Schnepper: Importance of teamwork & friendship

This is my first article as ASA’s chairman of the board. And I thought this would be a great time to share how I got involved with ASA and with two of my mentors.

First, I had the opportunity to serve ASA-Michigan for several years. We worked hard to bring the membership great training, discounted benefit programs and representation in Lansing. I met some great people like Ray Fisher and Bob Wills, who loved our industry and spent their lives giving back.

During that time, I was asked by ASA-National if I’d be interested in serving on the Collision Operations Committee. We addressed many issues that plagued our industry and worked with information providers and insurers to find common ground. Our representative, Robert L. Redding Jr., provided us with insight and opportunities to address these issues in Washington, D.C. Again, I met some of the best people in the industry, and I’d like to share some thoughts about two who’ve been my mentors.

The first is Darrell Amberson, AMAM, our past chairman. Darrell was the director of the Collision Operations Committee when I joined. He provided great leadership and, in difficult situations, brought a calm spirit and strong presence to the discussion.

Darrell has poured his life into ASA, and because of this commitment, he is recognized and respected as one of the industry’s top leaders. Darrell’s ASA board service will come to an end in April but not his impact on those who’ve served with him. All of us at ASA, volunteers and staff, are blessed to have had him in our lives.

The second is Donny Seyfer, AMAM. I’ve had the privilege of meeting some of the most impressive business leaders in our industry but none more so than Donny. He’s led the way in the right to repair, testified nationwide, met with OEMs and is an expert on telematics. He’s donated thousands of hours serving ASA’s membership.

Over the past two years, Donny provided vision and leadership for the board. He also has been the driving force behind CARS over the past four years. Because of his relentless advocating, he remains highly respected in our industry, as well as among other associations.

As your new chairman, I will continue to follow the directions that Darrell Amberson and Donny Seyfer established. Membership will be a priority in 2017, and we will work hard to help our organization grow. We’ll also help with tools and training to allow our members to run their businesses better. AMi has developed some excellent new training to achieve this goal. And we will continue to represent our membership at the government level with Bob Redding’s help.

I want to thank Darrell and Donny for their tremendous leadership, their countless hours of service and their friendship. With their help and yours, we’ll take your association forward to achieve even greater success.