Around ASA
ASA-Washington has "fun in the sun" during retreat
More than 200 attendees participated in the ASA-Washington semi-annual retreat and management conference held June 18-21, in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.
The four-day event began with the traditional hospitality suite, golf tournament and barbecue. The general session featured chapter reports, the executive director report and the division reports. Chuck Groves (pictured, left), president of the Automotive Management Institute (AMI) delivered an information-packed keynote address.
Richard Flint (pictured, right) pleased attendees with his AMI seminar, "Don't Quit," which earned attendees six credits toward the Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) designation.
The next scheduled ASA-Washington semi-annual retreat will be held Jan. 21-24, 1999, at the Cavanaugh's Inn at the Park in Spokane, Wash.
ASA-Ohio
Robert Juniper, president of Three-C Body Shop Inc. in Columbus, Ohio, was awarded the 1997 Excellence in Marketing/Marketer of the Year and the Small Business Marketer of the Year awards by the Columbus Chapter of the American Marketing Association.
Three-C Body Shop was nominated for its use of attention-getting advertising, as well as increased sales. Three-C Body Shop has been an ASA member since 1991.
ASA-Texas elects new board
ASA-Texas held its annual convention and tradeshow June 12-14, in Arlington, Texas. During the three-day educational event, the affiliate elected and installed its board of directors. The board consists of: president, Connie Duer, AAM (pictured), Duer Automotive and Truck Repair in Fort Worth; president-elect, Rick Sharbrough, AAM, Rick's Hi-Tech Auto Care in Katy; vice president, Don Whitehead, Quality Body Works in Midland; secretary/treasurer, Dan Waskow, AAM, Superior Auto Service in Bryan; and past president, Rick Bigham, AAM, Bigham Automotive in Lubbock.
Other highlights of the convention included two Automotive Management Institute (AMI) seminars, as well as technical education programs tailored for collision and mechanical businesses. The tradeshow featured more than 120 booths demonstrating the latest technology for the automotive repair industry.
ASA-Oregon members receive honors
Joe Bernard, AAM, and wife, Shirley Benson-Bernard, AAM, were named the Oregon Automotive Parts Association's (OAPA) "Industry Persons of the Year." The two were selected for their continued dedication to the automotive service industry.
Joe currently serves as the ASA-Oregon executive director. Shirley owns and operates Automatic Transmission Specialties in Salem. Both are longtime ASA members and have been active at the local, affiliate and national levels. The Bernards earned their Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) designations in 1996.
Pictured (l to r) are Joe Bernard; Bill Boyer, OAPA executive vice president; and Shirley Benson-Bernard.
ASA-Minnesota
Several attendees participated in the "Business Negotiations" seminar held June 2 in St. Louis Park, Minn. ASA-Minnesota hosted the AMI seminar taught by John Waller. It covered practical negotiation strategies and tactics to increase profits and build long-term relationships. Attendees earned six credits toward the AAM designation. The event was sponsored by ASA-Minnesota associate members G.T. Parts Co. and St. Paul-Minneapolis Wholesale Parts.
National News
ASA met with officials from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to discuss the regulation of replacement crash parts. At the meeting, ASA received a commitment from the director of the Office of Defects Investigation that NHTSA would meet with ASA to observe the installation of non-original equipment manufacturer replacement crash parts and review parts quality.
ASA believes that in many cases these parts are inferior to parts manufactured by the vehicle manufacturer and that they could jeopardize driver and passenger safety.
ASA Chairman Carl Miller, AAM, met with Rep. Darlene Hooley, D-Ore., to discuss small-business issues in Washington, D.C. Hooley is Miller's representative in the U.S. Congress. Miller and Hooley discussed the important role that federal advisory committees play in the development of new regulations. ASA representatives have served on many of these committees that seek input from various segments of the regulated business community as new regulations are being formulated. Hooley agreed at the meeting to assist ASA in obtaining a seat on the Mobile Sources Technical Review Committee of the Clean Air Act Advisory Committee.
Six ASA members met with representatives of Mitchell International and the insurance industry to analyze the data, procedures and functionality contained in Mitchell's products. The meeting of the Mitchell International Information Advisory Board was held March 26 in San Diego, Calif. Mitchell International, headquartered in San Diego, provides professional estimating and repair information to the auto body repair industry. Mitchell's products are available in both software and print. Among ASA members present at the meeting were John R. "Johnny" Mock, chairman-elect of the ASA board of directors; Kevin Caldwell, director of the ASA Collision Division; and Rick Reiss, a member of the ASA Collision Division Operations Committee. Other ASA members at the meeting were William "Bill" Eveland of Eveland Brothers Body Shop Inc. in Shawnee Mission, Kan.; Clark Plucinski of B C P Auto Body Inc. in Rockville, Md.; and William "Bill" Wicklund of Wicklund's CARSTAR Collision in Liberty, Mo.
Reminder of the Month
The Congress of Automotive Repair and Service (CARS) will be held Oct. 30 to Nov. 1, at the Alexis Park Resort and Spa in Las Vegas. The three-day event will provide management and technical education for the mechanical repair industry. Register by Aug. 18 and save $75 with the early-bird registration fee.
EPA Develops New Stormwater Regulations || ABS Service Myths and Facts || Towing and Rental Cars || Handling Personnel Crises || Guest Editorial || Tech to Tech || Tech Tips || News Briefs || Taking the Hill || Around ASA || Net Worth || Stat Corner || Shop Profile || Chairman's Message
AutoInc. Magazine ®, Vol. XLVI, August 1998 (http://www.asashop.org)