Editor's Note: Last month, Bob Pearson, AAM, discussed the importance of management education, and ended his column with plans to attend AMI's All-Star Seminar in Palm Desert, Calif. This month's Guest Editorial picks up where last month's column left off, as Denny Kahler, AAM, who attended the AMI program, expresses the impact management education has had on his business. (Last Month's Guest Editorial).

Many of my business acquaintances have asked me what kind of education and auto management background I have accumulated over the years, and honestly, several years ago, before I became an ASA member, I most likely would have said, "The School of Hard Knocks," Anywhere, USA. You know, that's the school where you keep late-night hours working until early morning just to keep up with the ability to pay your bills. They offer an interesting course there called "Juggling Hats." They teach you how to wear 100 different hats in an eight-hour work day and still have enough energy late into the evening to fix a few jobs that didn't get out the door and are promised first thing in the morning.

Seriously, there is a better way, and it's even more fun. Although I attended college for two years in my early days in Maryland, all that I've learned about successful management skills, I learned by taking automotive management training courses. I've earned the Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) designation from the Automotive Manager Institute (AMI). Now if you aren't interested in management education, or don't know about AMI, the good news is that you're reading this column. The bad news is that you've already wasted valuable time not taking any of their courses, which are now offered nationwide. And if you missed the AMI seminar the last weekend in April, you'll kick yourself even harder when you hear this: 10 of the most respected and well-known leaders in the auto industry came together for four days and taught all of us poor and tired auto shop owners (some of whom are now bald from taking the Juggling Hats course in our early years) how to get organized, set goals, write ads, improve marketing and sales skills, hire well-trained personnel, improve shop morale, and understand the female automotive customer.

People from all over the country are attending management seminars for the wealth of information and pure enjoyment of the positive support and enthusiasm of their colleagues. One attendee has earned more than 400 credits! Many of the most involved individuals of our industry attend these programs. Not only can you learn from the instructors of these courses, but you learn from fellow attendees as well.

I've got to mention that my eldest son, Ryan, has been attending these courses faithfully with me through the years, and I'm very proud to announce that he has earned enough credits to receive his AAM. (One down, two to go. My wife and I have three wonderful boys.)

Of those in attendance, 30 percent had never attended an AMI course before. If you think you can't afford to leave your business to attend the next management seminar, think again. You can't afford not to.

Denny Kahler, AAM, and his wife, Cindy, have owned Kahler's Werkstatt in Dublin, Calif., for 25 years. He is an ASE-certified master technician and has served on the Bosch Service Center Council for 10 years. Kahler was named ASA's top recruiter for 1998 and has been an ASA member himself since 1993.

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