Southwestern September 2016 Issue

Southwestern Sou uthwestern Edition E d i t i on Texas Oklahoma Louisiana New Mexico

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34

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ASA and the Auto Alliance Host Third Technology and Telematics Forum at NACE | CARS

Wayne Weikel, left, senior director of State Government Affairs for The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, and Donny Seyfer, AAM, right, welcomed approximately 200 attendees to the Technology and Telematics Forum

On August 12, the Automotive Service Association (ASA) and the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (The Alliance) hosted the third Technology and Telematics Forum (TTF) as part of the NACE | CARS Expo in Anaheim, CA. Telematics refers to the connected car and, eventually, the autonomous vehicle that’s not far away.

From the software used in instrumentation, backup sensors, adaptive cruise control, cameras and sophisticated wireless communications systems to tomorrow’s driverless vehicles, telem-

See Post-Repair Inspections, Page 36

P.O. BOX 1516, CARLSBAD, CA 92018

Leaders in the collision repair industry met to discuss the merits of post-repair inspections (PRI) in a June Verifacts Guild 21 Webinar that exposed troubling evidence for the industry.

Kristen Felder, founder and CEO of Collision Hub, shared the findings of a year-long study involving 30 reinspections that took a closer look at quality control practices.

Although she acknowledged the study was far from “scientific,” she stated that she found numerous flaws in repairs within this small sample of

vehicles.

“I didn’t see what I was expecting to see,” Felder said. The former technician stated she assumed minor damage or relatively inconsequential faults would be found during the postrepair inspections, but was unprepared for the seriousness of the results.

These ranged from poor welding to completely neglected repairs, she said.

“The problems we found were significant and severe,” she said. “They were things that needed to be addressed immediately and the customers removed from the vehicles.”

Speaking from a position of favor-

Change Service Requested

by Autobody News Staff and Contributing Writers

AGRR Companies Assess Damage from Louisiana Floods, State Farm Comments on Flooding

by Jenna Reed, glassBYTES.com

Eleven are dead and more than 40,000 homes have been affected by the heavy deluge of rain and floods in Baton Rouge, LA, that began August 12.

Some AGRR companies are just now

See Telematics Forum, Page 22

What is the Role of Post-Repair Inspections in Your Shop?

VOL. 34 ISSUE 9 SEPTEMBER 2016

getting back up and running while others were luckily enough to escape the water’s wrath.

“We’ve been closed since Friday [August 12],” says Kristen Miles,

owner of a Clear View Auto Glass in Baton Rouge, La. “We’re all right, but our home office got flooded. We probably won’t be able to get back into the house until Monday [August 15].”

Janet Mosley of Baker, La.-based Baker Glass Works was putting in an application to FEMA on the morning of August 17. “We’re basically hanging on by a thread,” she says.

Baker Glass Works is open, but many of the company’s employees are stuck at home due to the floods. Mosley also believes her area glass suppliers have been significantly affected by warehouse flooding.

“I haven’t been able to get in contact with them in the last two days,” she says. “We haven’t been able to get glass coming in. Anything we have orSee Louisiana Floods, Page 18

FL Judge Dismisses All Utah Shops’ Claims Against Insurance Companies Except for “Steering” Claim

by Stacey Phillips

The majority of claims filed by nine Utah body shops against a group of 20 insurance companies have been dismissed. In the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Judge Gregory Presnell ruled in July that only one of the “steering” claims can be refiled.

The Utah body shops filed the original claim in the United States District Court of Utah on April 10, 2014.

In Alpine Straightening Systems Inc. et al v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. et al, they alleged that: “…defendants have engaged in an ongoing, concerted and combined intentional course of action and conduct to improperly and illegally control and depress automotive damage repair costs to the detriment of the plaintiffs and the substantial profit of

the defendants.”

They further stated in court documents that these actions by the defendants “have eradicated competi- tion within the body shop industry.”

