data to our members faster.

Reference Data
Architect Manager
DEPARTMENT

Technology
240-333-1031
jonathan.larsen@autocare.org
FAVORITE APPS

IMdb, Auto Care Events, AnyList
YEARS WITH AUTO CARE ASSOCIATION

4 years in October 2018

28

AUTO CARE INSIDER | VOL. 111

I joined a local Toastmasters club
about three years ago, which
has proved to be invaluable
to help with public speaking.
I became a father in October
2017, so our daughter keeps
my wife and me busy now.

WORDS TO LIVE BY
"Fail early, fail often, but always
fail forward." - John C. Maxwell
http://www.autocarevip.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Auto Care Insider Volume 111
