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NACE : MORE OF EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO GROW YOUR BUSINESSPosted 10/11/2006
More Than 30,000 Expected To Attend NACE Nov. 1-4
More than 30,000 people are expected to attend the International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE) Nov. 1-4 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. NACE 2006 offers everything you need to grow your business! There are 56 Conference sessions with specialized tracks including Management, Estimating, General, Jobber and Vehicle Repair - including sessions focused on, and recommended for, dealer body shops and claims professionals. Sessions are offered Wednesday, Nov. 1, through Friday, Nov. 3, in 90-minute time slots. Out of the 56 sessions, 69 percent are accredited by the Automotive Management Institute - the leading provider of management education for automotive service and collision repair professionals. To complement the Conference Program, NACE offers a variety of key events, including Wednesday evening's Welcome Reception at the 1970s pop culture icon Studio 54 (sponsored by Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes Corp.); Thursday's Opening General Session - featuring former NFL quarterback and Hall of Famer Troy Aikman (sponsored by DuPont Performance Coatings); Friday morning's OE Forum; and Saturday morning's Town Hall Breakfast titled "Total Loss Dilemma, It Affects Us All." Geralynn Kottschade, AAM, co-owner of Jerry's Body Shop, Mankato, Minn., again serves as chairman of NACE for the second consecutive year. Kottschade is the first woman to chair NACE and brings 23 years of collision repair experience to the position. "I am very excited to again be serving as the NACE chairman and look forward to working with the other council members to produce another world-class event," said Kottschade. The NACE show floor will also be opened up for the introduction of the I-CAR Technology Showcase, focusing on new technology and repair methods. Other special events that promise to make NACE 2006 a learning and entertainment environment include Virtual Reality Competitions, a New Product Pavilion, live exhibitor demonstrations, and an Estimating Skills Station. Only one event brings the entire collision industry together at one time, under one roof - NACE. For more information about NACE, visit the NACE Web site at www.NACEexpo.com.
Kottschade Leading NACE 2006
"With NACE 2006 approaching, it is time to come together as an industry. Together, we'll face new challenges in our everyday routines and work through the current issues as we solidify our industry's future success! I am very excited to again be serving as the NACE chairman and look forward to working with the other council members to produce another world-class event," said Kottschade. Jerry's Body Shop in Mankato, Minn., has been in business for 34 years and has received the Minnesota Quality Service Award and the Mankato Area Quality Award. Kottschade runs this 22-employee, 18,700-square-foot shop with her husband, Jerry. Kottschade has held several industry positions, including 2004 chairman of ASA. She is a current ASA member, as well as an educational contributor to the local Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR), the Advisory Council for Collision Industry Advancement Initiative (CIAI) and the MACS School System. She served as treasurer and secretary of the Collision Industry Electronic Conference Association (CIECA), and has specialized training from AKZO, Audatex, Mitchell and CCC. She earned her Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) designation from the Automotive Management Institute (AMI) in 1996. Her nonindustry affiliations include membership in the Better Business Bureau and service in the U.S. National Guard from 1977-1982.
Something for Everyone!
The Educational Package, designed for spouses who work in the business, includes a ticket to any Congress Session in each of the six time-slots and saves a space for the spouse at the Saturday morning Early Bird Roundtable discussions. The Entertainment Package is more focused on the "Vegas" side of things, including a Vegas Mob Tour that is sure to reveal some of Vegas' darkest secrets - ranging from murders and disappearances to mob activities and celebrity deaths. Each package is also loaded with other events - including a "mixer," the Town Hall Breakfast, attendance to the NACE exposition and access to the Spouse Lounge. These fun-filled packages will allow spouses to get more involved in Industry Week and are sure to leave a lasting impression on all of the participants. The Official NACE Online Daily News
Visitors can also access daily photos from the event. The Online Daily News will also host a live Webcast from the ASA booth (W3367) on the exposition floor. The live Webcast will take place during exposition hours. So come by and wave to your friends and family back home. In addition, several podcasts are scheduled throughout the event. Hear key speeches and press conferences, even if you're not at this year's event. Visitors can listen to the free podcasts through www.NACENOW.com, or download them directly to their MP3 devices. If you can't attend NACE, you can still log on to www.NACENOW.com and get a glimpse of this year's show as if you were actually there!
Auto Glass Expo Debuting at NACE 2006
"Some of the leading auto glass suppliers have exhibited at NACE for a number of years where they encountered many of their regular customers in addition to many who use auto glass replacement services. Those suppliers have taken it upon themselves to inquire about having an auto glass pavilion at NACE where they can invite the whole auto glass industry to attend. We have responded favorably. As a result we are creating a special area and related activities for auto glass repair and replacement," said Ron Pyle, ASA president and chief staff executive. If you repair or replace auto glass in your shop, or are interested in learning more about auto glass in order to diversify your business, then be sure to check out the many happenings at the new Auto Glass Expo (AGX) at NACE 2006.
