Make a Difference with ASA

Posted 2/10/2011
By Jerry Burns, AAM, Chairman

With the dawn of 2011, it is always exciting to anticipate what the New Year has in store for us. By now I'm sure many of you are moving forward with the goals you have set for yourself personally and professionally.

ASA looks forward to continuing to serve our members and growing our membership to better support our industry. Together, we are always stronger. Like all of you in your respective businesses, we too are always looking to be better to give you greater value as an ASA member.

Many of you have expressed interest in the structure of ASA at the national level. With voting for two board member positions currently open, we would like to take this opportunity to familiarize you with our structure.

The board of directors is comprised of collision and mechanical members who are elected by you, our regular membership. Each year, voting is open early in the year and remains open for approximately two months to elect various positions for two-year terms. The chairman of the board appoints a nominating committee, which reviews all the candidates and their applications, and determines the slate of candidates. Information on the candidates is posted online and featured in AutoInc. (This year, the candidates were featured in the January issue as well as this one. Click here for the candidates..)

The ASA board of directors is made up of 12 ASA regular members, five of whom serve on the executive committee. The executive committee consists of the chairman of the board, chairman-elect, immediate-past chairman, and secretary/treasurer, and a position designated as the "fifth seat" that is filled by a member of the board who concurrently serves in one of the other eight board positions. The five members of the executive committee are elected by all members of the board of directors. In addition to the executive committee, the board consists of a collision division director, mechanical division director, three general directors and three affiliate directors. The ASA president serves on the board in an ex officio capacity. Often, ASA national staff members are present at board and executive committee meetings to help the board achieve goals designed to better support the ASA membership and the automotive collision and mechanical industry.

ASA also has two operations committees - one representing ASA's Collision Division members and the other representing Mechanical Division members. As stated above, each operations committee has a division director that holds a seat on the board. The operations committees are made up of ASA members who work together to assist the board of directors in achieving goals concerning issues affecting the industry. All members of the operations committees are ASA regular members volunteering their time to serve the ASA membership.

Please take the time to log in to www.ASAshop.org and review the qualifications of the candidates who want to serve you in the independent automotive repair industry on the 2011-2012 ASA board of directors. Voting is currently open and will remain so until Feb. 28, 2011. Please vote!

Your participation in ASA is valued and vital. Encourage your peers to join ASA and together make a positive impact on the collision and mechanical automotive industry. Thank you for helping us make a difference.

Happy Valentine's Day! Be thankful for the gifts in our lives and show your sweetheart and special people in your life, everyday, how important they are.