It's difficult to believe that a year has passed since I became your chairman. The past 12 months have been so busy the time passed quicker than I could have imagined.

In my professional career, there has not been anything more rewarding than having the opportunity to serve my fellow ASA members. I would be less than forthcoming, however, if I wrote this final column as if this were a one-man journey. I can assure you it takes more than the chairman to get the job done. Please allow me to thank some people who have made this year possible.

First, I'd like to start with my fellow board members. These 11 shop owners represent the best of our industry. In numerous meetings and conference calls, never did one of them put their interests ahead of those of the association.

Rather than naming the board members here (and depleting the word limit put on me by the editor), please look to the right side of this page where they're already listed. If you've ever met any of these individuals, you already know they're committed to advancing this industry and association, and they frequently place this commitment above their own shop's bottom line. They are volunteers who receive no pay for their time.

I also want to thank two other groups of members, ASA's collision and mechanical division operations committees. Like the board of directors, the division committees are made up of volunteers. Their service on these committees takes them into the trenches where the industry's battles are fought on behalf of all aftermarket professionals. Thanks to their dedication, more often than not ASA wins the battles it enters.

I must also thank two individuals without whom there is no way I could have given this job the attention it deserves. Those individuals are Marie Guderjohn and my wife, Mary.

Marie and Mary ran my shop this year. (It's no coincidence that this was the year we were named one of Washington's Top 10 AAA shops.) I have expressed my gratification to both, so they know how much they're appreciated. But, they deserve public recognition as well.

Above all else, I have to say that Mary is the most incredible person I know. She works with me day and night. Everyone else I've mentioned gets a break from me. But Mary goes to work with me in the morning and then goes home with me at the end of the day. She makes everything possible and she is more incredible than I can describe.

Finally, I want to thank the members of ASA who gave me this opportunity to serve. My final request as chairman is to ask those who are not actively involved in ASA to become involved. I can guarantee that what you give is just a fraction of what you'll receive.

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