Around ASA

By B.J. Johnson

ASA-Oregon Member Receives SBA Award

John Bendit, owner of Upscale Automotive Inc., in Tualatin, Ore., received the U.S. Small Business Administration 2000 Small Business Person of the Year Award for the state of Oregon.

The award is given based on business growth, staying power within an industry, leadership, integrity and community involvement. Bendit has served as president of the Tualatin Chamber of Commerce and is active in several school to career programs. Upscale Automotive has been an ASA member since 1988.

ASA-Tucson Chapter Conducts Car Care Clinic

The ASA-Tucson, Ariz., chapter held its annual Car Care Clinic Oct. 28 at the El Con Mall in Tucson. More than 60 chapter members and volunteers inspected 250 vehicles.

In addition to ASA-Tucson, cosponsors of the event included the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality, the Better Business Bureau, Home Depot, Merle's Auto Parts and Eegee's.

Organizers went the extra mile when planning the clinic. They arranged to have an interpreter to assist those motorists who could not speak English.

David Shinkel, ASA-Tucson president, is credited with being the driving force behind the clinic's success.

ASA-Mo/Kan Announces VISION Dates and Location Change

ASA-Mo/Kan is pleased to announce the dates and location of its ninth annual VISION Hi-Tech Training & Expo. The event will be held Feb. 23-25 at the Westin Crown Center Hotel and the Crown Center Exhibit Hall in Kansas City, Mo.

The lineup for training this year includes management trainers Mitch Schneider, George Witt and Ned Tomarchio. Technical trainers include Jim Linder, Doug Garriott, Randy Dillman, Lou Craven, Dan Marinucci, Chris Chesney and Bill Fulton. Course topics range from ABS diagnostics, charging and starting systems to ignition scope pattern interpretations and OBD II.

In addition to the education scheduled, attendees will have the opportunity to view the latest in automotive service products and technology in the 52,000-square-foot exhibit hall. For more information, visit the show's Web site at http://www.visionkc.com or contact ASA-Mo/Kan at (816) 781-5801.

ASA-St. Joseph Chapter Up and Running

An organizational meeting was held in St. Joseph, Mo., Oct. 11 for the newest ASA-Mo/Kan chapter. During the meeting the following officers were elected to the chapters board: Doug Templeton, Tadlock Tire, president; Dave Kruse, Kruse's Auto Center, vice president; and Dana Hunter, Hunter Auto Service, secretary/treasurer.

The ASA-St. Joseph chapter will also be starting an S.O.S. group for members in the area.

NATIONAL NEWS

Each year during the ASA Annual Convention, ASA recognizes the largest affiliate delegation attending. This year will be no exception. The ASA affiliate with the largest delegation attending will be awarded a hosted reception in the chairman's suite in their honor. The 2001 ASA Annual Convention will be held April 23-28 at the Westin Hotel in Maui, Hawaii. Affiliates are encouraged to begin promoting the award to its members. The ASA-Illinois Mechanical Division affiliate won the award at the 2000 ASA Annual Convention in Point Clear, Ala.

Convention registration and housing information was mailed to all ASA members in November. The 2001 convention marks ASA's 50th anniversary and special activities have been planned to celebrate this milestone.

Chuck Groves, AAM, president of the Automotive Management Institute (AMI), announced his retirement effective Dec. 31, 2000. "Anytime we reach the place in our lives when it's time to take a different direction, there is always much contemplation and soul searching. That was certainly true with my decision to retire," Groves said. John Berry assumed the top staff position at AMI Jan. 1. Berry joined the AMI staff in 1994 as curriculum program director.

ASA and the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) co-hosted the first Forum on the Future of Emissions and Safety Inspection and Maintenance.

With more than 100 participants in the day-long forum, held Nov. 1, 2000 in Las Vegas, a cross section of the automotive industry was represented, including repair professionals and instructors, state and federal regulators and administrators, law enforcement, automobile manufacturers and tool manufacturers.

Reminder of the Month

Elections for the 2001 ASA national board of directors will be held Jan. 14 to Feb. 28, 2001. This year the ASA membership will elect members for the two positions of general director. All ASA national regular members in good standing are eligible to cast their vote for the positions of ASA general director.

The voting process is conducted electronically using a toll-free telephone number. ASA members will vote by entering their member number plus a three-digit security code number. These numbers can be found on the mailing labels of this issue and the February issue of AutoInc. The member number and security code are directly above the addressee's full name and enclosed by parenthesis ( ). Example: (123456 789). For more information please contact ASA at (800) 272-7467, ext. 213.

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