ASA Members to Discuss Industry Issues

Automotive Service Association (ASA) members will head to Capitol Hill May 11 as part of the association's 2011 annual business meeting in the Washington, D.C., area. "Taking the Hill" Day will allow members to meet face-to-face with policymakers to discuss key industry issues to address the concerns of today's mechanical and collision repair professionals. With a large number of new members of Congress, this will be a unique opportunity for ASA members to educate policymakers about the independent automotive repair industry and its impact on the economy.

ASA collision repair members will meet with their House and Senate representatives to discuss the Federal Insurance Office and insurance reform; vehicle disclosure legislation and crash parts; and the EPA's implementation of the automotive refinishing regulation.

ASA mechanical repair members will meet with representatives to discuss the importance of state safety inspection programs and NHTSA's role in encouraging and protecting these programs; the importance of vocational education programs to the automotive repair industry; and the EPA's emissions inspection programs.

Business meetings and the Association Leadership Summit will be held May 9-10, followed by "Taking the Hill" Day May 11.

Affiliate News

ASA-Arizona To Host KEYS Event

The ASA-Arizona chapter affiliate will be hosting an ASA Keys event April 16 at the Hilton Garden Inn Phoenix Airport at 3422 E. Elwood St.

Bill Haas, AAM, ASA's vice president of education and training, will be teaching two classes. Haas is an AMI-approved instructor and former shop owner with more than 25 years of experience in the industry. His two classes are: "Marketing Automotive Service and Collision Repair to Generation X and Y" and "Vehicle Technology? You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet!"

The other instructor is Jerry Baarson, regional training manager, CARQUEST Technical Institute. Baarson has more than 20 years of experience as a technician and trainer working with manufacturers and state air quality programs. Baarson has been managing and teaching CTI instructors throughout the United States since 2002. His two classes will be on "Fluids & Lubricants."

In addition, Walt Commans, ASE's western representative, will highlight the changes of the new ASE Maintenance & Inspection Web Training. He will also talk about the new computer-based testing that will begin at the end of 2011.

For more information, please contact the ASA-Phoenix Chapter at (602) 544-2600, info@asaaz.org or www.asaaz.org.

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