IBIS Visionary Verona Remembered

Posted 12/9/2010

Pictured left to right: Chris Mann, IBIS chairman; Ron Nagy, AAM, ASA chairman-elect and owner of Nagy's Collision Center, Wooster, Ohio; and Ron Pyle, ASA president and chief staff executive. Nagy, who will be the NACE chairman in 2011, received the ASA/IBIS Russ Verona Memorial Scholarship to attend IBIS next year in Barcelona, Spain.

The late Russ Verona, an Illinois-based body shop owner, was honored as one of the great international visionaries of the collision industry during an awards luncheon held by ASA during ASRW, NACE and CARS in October. A longtime ASA member and former NACE chairman, Verona was one of the first industry leaders to realize the growing internationalization of the collision repair market. Chris Mann, IBIS chairman, honored Verona during the ASA/IBIS Russ Verona Memorial Scholarship presentation. Mann got to know Verona well during his regular trips to the U.S. to attend NACE, "the world's collision repair event."

Russ Verona

"Russ Verona played an important role in encouraging me to pursue the vision of an international conference aimed at industry leaders and influencers from around the world," said Mann. "The inaugural IBIS took place in 2001 just two weeks after the tragic events of 9/11 ... many speakers and delegates from the U.S. had to pull out. Russ, though, having committed to IBIS told me he would be there, even if it meant he had to row the Atlantic. Knowing Russ, I think he meant it. ... He became an 'IBIS regular' and his passion for the event, combined with his unique network of industry contacts, not to mention his persuasive charm, made him a unique ambassador for IBIS."

Following Verona's death in 2006, the ASA/IBIS Russ Verona Memorial Scholarship was created, which enables successive NACE chairmen to attend IBIS and to bring the symposium's international perspective back to ASA colleagues.

IBIS 2011 - Understanding demographics

IBIS 2011 has announced one of the world's leading authorities on demographics, Kelly McDonald, will be the symposium's opening keynote speaker. McDonald has worked with ASA for several years and was the keynote at ASA's ASRW events this year.

The theme of IBIS 2011 is "20/20 Vision." IBIS takes place at the iconic Hotel Arts in Barcelona, Spain, May 16-18 and is sponsored by 3M, Audatex, Enterprise Rent-a-Car and Thatcham. Early-bird discounts for the delegate package are available until December 10.

For more information, visit www.ibisworldwide.com.