Few stories in automotive recycling capture the essence of American entrepreneurship quite like Shannon Nordstrom's journey. From the "funny farm" where cows, crops, and cars coexisted to running an industry-leading operation spanning three generations, Shannon's path reveals how vision, faith, and hard work transform businesses—and lives.
Shannon's candid storytelling takes us back to where it all began: his parents turning necessity into opportunity when his father purchased a wrecked Ford pickup, fixed it up, and discovered a $71 profit margin that would change their family's trajectory forever. With characteristic humility, Shannon credits his mother as the driving force behind many pivotal business decisions, including the launch of what would become the nationally syndicated "Under the Hood" radio show. What started with a 19-year-old Shannon talking cars on local radio has evolved into a multimedia platform reaching hundreds of stations and generating over 5 million podcast downloads.
The bedrock of Nordstrom's success isn't just business acumen but a deeply held faith expressed through their motto PTLA—Praise The Lord Always. This principle appears across their operation as a reminder that gratitude remains central to their mission of serving customers, employees, and the industry. Shannon's passion for automotive recycling extends beyond his own facility to his work developing a unified quality assurance program that combines the best elements of ARA and URG certification standards.
As Shannon prepares to be installed as the next ARA president in Birmingham this October, his enthusiasm for giving back to the industry that shaped him is palpable. Whether sharing how he met his wife of nearly 30 years when she came to buy tires (he kept her phone number from her father's check) or explaining the transformative impact of industry connections, Shannon exemplifies how relationships build successful businesses.
Want to see what three decades of industry reinvestment looks like? Visit nordstromsauto.com to explore their URG-designed website, subscribe to the Under the Hood Show on YouTube to help them reach 10,000 subscribers, or better yet—experience their customer service firsthand by ordering quality recycled parts from a family that's dedicated their lives to excellence in auto recycling.
