Around ASA

By B.J. Johnson

ASA-Oklahoma City Chapter Hosts Appreciation Dinner

On Jan. 22, the ASA-Oklahoma City chapter treated chapter members to an appreciation dinner. In addition to the members, the chapter showed its appreciation to the many vendors who sponsored chapter events in 2001.

“Our thanks went to Sherwin-Williams and Akzo Nobel for their incredible support in our chapter's continued education on management and ownership,” said Gary Wano, chapter president. The chapter also thanked DuPont and PPG for their pledges of assistance in the upcoming workshop schedule. “The chapter is extremely grateful to the automotive department of Francis Tuttle Vo-Tech. They have allowed us to hold numerous functions at their facility,” said Wano. Through this generous offer, the chapter has saved several hundred dollars on meeting space.

In addition, the chapter was once again honored with the presence of state Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher. In 2001, chapter representatives met with Fisher regarding paint material caps. As a result of last year's meeting, Fisher pledged to investigate the issue. During the appreciation dinner, Fisher updated attendees on his investigation. “We are expecting the responses from a few more of the insurers soon. As this information is received, my office will issue a ruling on our findings,” said Fisher. “We cannot allow any type of arbitrary limits, be it paint materials, parts or whatever, to be placed on car repair in Oklahoma. If the findings from our office suggest that this is a practice of insurers in this state, that has to stop.”

“Our chapter is looking forward to another eventful year; with the hopes of this victory at hand, we will address and be victorious over more industry issues,” said Wano.

ASA-Georgia Holds Winter Management Seminar

Steve Louden

The ASA-Georgia affiliate held its “Striving for Management Excellence” event Feb. 2 at the Radisson Riverfront Hotel in Augusta, Ga. The one-day event attracted more than 30 attendees.

Automotive Management Institute instructor Steve Louden, AAM, presented two accredited seminars. The seminars, “Employees - A Key to Your Business Success,” and “Up Your Image,” earned participants a total of 12 credits toward the institute's Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) designation.

Neva Hollins, ASA-Georgia executive director, said the affiliate was extremely pleased with the event, as were those in attendance.

NATA Announces 2002 Board

The Northwest Automotive Trades Association (NATA), an ASA affiliate, announced its 2002 board of directors at its recent annual convention. Officers of the board are president, Rick Allison, AAMCO Transmissions, Eugene, Ore.; vice president, Jerry Geiszler, Jerry's Custom Paint, Gresham, Ore.; secretary, J.P. Teets, Ferguson Autobody, Portland; and treasurer, Kurt Garbe, Esquire Motors, Portland. Rounding out the NATA board are: region one director, Craig Adelhart, Craig's Automotive, Portland; region two director, Hank Tarter, Keizer Collision Center, Keizer, Ore.; region three director, Norm Dahlquist, AAM, Norm's Auto Repair, Springfield, Ore.; region four director, Tom Clouse, Brandy's Automotive, Bend, Ore.; general director, Bob Anderson, AJ's Auto Repair, Salem; general director, Randy Luthe, RDL, Portland; and associate director Van Mellick, Overall Laundry, Eugene, Ore.

Former ASA Chairman Elected CAPA President

Bob Anderson, AAM

In a dramatic departure from its past direction, the Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) has elected collision repair shop owner Bob Anderson, AAM, president of the board of directors. This marks the first time a collision repairer has held this position.

Anderson, the owner of Anderson's Automotive Service in Sheffield Village, Ohio, has been in the collision repair industry since 1968. He is a past chairman of ASA and has served on the ASA executive committee and Collision Division operations committee. He twice served as the chairman of the International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE). In 1994, he received the Body Shop Business Executive of the Year Award.

“CAPA represents the future in providing competition and quality standards for the parts available to the collision repair industry,” said Anderson, who began his new position Feb. 1 and is committed to ensuring that CAPA continues to be the benchmark for aftermarket part certification. “I wouldn't take on this role unless I was absolutely sure CAPA is moving in the right direction.”

“I have always said that if these parts don't work for the repair industry, then we are not doing our job,” said Jack Gillis, executive director of CAPA. “Bob's leadership on the board will go a long way to ensuring that commitment.”

NATIONAL NEWS

The ASA Mechanical Division has copies of the career video, “Automobile Technician,” available for members to purchase. The video, produced by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), may be used as a resource for shop owners and managers when they participate in school career fairs and similar events.

The cost of the video is $22.95. To order, ASA members may send their requests to ASA's Mechanical Division, P.O. Box 929, Bedford, Texas, 76095-0929.

The ASA Collision Division Operations Committee met Feb. 14-15 to study and address various industry issues. A range of issues was considered, including industry education, repair procedures best practices, and ASA's federal and state legislative objectives. Eleven ASA members representing collision repair shops of varying sizes from across the nation comprise the operations committee. The two-day meeting was held at ASA's headquarters in Bedford, Texas.

California Assembly Bill 841 has been defeated. The bill addressed existing state law, which states any person who installs or sells a previously deployed air bag that is part of an inflatable restraint system is guilty of a misdemeanor. This recently introduced legislation would have allowed only “a new air bag, or an air bag that has not been previously deployed, [to] be placed or installed in the air bag compartment of a motor vehicle.” This proposed legislation implied that recycled or non-OEM air bags are acceptable for installation in vehicles.

Chuck Sulkala was awarded the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) Collision Industry Conference Chairman's Award during ceremonies held at the International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE) 2001 in Las Vegas. Sulkala, owner of Acme Body & Paint Co. Inc. in Jamaica Plain, Mass., currently serves as trustee emeritus of the I-CAR Education Foundation board of trustees. In addition, Sulkala is a member of the ASA Collision Division Operations Committee.

Members of ASA's communications department pictured left to right: Alexis Burt, Levy Joffrion, Angie Wilson, Ken Roberts, Trisha Baker, B.J. Johnson, Colby Horton.
On Feb. 22, Trisha Baker celebrated 20 years of employment with the Automotive Service Association, as graphics department manager in the communications department. Her responsibilities include layout and design of AutoInc., the official publication of ASA, as well as the division newsletters. In addition, she is responsible for the graphics process of the association's information pieces.

To mark this milestone, the ASA staff gathered, had cake and wished Trisha all the best on her next 20 years with ASA.

Reminder of the Month

For many people, the month of April brings anxiety and worry. April 15, of course, is the deadline for federal income tax filings. The U.S. government has a Web site that provides good tax information. The site can be accessed at: www.irs.ustreas.gov.

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