New ASA Affiliate Holds First Meeting

ASA-Indiana/Evansville Is 14th Affiliate

The Automotive Service Association (ASA) has announced a new affiliate: ASA-Indiana/Evansville. Its inaugural meeting was held Dec. 9, 2014.

Dan Risley, president of ASA, spoke at ASA-Indiana/Evansville’s first meeting.

More than 55 people attended the meeting, including students and instructors from a vocational school. In addition to instructors, nine Ivy Tech students (seven young men and two young women) attended the inaugural meeting.

The addition of ASA-Indiana/ Evansville brings the number of ASA-affiliated associations in the United States to 14. Risley said the affiliated associations, which are located throughout the United States, enable ASA to provide better local representation, meetings and education to ASA member businesses.

“A special thanks goes to Verne and Barb Menke of Menke’s Automotive Repair in Newburgh, Ind.,” said Risley. “Without their participation, time and effort, this would not have happened.”

Risley also praised local representatives of NAPA and Jasper
Engines for assisting in making formation of the new affiliate possible. And he thanked Ivy Tech Community College in Indianapolis for supporting the new affiliate.

Ivy Tech announced that ASA-Indiana meetings will be held at the school. Students and instructors will attend the meetings and participate in any training at no cost.

Vernie and Barb Menke said, “We are excited about the launch of ASA-Indiana/Evansville, and the great number of shops that signed on at our planning meeting. We want to especially thank our two main sponsors, Jasper Engines & Transmissions and NAPA Auto Parts, for their dedication to our industry. Our goal will be to form an ASA-
Indiana North Chapter in Indianapolis the first of the year. These groups will be instrumental in moving our industry forward in our state.”

Bret Robyck, vice president of NAPA AutoCare, said: “NAPA is excited to work with our installer customers in Indiana through the new ASA affiliate. The newly formed group has solid plans to develop programs and events that build success with each member and NAPA is proud to be a part of it.”

Zach Bawel of Jasper Engines & Transmissions said, “Jasper is committed to our customers’ success. Our success depends on the success of the independent repair facilities. ASA is a great platform for networking, best practices sharing and education that will help the independent repair facilities that get involved and stay involved.”

Risley said, “ASA-Indiana/Evansville, NAPA and Jasper Engines’ relationship with Ivy Tech is key because partnering will enhance the school’s vocational program and encourage new students to enter the industry.

“It’s truly a win-win situation. ASA-Indiana/Evansville can provide the students with practical experience in member shops while they’re in school. This will give them real-life experience before graduation. And it will enable ASA-Indiana/Evansville members to evaluate the students as potential employees.”

ASA affiliates, in addition to ASA-Indiana/Evansville, are ASA-Arizona, ASA-Colorado, ASA-Georgia, ASA-Illinois, ASA-Michigan, ASA-Midwest, ASA-New Mexico-Central, ASA-New Orleans, ASA-Northwest, ASA-Ohio, ASA-PA, ASA-Rhode Island and ASA-Texas.

AkzoNobel ASA’s Newest Corporate Member

ASA announces its newest corporate member – AkzoNobel. Corporate membership provides an opportunity for companies to expand their relationships with ASA and its leaders in the collision and mechanical repair segment of the industry.

“AkzoNobel has been a great supporter of the collision repair industry for many years,” said Dan Risley, ASA president and executive director. “Its support of ASA is a natural extension and evolution of its support for its customers and collision repairers. We are looking forward to working more closely with AkzoNobel in 2015.”

“We are very excited about this new opportunity to support a national association that represents leading repairers in the collision repair industry,” said Tom Moreland, Strategic Sales Leader with the Automotive & Aerospace Coatings division of AkzoNobel. “We look forward to working together more closely on issues benefiting the collision repair industry.”

To learn more about ASA’s corporate membership program, contact Risley at danr@asashop.org.