Todd Black, left, accepts the Member of the Year trophy from ASA-Washington’s chairman of the board, Kelly Wright.

ASA-Washington Holds Retreat & Management Conference

The ASA-Washington Semi-Annual Retreat & Management Conference was held Jan. 24-27, 2008 at the Enzian Inn in Leavenworth, Wash.

The following staffers from the ASA national office and executive committee members were in attendance: Ron and Karen Pyle, Jo Ann Abramuk, Carol Dennis, B.J. Johnson, Aaron Clements, Amanda Clements Mooney, Reggie and Brenda Denney, Earl Dohner, Charlie and Joanie Elder, and Dennis Stewerf.

The retreat kicked off with a “fun event” before getting down to business. This year, buses took attendees to the Mountain Springs Lodge. Upon reaching their destination, attendees enjoyed sleigh rides, snowmobiling and lunch. Participants later had a choice of attending the Collision Roundtable discussion, the Mechanical/Technical Roundtable discussion or the Ascetts Fun Event, which was a Bunko Extravaganza.

Following the roundtable discussions, ASA-Washington held an “Appreciation Dinner” hosted by Jerry Smith, associate publisher of Northwest Motor, Parts & People, for Donna Washut, who retired from ASA-Washington after 16 years of devoted service.

Reggie Denney, incoming ASA chairman, and his wife, Brenda, right, enjoy the Appreciation Dinner with Mary Lewis.

The event, which hosted more than 190 attendees, offered an AMI seminar, “Customer Service from The Inside Out,” taught by Diana Papali.

ASA-Washington’s chairman of the board, Kelly Wright, presented the affiliate’s highest honor – its “Outstanding Member of the Year” award – to Todd Black, owner of two shops in Bellingham, Wash., during the retreat and management conference.

To learn more about ASA-Washington events, please contact Jeff Lovell, ASA-Washington executive director, at (877) 257-2100 or visit its Web site at www.ASAWA.com.

Warranty Guides Available through ASA

ASA now has available the 2008 Official Warranty Guide published by J&L Warranty Pro. Customized with the ASA logo on the cover, this booklet is a complete “at-your-fingertips” guide that details every manufacturer’s warranty guidelines, deductibles, warranty extensions and other pertinent warranty information.

The warranty guides may be purchased for $10.95 each (includes shipping) while supplies last. (Texas residents, add 8.25 percent sales tax for a total of $11.85.)

This offer is available to ASA members in good standing. To order, call ASA’s membership department at (800) 272-7467, ext. 295, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time; or visit www.ASAstore.com, and click on references.

These handy guides help independent repair facilities:

• Appraise used vehicles with greater confidence.
• Be sure which type of warranty transfer applies and whether transfer requirements have been met.
• Get factory defects repaired under warranty and let the factory pay for emissions component repairs, even after basic warranties have expired.

NATIONAL NEWS

• ASA membership recruiters Todd Mehalko and Bret Sullins were recently in Raleigh, N.C., and Charlotte, N.C., in addition to attending the South East Automotive Trade Show in Greensboro, N.C. Sullins was also in Denver last month to attend ASA-Colorado’s 2008 Expo at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.

• Robbie Addison, ASA mechanical division manager, recently attended the Transmission/Undercar Expo Showpower Chicago, March 27-29 Show. Here, she stands next to Jim Patton, executive director of ASA-Illinois Mechanical Division. The trade show provided an opportunity to visit the product, tool and equipment suppliers specializing in transmission/undercar. Everyone had a chance to meet and talk with both current ASA members as well as potential new members.

• Clockwise: John Scully, executive vice president; B.J. Johnson, vice president of membership and affiliate relations; and Brie Ragland, marketing manager; met with Matt Benkosky of Unifirst, an ASA member benefit provider that provides work wear and textile services with a nationally priced service program for uniforms, career apparel and associated facility services. Unifirst is one of the more than 35 ASA member benefits offered exclusively to members of ASA to help save costs on various business activities.

Take Advantage of Continuous Membership

ASA offers a Continuous Membership payment plan that allows members a more convenient way to pay annual dues. The payment plan contains no service fee and allows members to pay their dues with an automatic credit card deduction.

Members who use this plan enjoy the benefit of avoiding paper statements, no writing checks or paying for postage, and it allows flexibility with the selection of quarterly, semiannual or annual payment options.

To register for the Continuous Membership program, call (800) 272-7467, ext. 220.

AMI Offers Scholarships to Students

Each year the Automotive Management Institute (AMI), in conjunction with various organizations and companies, offers a range of scholarships for students. Scholarship applications are available on the AMI Web site and can be completed online.

The scholarships help cover the recipients’ expenses to attend one of the two shows held in Las Vegas in November: the International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE) and the Congress of Automotive Repair and Service (CARS).

This year’s scholarships include the Zurich High Octane Scholarship, Tom B. Babcox Memorial Scholarship, Automotive Video Inc. Scholarship, Emil Stanley Merit Award, Body Shop Business Magazine Scholarship, and the Richard Cossette/Gale Westerlund Memorial Scholarship.

Aug. 15 is the deadline for AMI to receive applications for scholarships. For more information, please visit www.amionline.org/about/scholarships.htm.