What Are They Up To?

AutoInc. Profiles Past Chairmen of ASA

Geralynn R. Kottschade
ASA Chairman:
April 2004-April 2005

Q: What are you doing currently?
A: I am still working full time at the shop and still actively involved with the industry, working on various committees.

Q: What advice would you give to ASA members aspiring to serve on the board?
A: In one word, patience. The first year on the board you have the desire to know and understand all that is going on around you. You sometimes may feel as if you are not contributing or doing your part - but you are. A calm board member or chairman who uses sound judgment and exercises reason is the best for ASA.

Q: What are your best memories and accomplishments as chairman?
A: There are so many memories of being chairman in the period that Right to Repair was consuming so much of our time. I remember going to Capitol Hill and meeting with Sens. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., and Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., to reassure them that information availability is working. The accomplishment that stands out was the grassroots effort by both mechanical and collision members - with the leadership and support of our Washington, D.C., representative and our national staff in Bedford, Texas - to let Capitol Hill know what we as repairers needed. This led to the creation of the National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF).

ASA-Arizona Holds Annual Event

Sunrise 2007, the annual convention of ASA-Arizona, was held at the Prescott Resort in Prescott, Ariz., July 20-22. More than 150 attendees experienced the variety of programs that the convention offered.

The Automotive Management Institute (AMI) training, offered by Zurich, received excellent ratings. The presenters for the courses were Michael Graham, David Rogers and Cecil Bullard. Bullard, guest ASE certified master technician, provided an in-depth synopsis of the role of leadership and management within a company. Bullard stressed the importance of finding and hiring good people and discussed the methods of how to do that.

During the Saturday night dinner, the famous "Silent Auction" was held. Proceeds from the event went to the ASA Educational Fund, which offers four $1,000 scholarships to high school students and funding to automotive instructors for needed equipment and supplies in the classrooms. To conclude the convention, Danny Guido, AAM, accepted the chairmanship for another term.

ASA-Greater New Orleans Affiliate Moving Forward

The ASA-Greater New Orleans affiliate held its monthly meeting Aug. 1 at the Delgado Community College. Ron Pyle, ASA president, updated attendees on right to repair legislation, workers' compensation and health insurance. ASA staffers John Scully, ASA executive vice president; Angie Wilson, vice president, marketing and communications; and B.J. Johnson, director, membership development and affiliate relations; also attended the meeting. Prior to the meeting, Pyle, Scully, Wilson and Johnson visited affiliate member-businesses to get a firsthand look at the rebuilding efforts.

The affiliate continues to move the industry forward despite its setbacks. As part of its August meeting, the affiliate established two $500 per semester automotive-related scholarships - one for automotive technicians and one for collision repair technicians. These scholarships will be awarded to students who have a minimum of 12 hours in the automotive program at Delgado Community College. Proceeds generated from the ASA-Greater New Orleans annual fishing rodeo will fund the scholarships.

Have You Registered for NACE or CARS Yet?

Industry Week is right around the corner. If you were not one of the "early birds" that caught the worm, you still have time to register for the 2007 Congress of Automotive Repair and Service (CARS) or the International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE). Online registration for each event is located on the appropriate Web site. Please visit the CARS site at www.CARSonline.org or the NACE site at www.NACEexpo.com.

Labor Law Poster Update

With the recent change in the federal minimum wage, which took effect July 24, ASA is working diligently to make sure its members stay in compliance. By law, every business is required to display the updated federal and state required language; the old language expired Sept. 24. Although ASA is not responsible for any of the changes made to the poster(s), the association is a convenient source to obtain the updated materials to help you meet the mandated state, federal and OSHA posting requirements in a single laminated document. For your convenience, as an ASA member, you may purchase your updated posters from the association. For more information or to order, please call Stacie Lutz in the ASA membership department at (800) 272-7467, ext. 243.