Chairman's Club 2006 Award Winner Announced

ASA presented its Chairman's Club Award to Bob Schlanger, owner of British Car Service, Tucson, Ariz., at the CARS Luncheon Nov. 4 in Las Vegas. The award honors ASA members who recruited or provided leads for prospective shops to become members of the association.

By recruiting 10 new members to ASA, Schlanger earned an expense-paid trip to the Congress of Automotive Repair and Service (CARS). Schlanger said the difficult part of recruiting is simply that people who own independent shops are just that - independent. To show the value of membership in ASA, he invites shop owners to visit one of the chapter's dinner meetings to network with peers. "Being self-reliant has served them well. I think it's the ability to network with their peers - and realize that they are not alone out there - is what turns a nonmember into an ASA member," said Schlanger. "The benefits are just frosting on the cake."

The Chairman's Club program is based on a point system: five points are earned for each new member a current member recruits. The member with the most points by a specified date is awarded the grand prize - an expense-paid trip to either CARS or the International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE).

The ASA Chairman's Club is an essential part of ASA's membership recruitment program. "I believe the best way to build an organization is through current members finding new members, and I encouraged all of our members to sign up at least one new member in the coming year," said Charlie Elder, AAM, ASA chairman and owner of Ray Gordon Brake Service, Tallahassee, Fla.

More than 30 members participated in the 2006 Chairman's Club program. Individuals who participated received a certificate of appreciation from ASA for their recruitment efforts. The next grand prize recipient will be determined Sept. 14, 2007. To learn more about the Chairman's Club, call the ASA membership department at (800) 272-7467, ext. 295; or visit the ASA Community section in the Members Only area of the ASA Web site at www.ASAshop.org.

Important ASA Membership Information

Every successful business monitors its operating expenses and cost of doing business. The Automotive Service Association (ASA) is no different in that regard; beginning January 2007, it is announcing a dues increase.

This minimal increase will allow ASA to expand its presence as the association works to fulfill its mission of advancing professionalism and excellence in the automotive repair industry through education, representation and member services.

For more information, contact the ASA membership department at (800) 272-7467, ext. 295, or the accounting department, ext. 220.

What Are They Up To?

AutoInc. Profiles Past Chairmen of ASA

Stan Hathcock
ASA Chairman: 1989-1990

Q: What are you doing currently?
A: In my post-retirement life, I juggle the demands of managing some commercial property investments, work as an investment partner with a young residential builder from the old shop neighborhood, stay involved with our new neighborhood's Home Owner's Association and help take care of a vibrant 91-year-old mother-in-law. I occasionally find time to dabble in my hobbies of genealogy and woodworking. I also enjoy following the successes of our three sons and four grandchildren. Life is good and our cup of blessings is full.

Q: What advice would you give to ASA members aspiring to serve on the board?
A: Remain true to your deepest convictions, listen more than you speak, be reasonable in all things and work on winning the future for all members, not yourself.

Q: What are your best memories and accomplishments as chairman?
A: Without a doubt, the best memories are of those countless individuals from all over the country who are involved in making things better for all - fellow members and their families, the professional and personable ASA staff in Bedford, Texas, and Washington, D.C., as well as all those industry contacts who came together for common goals.

None of the accomplishments were mine - they all belonged to the collective energy and vision of the leadership and the staff. Utmost would be participating in the merger of IGO and IASA to form ASA. This was such a historical benchmark where so many people set aside personal politics and self-recognition for a greater purpose and goal. Additionally, I got to share in the growth years of NACE, see an entire industry take itself to the next level and be exposed to so many world-class people like Galen Poss and his staff who I probably aged severely when I went to the podium.

NATIONAL NEWS

• ASA has updated its "Not-Included Operations" charts, two publications designed to ensure collision repairers consider all of the possible operations when they write an estimate. Two titles are available, "Reference Chart of Not-Included Operations When Installing New Replacement Parts," and "Reference Chart of Not-Included Operations When Installing Recyclable Parts." The guides serve as a quick summary of general not-included operations, and should be used in addition to procedure pages supplied by individual information providers.

  The publications are available to ASA member-shops individually or as a set, in both PDF or hard-copy formats. To order or obtain pricing information, members may access the ASA online store at www.ASAstore.com, or call the membership department at (800) 272-7467, ext. 295. Nonmembers may request the documents by contacting ASA's membership department at (800) 272-7467, ext. 295, for further details.