Professional Automotive Recycler R.D. Hopper, owner of Sonny’s Auto Salvage, Jacksonville, Arkansas, was named the new president of the Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA) in Baltimore, Maryland.
Prior to his installment, Hopper had served as secretary, second vice president and first vice president of ARA and will now play a leading role to help guide and shape the Association’s initiatives and direction.
Like most automotive recyclers, Hopper learned the business from the ground up. His father owned an auto parts store in Mountain View, Arkansas, and his grandfather was a mechanic and district manager for the Arkansas State Highway Department. Sonny’s Auto Salvage has been located in the Central Arkansas area for over 37 years as a family business. In 1976, the business was purchased by Sonny Taylor and the Taylor family operated the company for 22 years before selling the business to RD and Jennifer Hopper in 1998. Since the early 1960s, there has been a salvage yard at Sonny’s current location operating under various ownerships.
Hopper has years of experience in the industry and in serving others. He has been an active member of ARA and the Arkansas Automotive Dismantlers and Recyclers Association (AADRA) for many years. He has served as president of AADRA and has worked on the ARA’s Government Affairs Committee.
The full-service Sonny’s Auto Salvage specializes in providing Green Recycled Parts for reuse in the service and repair of vehicles in both their local market and nationwide. Along with other ARA members, Sonny’s Auto Salvage stands behind their product by offering various warranties to back their parts.
Published in the December 2016 Edition of American Recycler News