In August 2014, the lawsuit was consolidated with several others by the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation. It was decided that all cases would be heard in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

In the plantiffs’ second amended complaint, filed in May 2015, they alleged: “The defendants have successfully created a ‘market’ system that rewards the body shops that will cut comers so they can increase profits and punishes body shops who are unwilling to compromise the quality or safety of the American consumers’ See Judge Dismisses, Page 22

Presorted Standard US Postage PAID San Bernardino, CA Permit #2244

2 SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

COLUMNISTS Attanasio - How Do You Get the Customer from the Street to the Shop? . . . . . . . . 38 Attanasio - Writing Estimates By Day and Rocking it All Night Long . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Luehr - The Successful CEO . . . . . . . . . . 28 Phillips - How to Engage Millennials in Your Workplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Phillips - Improving Its Processes Every Day Helps Kansas Shop Stay Accountable to Customers . . . . . . . . . . 30

NATIONAL “Counting Cars” Renewed for 6th Season on ‘History’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 3rd YANG AAPEX Program . . . . . . . . . . . 60 AASP-PA Redesigns, Relaunches Website . 16 Advance Measurement Systems Introduces SPECTRE™ . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 American Honda Shows Attendees How to be “Service Ready” at NACE / CARS . 42 ASA and the Auto Alliance Host Third Technology and Telematics Forum at NACE | CARS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 ASA Hosted July Webinar on Telematics Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 ASA, Automotive Parts Services Group Announce Partnership . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Assured Performance and TenPoint Complete Announce Advanced and

Customized CSI Services for OEM Certified Collision Care Providers . . . . . 64 Auto Body Fumes a Frequent Complaint in San Diego [Consumer Article] . . . . . 32 Auto Care Association Completes Rebranding Its Segment Communities . . . . . . . . . . 54 Autocraft Bodywerks Promotes Austin Local Tammie Harper to General Manager . . . 12 Autologic Demos Diagnostic Solution at NACE, Wins Three Stevie Awards . . . 41 Automobile Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition “Put the Brakes on Fakes” . . . . . . . . . . 40 Barry's Auto Body Releases New Video About Auto Collision Repair . . . . . . . . . 24 BASF Accepting Entries for 2nd Annual Glasurit Best Paint Award. . . . . . . . . . . 58 BASF Boosts R&D in Asia Pacific for Automotive Coatings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Caliber Collision Teammates Rally Nationwide, Donate Record 3.1 Million Meals for 37 Food Banks . . . . . 64 Car Care Professionals Network Releases Recommended Sales Contact and Communication Best Practices. . . . . . . 59 Car-O-Liner Hosts Damage Analysis Course at NACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Car-O-Liner® Hires Frank Ponte as Key Accounts Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 CARSTAR Appoints Sam Freeman as Vice President of Franchise Development. . . 59 Chief® Introduces Chief University Training Voucher Program . . . . . . . . . . 56 Chief® Joins National Truck & Heavy Equipment Claims Council . . . . . . . . . . 64 CIC Presentation Highlights Issues that Pre- and Post-Repair Scans Raise for the Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 CIECA Hosts 8th Annual Symposium Sept. 12-14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Collision Repair Industry Snapshot Survey Launched. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Copart Joins NABC as Top Level Diamond Member . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 General Motors Dealer Equipment Program Approves Global Finishing Solutions’ REVO Accelerated Curing Systems. . . . 64 Glassware Fundraiser to Benefit National Auto Body Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 IADA Hosts Another Fantastic Vehicle Repair Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 I-CAR® Launches Vehicle and Technology Specific Training™ Product Line. . . . . . 63 Mitchell Issues Third Quarter 2016 Industry Trends Report . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 NACE | CARS Expo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 National Auto Body Council Opens Nominations for 2017 Board of Directors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 New York Governor Signs Consumer Disclosure Bill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Pokémon Go and Car Accidents. . . . . . . . 58 Sales Manager for FinishMaster Once Painted Air Force One. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Sherwin-Williams Receives Approval from Volkswagen Group in North America, South America and Asia Pacific . . . . . . 56 Snap-on to Provide Integration for i3 Brands’ Extended Warranty Coverage for Genuine OEM Automotive Parts . . . . . . 62 Summer Fun and Industry Info for IGONC’s Triangle Chapter. . . . . . . . . . . 60 The Unexpected Results of Creating a ‘Safe’ Culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 The YANG of the Aftermarket Industry . . . 51 Toyota On Scanning for Electrical System Faults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

a long way to protect and inform consumers. They need to know they have the right to take their vehicles to the shop of THEIR choice. Some tactics being used by some insurers direct consumers to drive-in network locations, which may indeed be body shops, where consumers may get the impression they are required to have the vehicle repaired at that shop.

“Insurers will be required to inform consumers in writing they have the ultimate choice. Regulation currently provides that even the inspection is ‘at the convenience of the consumer,’ meaning they can meet the appraiser at the shop or location of their choice as to avoid further pressure,” Orso said.

