ASRW News

Posted 11/14/2011

MSO Symposium Delivers High-End Content
to Sold-Out Audience

A standing room only audience participated in the inaugural Multi-Shop Operators Symposium.

The first Multi-Shop Operator (MSO) Symposium was held Oct. 6, 2011, during Automotive Service & Repair Week (ASRW) to a sold-out crowd of 150. The day-long event took place at the Orange County Convention Center and featured educational sessions specific to MSOs, a lunch presentation and an evening networking reception.

“The MSO Symposium was one of the most highly anticipated events at ASRW 2011 and it far surpassed all expectations we had for our first effort,” said Ron Pyle, ASA president. “We received a tremendous response to this event, both from attendees and sponsors. We have a lot of people to thank for the success of the event, and we look forward to making the symposium bigger and better for 2012.”

The MSO Symposium was sponsored by CCC Information Services Inc., DuPont Performance Coatings, Toyota Wholesale Parts, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, UniCure Spraybooths, The Romans Group, I-CAR, Summit Software and
1-800 Radiator. It was produced by the Automotive Service Association (ASA), International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE) and Symphony Advisors.

ASRW plans to make this an annual event, holding the second MSO Symposium at ASRW 2012 Oct. 10-13 at the Morial Convetion Center in New Orleans, La.

ASRW 2011 Conference Provides 200+ Hours of Valuable Education

Robert Passmore of the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America, lectures during the class, "Insurance and Collision Repair: Issues 2012."

ASRW attendees benefitted from more than 200 hours of relevant and compelling educational sessions. The ASRW Conference Program presented topics that both mechanical and collision industry professionals deal with on a regular basis.

The comprehensive education program was comprised of collision, mechanical, management, technical and women’s professional development sessions. Session formats for 2011 included 90-minute and 3-hour sessions over four days.

Approximately 70 percent of the sessions were accredited by the Automotive Management Institute (AMI).  Additional add-on education included role-based training presented by I-CAR and a look into insurance and legislative issues on the horizon for 2012 delivered by Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI).

The conference program was developed by the 2011 ASRW Conference Planning Committee led by Bill Haas, ASA’s vice president of education and training.

“The conference experience is one of our highest priorities at ASA and the conference committee works hard each year to bring together the top experts in our industry,” said Haas. “And it shows both in the number of people attending the conference and in the depth of content they are taking away from this ASRW.”

Management sessions were the most sought-after education for both collision and mechanical professionals. Detailed technical instruction was also offered this week, and most CARS technical courses were powered by CARQUEST Technical Institute. Session highlights included “Building a Team That Works Without You,” “Why Lean Implementations Fail in the Collision Industry,” “Increasing Technician Efficiency – It’s a Team Effort,” “Communicating with People Who Drive Us Crazy,” “Reality Repair Shop – What Would You Do?” and “Leadership Best Practices – How to Inspire, Delegate and Coach Your Team to Success,” conducted by Mike Anderson.

ASA Honors Achievements at 2011 ‘ASRW Award Ceremonies’

ASA member Howard Pitkow, AAM, addresses the audience after being presented the ASA Alpha Award as ASA President Ron Pyle and Mechanical Division Operations Committee Director Bill Moss, AAM, look on.

The Automotive Service Association (ASA) honored several of its members Oct. 6 during the Automotive Service & Repair Week (ASRW) Award Ceremonies. Held in Orlando, Fla, during ASA’s annual trade shows – the International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE) and the Congress of Automotive Repair and Service (CARS) – the annual awards event provides a platform in which the association and other industry groups may acknowledge the achievements of some of its outstanding individuals.

During the awards ceremony, Tschanen Brandyberry, Motor Age managing editor, presented ASA’s presiding chairman, Ron Nagy, AAM, with a red die-cast replica car in honor of his contributions to the industry. Honoring the ASA chairmen in this way is a longtime tradition of the publisher.

ASA awards presented during the Oct. 6 event included:

The Alpha Award recognizes an ASA Mechanical Division member for his or her generous and far-reaching contributions to the automotive service industry. Howard Pitkow, AAM, Wagenwerx Inc., Wyndmoor, Pa., was the recipient of this year’s honor.

The Phoenix Award recognizes an ASA Collision Division member for his or her contribution to the automotive service industry. Mike Schoonover, Schoonover Bodyworks and Glass Inc., Shoreview, Minn., was the recipient of this year’s award.

The ASA Benefit Provider of the Year is presented to a sponsored benefit provider in appreciation of its relationship with ASA, and for the value, quality and professional service it offers to ASA members. This year’s recipient was Meadowbrook Insurance Group, Overland Park, Kan., which has a 30-year relationship with the association.

The ASA Chairman’s Award of Excellence recognizes individuals for their outstanding contributions to ASA and the automotive repair industry. Two honorees were announced this year – Mike West, AAM, Southtowne Auto Rebuild Inc., Tukwila, Wash.; and Virginia Duncan, Duncan’s Collision, Boardman, Ohio.

The ASA Legislative Award recognizes those who have made an impact on legislative and regulatory activities. This year’s award posthumously honored the late Paul Duncan, AAM, Duncan’s Collision, Boardman, Ohio.

Following the Automotive Management Institute (AMI) graduation ceremony, which opened the event, AMI awarded the following scholarships:

• Tom B. Babcox Memorial Scholarship: Don Schnitzler, Don’s Auto Repair Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio

• Zurich “High Octane” Scholarship: John Firm, Firm Automotive, Fort Worth, Texas

• AVI Education Scholarship: Tawaina Frost, Price’s Automotive Service, Wrightsville, Ga.

• BodyShop Business Magazine Scholarship: Kristine Linscombe, Hernandez Collision Center, Hinesville, Ga.

• Emil Stanley Merit Scholarship: Chris Renfro, Car-O-Van Collision Center, Orlando, Fla.

• Richard Cossette/Gale Westerlund Memorial Scholarship: James Noe, Nagy’s Body & Frame, Doylestown, Ohio.

The following industry awards were also presented during the event:

• Motor Age Top Shop of the Year: Rad Air Complete Car Care, Strongsville, Ohio, Andy Fiffick, owner.

• ABRN Top Shop of the Year: O’Rielly Collision Center, Tucson, Ariz. Brian Guerrero, manager.

• FenderBender Executive Award: Henry Yach II, Yach’s Body & Custom, Wausau, Wis.

• FenderBender Management Award: Devin Fischer, Fischer Body Shop, Jacksonville, Mo.

• FenderBender Administrative Support Award: Humberto Ibarra, Gateway Collision Center Inc., Bakersfield, Calif.

• FenderBender Shop Worker Award: Zachery Utecht, Offutt Collision Repair, Bellevue, Neb.

• FenderBender Vendor Award: Blake Harris, Blue Ridge Color Co., Roanoke, Va.

• FenderBender Wildcard Award: Rick Starbard, Rick’s Auto Collision & Service Center, Revere, Mass.

• Women’s Industry Network NACE Scholarships: Elizabeth Moore, Houston, Texas; and Alexandra Domar, Maple Grove, Ill.

• Russ Verona Memorial/IBIS Scholarship: Ron Nagy, AAM, Nagy’s Collision Centers, Wooster, Ohio.

NACE and CARS will be held during Automotive Service and Repair Week (ASRW) next year when the events move to New Orleans, Oct. 10-13.