News Briefs

I-CAR Announces New Executive Vice President
Thomas M. Mack of Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich., began serving as Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) executive vice president June 1. He succeeds Jeff Silver who left the organization after 11 years of service to open his own collision repair business. A search committee selected Mack from more than 80 applicants for the position. Final candidates for the position were required to undergo four interviews: a group interview with I-CAR’s executive committee, a personal interview with Silver, a group interview with seven executive staff members, and an evaluation by a consulting psychologist. The executive committee made the final decision.

"Tom’s record is outstanding," said I-CAR International Chair Bill Mayer (GEICO). "He’s highly motivated and has a proven ability to organize, manage and lead. But, above all, he has the ability to inspire teamwork and a common vision."

Mack has a master’s degree in business administration from Northwestern University, an undergraduate degree in administration at the University of Notre Dame, and nearly 20 years of experience in automotive industries. Most recently, Mack served as president of EMS-TOGO Corp. and Dinol International, Inc., manufacturers of automotive sealants, coatings and adhesives, and a global manufacturer and marketer of corrosion inhibiting materials.

CARS Early Bird Registration Ends July 15
The 1996 Congress of Automotive Repair and Service (CARS) will be Sept. 18-21 in Lexington, Ky. Many popular speakers and instructors are scheduled, including Denny Kiyohara, Rick Lavely, Bob O’Connor and Mark Warren. The early registration deadline is July 15. See page 37 for more information or call (800) 272-7467.

ASAMI Approves Sherwin-Williams Program
Sherwin-Williams’ Advantage Shop Management training program has been approved by the Automotive Service Association Management Institute (ASAMI) for accreditation. Students completing this course will be awarded 24 credits toward the Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) designation. The two-day course is geared toward improving collision repair shop productivity and profitability.

SAE Launches New Web Site, Database
A new web site from the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) targets technicians and engineers by providing information on SAE products, services and activities. SAE also announces the release of the Global Mobility Database (GMD) on the World Wide Web. GMD is a source of technical information for all forms of self-propelled vehicles and summarizes more than 85,000 publications. The SAE web site address on the Internet is http://www.sae.org.

Sanders Elected NACE Chairman
ASA Collision Division Director Joe Sanders has been elected chairman of the 1996 International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE). NACE ’96 will be held Nov. 7-10 in Orlando, Fla.

Domestic Cars Reach Record High Average Age
A New Jersey research and consulting firm reports the average age of domestic cars in the United States reached a record high of 9.3 years as of January 1996. James A. Lang, president of Lang Marketing Resources, Inc., predicts a shrinking number of domestic cars in the next few years as light trucks and import vehicles expand their share of the U.S. vehicle population.

ASA Member To Host Radio Show
Roger Kwapich, owner of Smitty’s Automotive Service, Inc., in Toledo, Ohio, is the host of a nationwide automotive call-in show. The C.A.R. (Consumer Automotive Repair) Show is sponsored by the Car Care Council and airs Saturday mornings on many AM stations. Kwapich is vice president of the ASA-Toledo, Ohio, chapter.

New Jersey Coalition To Tackle Licensing
The Coalition for Quality Automotive Repairs (CQAR) announced in May its intent to work with New Jersey state officials to strengthen and increase the enforcement of licensing of collision repair shops in the state. CQAR was formed last year when the state’s leading collision repair associations, the Automotive Service Association of New Jersey (ASA-NJ) and the Garden State Automotive Federation (GSAF) joined forces and successfully defeated proposed insurance regulations.

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AutoInc. Magazine ®, Vol. XLIV No. 7, July 1996