There are some new and exciting developments in the Automotive Management Institute (AMI) and if you don't already know about them, you need to. For example, did you know:

• AMI has a new "Specialized Degree" program.
• The institute's Web site has been redesigned.
• There's a new public service announcement.
• AMI's annual graduation ceremony, previously held during NACE and CARS, will be held next spring at the Automotive Service Association's convention in Nashville, Tenn.

AMI's new Specialized Degree program for automotive service and collision repair professionals is the first of its kind for the automotive aftermarket. There are 10 new defined curriculums and degrees for specific positions in both mechanical and collision repair facilities.

Students with two years of mechanical or collision repair experience may participate in the program. They will take focused management courses - either self-study or instructor-led - to enhance their skills and become more effective, productive and knowledgeable employees, managers and shop owners. After successfully completing the required curriculum and passing post-course exams, students receive their new specialized degree to proudly display and promote.

AMI's redesigned Web site, www.AMIonline.org, features audience-targeted sections, management blogs, a reorganized catalog and calendar, and the ability for students to check transcripts online. We're proud of our newly redesigned Web site and it has already won an award (see story on page 23). In addition, AMI is using its new Web site to offer its first online course ever. The Automotive Service Management Course is an introduction to three of the most critical business development skills every shop owner/manager needs: sales and marketing, personnel management and business management. The new course is a requirement for earning your accredited automotive manager (AAM) designation.

The public service announcement, developed by AMI in conjunction with Automotive Video Inc., is a three-minute video clip designed to provide a brief overview of AMI. It includes an introduction to AMI and discusses the AAM designation designed to recognize professionalism and AMI's new curriculum offering specialized degrees for key positions within the shop. The public service announcement has just been mailed to instructors and sponsors, who are being asked to play the brief video prior to each AMI-approved session.

AMI's next graduation ceremony will be held during ASA's convention May 3-5, 2007, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville. The event will be an expansion of ASA's annual business meeting and will include that association's Celebration of Excellence awards ceremony, as well as AMI's graduation ceremony.

AMI is a committed partner in ASA's new training and education initiative - KEYS, which stands for Keep Educating Yourself and Staff. The regional training events kick off with an AMI-approved management seminar, in addition to other training opportunities.

As you can see from what I've outlined above, a lot of good things are going on in AMI. The institute has really shifted into high gear for you. AMI's goal is to energize, inspire and educate you as an automotive service and collision repair professional.

If you have any questions about AMI or its programs, please visit our Web site. And if you still can't find the answer, call us at (800) 272-7467, ext. 241.

Toni Slaton, AAM, is the executive director of the Automotive Management Institute. She can be reached at tslaton@amionline.org.

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