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AASP/NJ, WMABA Release 2018 NORTHEAST Agenda by Chasidy Rae Sisk
On Jan. 29, AASP/NJ and the Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Asso-
ciation (WMABA) announced the full agenda for the 2018 NORTHEAST Conference and Trade Show. It will feature the debut of Collision P.R.E.P. (Professional Repair Education Program), which will boast 17
classes by some of the most renowned names in the industry. According to AASP/NJ President Jerry McNee, “As an association, we couldn’t be more thrilled to be offering our attendees such a high caliber of education. This slate of classes is bringing top of the line, national-level education right to our backyards here in the northeast, and if you’re in this industry, you can’t miss it.” Jordan Hendler, Executive Director of WMABA, added, “Our WMABA Board and membership are excited to team up with AASP/NJ to host the Collision P.R.E.P. program and give the Eastern U.S. the oppor-
by Ed Attanasio
Alex Alonso and his wife, Andrea, on the beach in Florida. A former painter/tech, Alex has stage 4 kidney cancer and wants other collision professionals to be aware of the hazards associated with not wearing the proper gear on the job
Change Service Requested
P.O. BOX 1516, CARLSBAD, CA 92018
See Cautionary Tale, Page 30
LIABRA, ABCG Meeting Features BMW Technical Training, Todd Tracy Presentation by Chasidy Rae Sisk
On Jan. 9, the Long Island Autobody Repairmen’s Association (LIABRA) and the Autobody Craftsman’s Guild (ABCG) held its monthly general meeting at Competition BMW in Smithtown, NY.
See Northeast Agenda, Page 24
A Career Painter’s Personal Experience is Cautionary Tale for Others Back in 1985, the actor Yul Brynner was dying from cancer when he told a television audience on “Good Morning America” that what he really wanted to do was film a commercial that said, “Now that I’m gone, I’ll tell you this: Don’t smoke. Whatever you do, just don’t smoke.” When he died several months later, his wish came true when a public service announcement was produced telling the world to quit smoking. Today, it is one of the most memorable anti-smoking statements
VOL. 8 ISSUE 12 MARCH 2018
Texas Attorney Todd Tracy talked about his 2017 victory in the John Eagle lawsuit
The meeting included a BMW technical repair training seminar as part of LIABRA’s ongoing initiative to provide members with OEM training. The meeting also included guest speaker Todd Tracy, who presented “Anatomy of a Lawsuit.” More than 200 collision repair industry professionals attended the meeting. Attendees also enjoyed an Italian buffet dinner before it began, courtesy of the evening’s host, the Competition Automotive Group. The meeting commenced at 7:30 p.m. with LIABRA Executive Director Ed Kizenberger providing some industry news and updates. He reported, “Members of LIABRA’s Workmen’s Compensation safety group received a 30 percent dividend on their Workmen’s Compensation insurance premium this year. In general, participation in the safety group will save you more than enough money to cover the cost of your LIABRA membership dues.” Kizenberger announced that the New York State Department of Envi-
ronmental Control (DEC) is visiting Long Island shops to re-register air permits. He encouraged members to call him at 631-941-9647 to ensure their permit applications are completed properly if they receive such a visit. He warned, “They are also checking hazardous waste disposal invoices. As always, make sure your production and paint areas are neat and clean, and you have no open-to-the-air containers of solvents.” Next, Kizenberger introduced David Sosa, BMW Technical Repair Trainer, who spent an hour reviewing BMW’s levels of structural repairs, various BMW construction materials and BMW advanced technologies. Discussing BMW’s correct repair procedures, Sosa recommended that shops visit bmwtechinfo.com to obtain the latest repair procedures when working on any BMW vehicle, and he also advised that association members can receive free BMW repair training through their local BMW dealer.
LIABRA Executive Director Ed Kizenberger started the January meeting with industry updates and news
Texas Attorney Todd Tracy was introduced next to discuss his experience with the Seebachan lawsuit. According to Kizenberger, “Todd Tracy is a very dynamic speaker, and he reviewed how he won a $42 million lawsuit against the John Eagle Collision Center. Prior to this case, Tracy’s law firm had won $1.2 billion in cases against the OEMs for vehicle crashworthiness. “Todd convinced the jury that the See Todd Tracy, Page 17
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