A7738 Was sponsored by Syracuse Assemblyman (D) William Magnarelli and Syracuse area Senator (R) John DeFrancisco.

To read the bill in its entirety, visit: https://www.nysenate.gov/ legislation/bills/2015/a7738/amend ment/original.

Publisher & Editor: Jeremy Hayhurst General Manager: Barbara Davies Online Editor and Copywriter: Deana Cacus Contributing Writers: Tom Franklin, John Yoswick, Janet Chaney, Toby Chess, David Brown, Rich Evans, Ed Attanasio, Chasidy Sisk, David Luehr, Stacey Phillips, Victoria Antonelli Advertising Sales: Joe Momber, Sean Hartman, Bill Doyle, Norman Morano (800) 699-8251 Office Manager: Louise Tedesco Content/Social Media Specialist: Cass Heckel Art Director: Rodolfo Garcia

Abaris Training Resources, Inc. . . . 10 ALLDATA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Anest Iwata USA, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Audi South Austin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Audi Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 37 AutoNation Chevrolet . . . . . . . . . . . 21 AutoNation Chrysler-Dodge-JeepRam NRH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 AutoNation Chrysler-Jeep-DodgeRam of North Phoenix. . . . . . . . . . 8 Axalta Coating Systems . . . . . . . . . . 5 Blackburn OEM Wheel Solutions . . 26 BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 59 Bob Howard PDC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Car-Part.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA). . . . . . . . . . . 45 ChemSpec USA, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Chevyland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Chief Automotive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Classic Auto Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Classic BMW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Classifieds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Dallas Dodge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Diamond Standard Parts . . . . . . . . 49 Dominion Sure Seal, Ltd. . . . . . . . . 15 Don Carlton Auto Group . . . . . . . . . 44 Eco Repair Systems of North America, LLC . . . . . . . . . . 40 ECS Automotive Concepts . . . . . . . 24 EMM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Equalizer Industries, Inc . . . . . . . . . 46 FBS Distributing Co., Inc. . . . . . . . . . 9 Finnegan Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge . . . . 2 Flatirons Subaru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Ford Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 61 GM Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . 55 Herkules Equipment Corporation. . 28

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Southwest

REGIONAL ABAT to Host Its First Ever Trade Show in September . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 AGRR Companies Assess Damage from Louisiana Floods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Aspen Paint & Body Sold to Caliber Collision. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Dent Wizard Adds to Team in Mid-South Region . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Fire Crews Extinguish Blaze at Auto Repair Shop in N.E. Oklahoma City . . . . . . . . . 12 Fire Damages Body Shop in Killeen, TX . . 15 Florida Judge Dismisses All Utah Shops’ Claims Against Insurance Companies Except for “Steering” Claim . . . . . . . . . . 1 Gerber Collision & Glass Opens Repair Location in Louisiana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Next Sherwin-Williams Ecolean™ Level 1 Workshop Scheduled for San Antonio . . 4 Novus Glass Names New Colorado Franchisees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 NWLCRA August Meeting Recap . . . . . . . . 9 OK Body Shop Said ‘Slow to Make Repairs’ . 15 Phillips - Hard Work, Dedication and a Passion for Collision Repair Help Female Participant in SkillsUSA Contest . . . . . . 21 Recent HABA Labor Survey Results Are In. . 4 Service King Graduates Inaugural Apprentice Development Class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Service King Hosts Hard Hat Tour of Future Location in The Colony, TX. . . . . . . . . . 10 Service King Named Among Top Places to Work in San Antonio . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Texas Auto Body Trade Show to be Held Sept. 16-17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Texas I-CAR Committees Holding Inagural Johnny Dickerson Memorial Golf Fundraiser in October. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Texas Shop Owner Makes Crosses to Honor Officers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 TX Man Wins Top Trophy at Valley Life Car Club Picnic, Discusses Plans to Work at Auto Body Shop . . . . . . . . . 16 UT Family whose 3-year-old daughter has cancer surprised with refurbished car. . . 6

New York Governor Signs Consumer Disclosure Bill

The New York Auto Collision Technicians Association (NYSACTA) has announced that Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed A7738 into law. The bill supports and reinforces NYS Ins Regulation 2610.

Insurance company influence of network or program-preferred shops has some consumers confused as to their rights following an accident, especially when they find themselves directed to take a vehicle to a drive-in facility that is housed in a repair shop. This bill requires insurers to notify consumers—in writing on the appraisal—that it is up to the consumer to decide which shop repairs their vehicle.

