Chairman’s Message: A Legacy Of Learning
As you may have noticed from last month’s issue of AutoInc., 1996 is the 45th anniversary of the Automotive Service Association (ASA). The fact that this association (there have been some name changes) has been working for the benefit of automotive service business owners for four and a half decades is a remarkable accomplishment.
But who, really, is to thank for these 45 years of work on behalf of the automotive service industry? It’s the many thousands of shop owners and managers who have belonged to the association throughout the years. There have also been very many dedicated staff members who work or have worked for ASA, but what keeps the association going is the willingness of regular members to participate and learn from each other.
There are many notable elected leaders who have served ASA. Take a look at an ASA Membership Directory and you’ll find dozens of past chief elected officers, senior active and honorary members listed. These people deserve a great deal of the credit for the success of ASA.
As many ASA members will probably agree, one of the biggest benefits of ASA is sharing knowledge about the automotive service business with fellow shop owners in a noncompetitive way. By being around people who know a great deal about the industry, some of that knowledge rubs off on you, and hopefully, some of your knowledge will be absorbed by others. When I reflect on the 45th anniversary of ASA, I think of it as a 45- year legacy of members learning from each other and upgrading the industry’s overall professionalism. It’s a big accomplishment that has been achieved at the individual level for 45 years.
There have been many specific regulatory and industry battles that ASA has fought for and won. The variety of benefit programs ASA offers has grown greatly, and with the Automotive Service Association Management Institute (ASAMI), service professionals have opportunities that could only have been dreamed of 45 years ago. But even with all of this progress, the networking and exchange of ideas between ASA members is still, and will undoubtedly continue to be, one of the biggest benefits of the association.
--Jerry Kottschade
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AutoInc. Magazine ®, Vol. XLIV No. 2, February 1996