Around ASA
by B.J. Frank The ASA-Greater Kansas City chapter reserves one night each year to express its appreciation to the employees of member-businesses. This year's "Employee Appreciation" night was held Oct. 23, 1996, and included dinner, an awards ceremony and entertainment. All chapter members are encouraged to invite their employees to this annual event. For the second year, the chapter also awarded the "Employee of the Year" award. The award is given to the employee who accumulates the most volunteered hours for the chapter. The "Employee of the Year" plaque and $300 prize were presented to Steve Scaman, Singer Automotive, for his work on the monthly chapter newsletter, the Soap Box Derby, the chapter's annual training event, Vision 2000, and for helping with raffle ticket sales during monthly chapter meetings. Rick Adams, S & S Service Center, won second place and received $200 and a plaque. Other employees recognized during the awards ceremony were Terrence Wilson, Hurst Imports; Karen Hayden, Auto Tech; Lesa Osgood, New Concept Automotive; and Eric Bartlett, Auto Tech.
ASA-Ohio and the Car Care Council will test a Certified Inspection service in Ohio. The pilot program will provide motorists with a reliable, unbiased appraisal of the overall condition of vehicles they are interested in purchasing or selling. The service includes a comprehensive evaluation of more than 150 inspection points and will be performed by inspection centers selected by a peer committee under the direction of the Car Care Council. The ASA affiliate and the council will release more information on the development of the service in the spring.
ASA-Texas has a new affiliate benefit called Outlook Vision Services, which provides ASA members and their families up to 50 percent off retail eyewear purchases. Discounts apply to purchases of lenses, frames, contact lenses, prescription and non-prescription sunglasses and accessories.
ASA-Arizona held its first Annual Sunrise 2000 Conference and Tradeshow, Sept. 14-15, 1996, in Casa Grande, Ariz. The event attracted more than 80 industry personnel. Attendees were offered management and technical courses presented by various speakers including Thomas T. Tilton, Mark Warren and Chuck Sulkala. The courses provided information on a wide range of subjects from sexual harassment to repairing computer-controlled vehicles. The tradeshow was also a success. The affiliate was very pleased with the event and plans to hold the second Annual Sunrise 2000, Oct. 10-12, in Casa Grande.
The 1996/1997 ASA-New Jersey Board of Directors election took place Oct. 16, 1996, during the affiliate's first annual allied member night, held at the Birchwood Manor, in Whippany, N.J. Board members are Tommy Lee, president; Randy Profeta, first vice president; George VanArsdall, second vice president; John Swanson, secretary; and Steve Bollander, treasurer. Peter Cook, Richard Johnson, Bob Magee and Ken VendenBerg were elected as one-year directors to the board. Two-year directors are Tom Greco, Dennis Griffith, Brian Vesley and Glenn Villacari, with Rick Bond, Bob Chard and Rich Weber being elected trustees.
The November meeting of the newly formed ASA-Omaha, Nebraska, chapter was held Nov. 13, 1996, with more than 65 people attending. During the meeting, a committee for membership recruiting was formed, as well as a committee to work with the state's Attorney General's office. Chapter officers and members hope to recruit 75-100 new members.
As members of the Automotive Service Association, you know that new members join ASA for a variety of reasons. They join for the local camaraderie; others join to gain access to a particular member benefit and still others join to support our legislative causes. ASA strives to appeal to members in each of these areas. But sometimes, ASA needs the help of its members to accomplish this.
ASA would like appeals to join the association from its members. The appeals would be done in the form of letters that would be included in our direct mail campaign to non-members. If you would like to participate by either writing a letter or working with the ASA staff to write such letters, please contact Lyle King, vice president of membership, at (800) 272-7467.
The Automotive Service Association 1997 Annual Convention will include business seminars designed to keep shop owners and managers on the leading edge of automotive service management. The seminars - "Speak for Yourself: Communicating with Confidence and Clarity," "Managing Information Overload" and "Shop Efficiency & Establishing A Labor Rate" - are provided by the Automotive Service Association Management Institute and earn credits toward the institute's Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) designation.
The convention will be held at The Broadmoor, in Colorado Springs, Colo., March 11-16. Other convention events, which build on the theme "Reaching New Heights," include a keynote address on personal confidence and productivity by Keith Harrell; business meetings for the Mechanical Division and Collision Division of ASA; an Ascettes meeting; an awards luncheon; and a graduation ceremony to honor the 1997 class of AAMs. Chairman of the Board Don Seyfer will give the welcome address, followed by a review of the association's progress in 1996 by ASA President and Chief Staff Executive G.W. "Bud" Merwin III. A legislative update will be provided by ASA Washington Representative Bob Redding.
A five-star cooking demonstration, mountain golf and a Breckenridge ski trip are optional events also planned for the convention. Entertainment for the Chairman's Reception and Banquet will be provided by international country music star Janie Fricke.
This Months Reminder
ASA will soon publish the 1997 Membership Directory. To ensure the accuracy of your listing, please verify that the information on the mailing label of this issue of AutoInc. is correct. The address and contact name listed on this label is how the listing in the directory will appear for your business. If you have a post office box or separate mailing address, the physical address will be used if ASA has it on file. The physical address is used so that consumers can locate your business for service. If you have changes to the address listed on the mailing label or you would like to verify the physical address ASA has on file, please call the ASA Membership Department toll-free at (800) 272-7467. The deadline for submitting changes to directory listings is Feb. 10. The 1997 ASA Membership Directory will be distributed in April.
ASA Main Page || AutoInc. Main Page
1997: A Test For Regulatory Review || Directions In Management || DIS: Using An Automotive Scope || Bridging The Gap || Paint Shop Health Concerns || Adequate Respirators Crucial For Employee Health || Guest Editorial: Nine Characteristics Of A Target Customer || Tech To Tech || Tech Tips || News Briefs || Taking The Hill || Around ASA || Shop Profile || Net Worth || Chairman's Message
AutoInc. Magazine ®, Vol. XLV No. 2, February 1997