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Year in ReviewPosted 12/16/2002By Dan Frohlich, Chairman The biggest accomplishment of 2002 was the information availability agreement ASA helped negotiate with automobile manufacturers. By Aug. 31, 2003, independent shops will have the same access to service information, diagnostic tools and training that dealer shops have. This agreement was possible because of the years of hard work expended by ASA members, staff and others. Our Annual Convention, held in Washington, D.C., aided this effort. Members marched on Capitol Hill and met with their elected representatives in support of information availability legislation. One result of the ASA march was the U.S. Senate Hearing held July 30. ASA testimonies led Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., to direct the aftermarket and the OEMs to work together and resolve the information availability issue. When a U.S. Senator issues a directive, one should take it seriously. ASA did. The OEMs did. As a result, you will have full access to OEM information. Another 2002 highlight was the adoption of ASA's long-range strategic plan. We now have a road map to chart the association's course over the next several years. Everything in the plan is intended to help your association improve your business environment. Two new affiliates came aboard ASA this year, ASC-California and ASA-Rhode Island. I appreciate the efforts of volunteer members in these states who made their affiliations possible. In August, President Bush signed an order requiring federal agencies to account for small business concerns when implementing regulations. Thomas Sullivan, chief advocate of the Small Business Administration, took part in our convention. He was joined by ASA Washington, D.C., Representative Bob Redding to ensure President Bush heard your concerns as small business owners. ASA's Congress of Automotive Repair and Service (CARS), held last month in Las Vegas, hit attendance records with more than 600 participants! CARS has established itself as the single best event providing both management and technical training. The ASA-sponsored International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE) remains the premier collision industry event. When this magazine hits your mailbox, 30,000 people will be in Dallas at NACE 2002. Our friend, Walter Trapp, retired to his home in the Texas Hill Country. Walter joined the ASA staff in 1994 and spent the last four years as president. In turn, we welcomed Ron Pyle as our new president. As you can see, 2002 was an important year for ASA members. With all of us working together under the ASA banner, we certainly can enjoy greater success in 2003. In closing, my wife, Sean, joins me in sending sincere wishes to you and your families for a blessed holiday season and a profitable New Year.
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Copyright (c) 1996-2008. Automotive Service Association. All rights reserved.
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As we approach the end of 2002, I thought it would be
interesting to highlight ASA's accomplishments over the previous 12 months. Before beginning, though, I issue this disclaimer: It's not my intent to cover every single ASA accomplishment of 2002. Angie Wilson, the AutoInc. editor, has a strict 500-word limit. So, within that constraint ...
