Darrin Baum is senior vice president, general manager of Zep Vehicle Care. Baum earned his Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Sacramento State University and has been in the car wash industry for more than 30 years. He currently serves as a vendor vice president of the ICA Board of Directors, and has previously served on the Western Carwash Association Board. Baum took a few minutes out of a busy travel schedule to share a few insights with us!
Q: Tell us how you ended up in the car wash industry.
It was two weeks after my 15th birthday on a Saturday. I was at the bus stop headed to winter league baseball try-outs, and my mom came by and told me to get in the car because my dad needed help at the car wash. For the next 16 years, I was involved in car wash operations until I joined Blue Coral Systems in late 1997, and I have been part of what became the Zep Vehicle Care business ever since.
Q: Well, the real question is, did you end up playing on the winter league baseball team?
I never played winter ball again…
Q: That must not have been too bad, since you’ve been in the industry for a number of years. What do you enjoy most about this industry?
The people and the opportunities our industry can provide. We have a unique mix of entrepreneurs in our industry who are curious, motivated and willing to share what they’ve learned. Our industry has also provided great career opportunities for people with a wide cross section of backgrounds. While we’ve experienced many changes over the years, I think our industry is always open to newcomers and new ideas. I’m proud to be a participant.
Q: What do you think you’ve learned from working in the car wash industry?
Whether you operate car washes or are in the vendor community, teamwork helps make you successful. For me, I’m only as good as my teammates. I’ve been very fortunate.
Q: What challenges or opportunities do you think are imminent for car wash professionals?
I’m very bullish on the prospects for the car wash industry. An aging population, a trend towards ‘do it for me,’ and time scarcity will drive growth in professional car washing. Additionally, I believe car wash operators are positioned to capitalize on increasing environmental issues. While more regulation may occur, the ability to effectively manage water and effluent will continue to push people off the driveway and to a professional car wash.
Q: I (and dare I say most of our readers) love that answer… what do you think we should be watching for in the next 5–10 years?
While I’m bullish on growth potential, the expansion of ride-sharing and self-driving cars will be interesting. Will cars go get a wash unattended at 2 a.m.? Will ride-sharing begin to significantly impact new car sales? There will still be demand for professional car washes, but what that looks like could change significantly.
Q: It sounds like there will be some opportunity, then, for associations like the regional associations as well as ICA to help the industry navigate those changes. Is there an area of ICA’s work that you’re especially excited about?
I’m a believer in the concept of ICA representing our industry, helping to drive growth, along with creating a community for car wash professionals to network, learn and transact business. As part of that, I believe there is an opportunity for ICA to collaborate with regional associations more effectively, to align resources and increase industry impact. While there is a lot of work to be done, I’m excited that ICA is working hard to find ways to facilitate that collaboration.
Q: What should people know about the ICA Board of Directors?
All are volunteers giving up their time to help make our industry better. The group debates, many times disagrees, but are aligned to helping improve the industry. I appreciate the passion my fellow Board members have, and value that they approach topics in an unbiased way.
Q: How do you unwind/what do you do when you’re not at the office?
I travel a lot for business, so when I’m home I’m spending time with my family… usually centered around meals and travel. I love to cook, and will spend way too much time looking at recipes and searching for a great bottle of wine to match the meal.
