ASA is a force. A 12,000-member volunteer force that's on the front lines of automotive repair every day.

We should periodically step away from the front for a day or two and volunteer our ideas, opinions and experience to improve our association, our industry and ourselves.

ASA has its share of volunteer committees, but, committees aren't for everyone. There are plenty of other ways volunteers can contribute. On July 30, for instance, several ASA member volunteers were in Washington, D.C. The day started with ASA members John Francis Jr. and John Francis III providing information (un)availability demonstrations to the U.S. Senate. They held a similar demonstration last year.

That afternoon, two ASA member volunteers and one staff member testified before a Senate subcommittee in support of Senate Bill 2617, The Motor Vehicle Owner's Right to Repair Act. Dale Feste and John Vallely left their shops for a couple of days to make a difference that will help all of us do our jobs better. Their testimonies were powerful and will go a long way toward securing victory in ASA's battle to obtain complete and affordable repair information from manufacturers. Bob Redding reports on the July 30 events in his column. Please be sure to read it (page 14).

In addition to the volunteers who were directly involved on Capitol Hill that day, a number of us were there to demonstrate, by our presence, that we are committed to the future of the independent automotive service industry. With the growing use of onboard computers, manufacturers are locking out an increasing amount of service information. Rather than letting this gradually erode the independent's ability to fix cars, ASA is pro-actively taking steps now to correct this problem. It takes volunteers like John Francis Jr., John Francis III, Dale Feste and John Vallely to make this happen. It takes volunteers like you and me.

The 51-year history of our association is marked by the work of dedicated volunteers. Last month, we lost one who was a personal friend to many of us and a friend to our association, Dick Cossette.

Dick was a volunteer who had tremendous vision. Importantly, he was willing to share his vision and turn good ideas into great things. When the International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE) was established, Dick was among the very small group who rightly shared the title “co-founder.” He was the first chairman of ASA after a 1986 merger brought two aftermarket associations together under one banner.

Dick was instrumental in establishing the Automotive Management Institute and its funding arm, Excel. He was the first chairman of Excel, serving in that position from 1993-1995.

He was a successful volunteer. He was a successful shop owner. He was a successful person.

Thank you, Dick, for volunteering and making a difference.

RATE THIS ARTICLE What do you think of this article? Your input will help AutoInc. develop additional articles on this subject. Share your thoughts! Your name Your e-mail address

MOST ACCESSED ARTICLES Fuel Injection Service, Not Just Cleaning The Art of Extraction EGR Systems: Operation and Diagnosis Proactive Target Marketing:_Rethinking Your Business Strategy Engine Performance: HO2S Diagnostics MOST E-MAILED ARTICLES Developing Employee Potential How Critical Thinking Can Help Your Business How to Diagnose the Ford Glow Plug What to Look for When Shopping for the Right Shop Management Software Putting a Price Tag on Complaints

AutoInc. Web Site | ASA Web Site | Senate Holds Service Information Hearing | The Internet's Virtual Reinvention of the Automotive Industry | Dot-Com Directory | How to Avoid Losing Money from Bouncing Checks | Guest Editorial | Tech to Tech | Tech Tips | Shop Profile | Net Worth | Stat Corner | Chairman's Message