Q & A with Troy AikmanLast of a Three-Part InterviewQ: What led to your co-ownership of a NASCAR racing team, rather than the obvious choice, an NFL team? A: I was provided an opportunity to enter NASCAR at the ownership level due to some mutual friends that were putting together an ownership group. I had never envisioned myself getting into racing at any level. Time will tell as to how successful we will be but there is no denying that it is an extremely competitive sport. Owning an NFL team has never been much of a consideration due to the exorbitant costs of purchasing a franchise. The recent television contracts have only added to those values.
Q: As part owner of the Hall of Fame racing team, will you be looked upon as a coach of some sort, or will you simply be a spectator and fan? A: I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of Hall of Fame Racing. We have a managing partner that handles those duties. My role and Roger Staubach's role with the team are basically the same. First, we provide value to our primary sponsor, Texas Instruments, by attending their hospitality events at races and taking part in their marketing campaigns. Secondly, it's important that we communicate with the team so that we can help influence the decisions that are necessary in allowing our organization to continue to improve.
Q: Do you stay in contact with your former teammates? If so, who? What do you guys do when you get together? A: I stay in contact with a number of former teammates but we don't have a lot of opportunities to get together. We recently were all together for the Hall of Fame ceremony in Canton and it was a lot of fun.
NACE 2006 Exposition Hours
Car Show for the Collision Repair Professional: NACE 2006 Auto & Cycle Alley
"We are extremely excited about the Auto & Cycle Alley, as we're sure it will attract attendance and drive traffic throughout the Exposition all three days," said Geralynn Kottschade, NACE 2006 chairman and vice president of Jerry's Body Shop in Mankato, Minn. "It is the 'brain-child' of this year's Attendee Advisory Council - a group of industry professionals dedicating their time and energy to raising the bar and increasing the core value of NACE events." From hot rods and Harleys, to classics and tuners, Auto & Cycle Alley is sure to be a crowd-pleasing event in a format that allows collision repair professionals attending NACE to show off the products of their blood, sweat and tears.
Early Bird Roundtables Forget the coffee! On Saturday, Nov. 4, from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., NACE attendees can get their blood pumping and their day off to a good start by sharing ideas, thoughts and questions with peers in an open discussion format at the Early Bird Roundtable discussions. Each session will be led by an industry leader covering a topic that is relevant to the daily lives of all collision repair professionals and is available to all NACE attendees at no charge. The sessions include: Parts Certification
Blend Within Panel
Multi-Shop Ownership
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"It is funny how things change. I used to go to NACE to see the latest and greatest in equipment and technology, but as I have matured as a collision repair shop owner, I now value the networking of my fellow shop owners as equally important to the equipment and technology information. All too often we underestimate the importance of working on the 'soft skill needs' of our businesses, and that is what I truly appreciate most about NACE." 
Geralynn Kottschade, AAM, co-owner of Jerry's Body Shop, will again serve as chairman of NACE 2006. Kottschade begins her second consecutive year as NACE chairman with 23 years of collision repair experience. She is a strong advocate of NACE, the Automotive Service Association and the entire collision repair industry.
New and revitalized, the NACE Spouse Program will cater to two distinctive types of spouses: those who work in the business and those who come along for the fun of Las Vegas!
The NACE Online Daily News has been the trusted source for news at the International Autobody Congress and Exposition for more than 10 years. Sponsored by AutoInc., the NACE Online Daily News is again the official online publication of NACE 2006. Coverage begins Wednesday, Nov. 1, and continues through Saturday, Nov. 4. AutoInc. reporters will be covering events live from the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Coverage will include a summary of key events, seminars, speakers, press conferences and special activities going on during the trade show.
NACE is proud to introduce to you - the auto glass professional - the creation of a national Auto Glass Expo (AGX) within the world-renowned NACE tradeshow. At this event, people in the industry can talk to vendors, attend seminars on the latest trends in auto glass, view demonstrations where the most up-to-date technologies will be demonstrated, and hear how to solve problems that are encountered in daily work. At NACE, auto glass professionals can network with other automotive professionals that share common concerns with the auto glass industry.
"NACE gave me the opportunity to meet the whole industry in one week. And on top of that, they listened to me. I was inspired to see how many others felt it was worth their time, too!"
"NACE is where I go to get my batteries recharged. From management seminars and I-CAR training, to uninterrupted equipment discussions, NACE is the whole collision package in one."
Ron Nagy, AAM
NACE attendees who have a passion for show cars, trucks and motorcycles will have the opportunity to visit NACE's Auto & Cycle Alley: a NACE-style car show that shows off the "prides and joys" of collision industry professionals in an exclusive display area on the NACE show floor. Entries will be judged and "Best of Class" winners will receive $2,000 each with the "Best of Show" and "Celebrity Pick" winners receiving $3,000 each. The "Celebrity Pick" will be judged by a panel of experts led by Chip Foose, an "icon" in the world of auto painting and refinishing, and host of TLC's Overhaulin'.
