Next AMI Webinar Will Be Held Dec. 8

Mike Anderson

There's still time to register for the next Webinar to be offered by the Automotive Management Institute (AMI). But hurry!

Scheduled for Dec. 8 is a Webinar called "Whale Done - The Key to Improving Employee Morale." The instructor will be Mike Anderson, AAM, owner of Wagonwork Collision Center in Alexandria, Va. Anderson is a member of ASA's Collision Division Operations Committee and serves as chairman of its Subcommittee on Estimating.

The program is approved for two credits toward AMI's Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) designation. The Webinar will cost you $50. You may register by visiting www.AMIeducationonline.com. Questions? Call (800) 272-7467, Ext. 241.

I-CAR Plans Dialog On Training Needs

Members of the collision repair industry are invited to participate in an open dialog about ongoing work to organize industry training around role-specific career paths. I-CAR, the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair, will hold a roundtable discussion of that topic Dec. 9 at its Training Support Center in Hoffman Estates, Ill.

Collision repair professionals who would like to take part in the discussion can register for the meeting on the I-CAR Web site at www.i-car.com/roundtable.

3M Donates Mixing Systems

3M has donated 319 3M Dynamic Mixing Systems valued at $300,000 to the I-CAR Education Foundation. The mixing systems will be distributed to schools and colleges that offer collision repair and automotive refinishing training programs.

"Most schools would never be able to demonstrate this new body filler system to their students without 3M's generosity," said Scott Kruger, executive director of the I-CAR Education Foundation.

MACS, EPA Webinars Will Answer Questions

Are you a professional making your living in the mobile air conditioning sector of the automotive marketplace? Need more information on the proposed Waxman-Markley climate bill? Do you fully understand Section 609 of the United States Clean Air Act of 1990?

Wish you could find the information you need to be better informed on these subjects? You can. The Climate Protection Partnership division of the Environmental Protection Agency is partnering with the Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS) Worldwide for monthly informational Webinars on these topics.

The first Webinar is scheduled for Dec. 10. For more information and to register, visit MACS Web site, www.macsw.org.

AkzoNobel Opens Award Nominations

AkzoNobel has opened nominations for the industry's first FIT Sustainability award.

It's designed to complement the advancement of waterborne technology and promote the unique contributions the collision repair industry is making to generate a sustainable future.

Nominations may be made by going to www.akzonobelcarrefinishes.net/FIT. Jan. 3, 2010, is the deadline for making nominations.

FIT is an acronym for the three key measurement criteria of the award: Focus, Innovation and Talent. Recognition will go to enterprises that are pursuing and delivering sustainable and environmentally focused business solutions to the collision repair industry.

Three CARS Attendees Win Toyota's Techstream
Lite Diagnostic Kits

Toyota has introduced a new Techstream Lite Diagnostic Kit, developed to make factory-level Toyota Techstream Diagnostics more affordable. Demos of the new system were available at the recent CARS Expo in Las Vegas, and attendees were encouraged to enter a drawing to win one of three Techstream Lite Diagnostic Kits. Toyota has announced the three independent shop winners (all ASA members):

• Josie Prieto of J-Ray Auto Repair, Bronx, N.Y.

• Jim Houser of Hawthorne Auto Clinic, Portland, Ore.

• Craig Johnson of Craig Johnson Automotive, Rowland Heights, Calif.

Toyota's Techstream is an integrated PC-based diagnostic system that delivers service information and scantool diagnostics to the vehicle via a wireless connection to Toyota's Technical Information System (TIS). With Techstream, technicians can view and analyze on-board vehicle data, review TIS service information and even re-program Toyota, Lexus and Scion vehicles, all from the driver's seat.

Techstream Lite makes the benefits of Techstream Diagnostics more affordable by leveraging the same software capabilities with a generic Vehicle Interface Module (VIM), all designed to run on a PC. The Techstream Lite Kit includes Techstream Diagnostic Software, the Mongoose MFC VIM interface cable and a one-year Professional Subscription to TIS that includes:

• Techstream Diagnostic Software

• Library Access (repair manuals, wiring diagrams, etc.)

• ECU Reprogramming calibrations, and much more

Visit https://techinfo.toyota.com for additional details.