In response, executive director Ed Kizenberger said, “The passage of this bill is the culmination of 4 years of conversations and meetings with the NYS Assembly and Senate members to garner support and understanding of the issues facing consumers when filing and processing a claim with their insurance company for property damage to their vehicle.”

NYSACTA president Mike Orso said, “This bill, now law, goes

Indexof Advertisers

Contents

Honda-Acura Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34-35 Hyundai Motor America . . . . . . . . . . 4 Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers. . 65 Kia Motors Wholesale Parts Dealers. 57 Killer Tools & Equipment. . . . . . . . . . 7 Lusid Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Mazda Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . 60 Mercedes-Benz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Mercedes-Benz of Houston Greenway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Mercedes-Benz Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Mike Calvert Toyota. . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Mitsubishi Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers . . 39 Nissan Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . 65 North Freeway Hyundai . . . . . . . . . 42 Polyvance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Preval . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 ProLine Tool & Supply . . . . . . . . . . 27 Ray Huffines Chevrolet . . . . . . . . . . 50 SATA Dan-Am Company . . . . . . . . 25 SEMA Trade Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Sorbothane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 South Pointe Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge. 14 Subaru of Little Rock . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers . . 63 Toyota of Laredo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Toyota Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . 58 U-POL US . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Valspar Automotive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Vibac Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Volkswagen Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Young Chevrolet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 3

Service King Graduates Inaugural Apprentice Development Class Service King Collision Repair Centers® recently graduated its inaugural class of apprentice technicians through the Service King Apprentice Development Program.

The class included three body technicians, each of whom successfully completed an intensive 52-week hands-on developmental program under the instruction of a dedicated Apprentice Technician Supervisor inside Service King’s Northeast Dallas location. The class marks the company’s first of nine active Apprentice

Service King Graduates

Development Program pilots set to graduate technicians across the country.

According to the company, Service King is on pace to graduate more

than 50 apprentice technicians through the program by the end of the year.

“This is an extremely proud moment in the young careers of these talented technicians who represent

the future of Service King and our industry,” said Jeff McFadden, Service King president. “The Apprentice Development Program was built to provide an unprecedented avenue to rewarding careers as body technicians across our family of repair centers. We couldn’t be more proud of this class for paving the way for future technicians in the program and for taking the first step in a long, promising career.”

On the heels of the graduation ceremony, which was attended by several key members of Service King’s

Next Sherwin-Williams Ecolean™ Level 1 Workshop Scheduled for San Antonio

Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes has announced that the next EcoLean™ Level 1 workshop will be held October 4-5 at the Omni La Mansion del Rio on the River Walk of San Antonio, Texas.

The EcoLean Level 1 workshops from Sherwin-Williams are offered to collision center owners and dealer managers from across the United States and Canada. According to the company, the workshops are designed to educate attendees about how to maximize profitability by improving production and eliminating waste throughout their facilities.

“We aim to give our EcoLean workshop attendees an extensive and comprehensive look at how they can build a lean culture in their shop from the ground up,” said Greg Eisenhardt, manager of sales force effectiveness, Sherwin-Williams Automotive Fin-

ishes.

The EcoLean curriculum was developed specifically with collision shop operators in mind. “We continue to sell out our EcoLean workshops as owners and managers are feeling more and more industry pressure every day,” Eisenhardt said. “Their necessity to perform in both the front office and on the production floor continues to be a challenge. Those who take our training and deliberately implement the teachings have proven to be incredibly successful within their markets.”

The EcoLean Level 1 workshop curriculum includes:

● An overview of lean production and its practical application in collision repair

● Approaches to making a collision facility more efficient and effective

● How to build a lean culture from the ground up

To register online for the upcoming San Antonio EcoLean Level 1 workshop, visit http://www.sherwin-automotive .com/ecolean1.

4 SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

leadership team including CEO Chris Abraham, all three apprentice technicians will assume full-time roles at Service King locations across the DFW Metroplex.

Service King’s Apprentice Development Program provides technicians with an unparalleled learning curriculum complete with daily oversight by a veteran body technician.

Ralph Gonzales, who boasts a 20year career in the field, oversaw the training and development of the Dallas graduating class, which launched in July 2014.

According to the company, apprenticeships at Service King locations across the country are capped at three students in a deliberate effort to provide intimate learning environments and promote direct oversight throughout the program. Meanwhile, students are also consistently measured with competency tests throughout their training.

Service King is currently in the midst of recruiting apprentices to begin classes this fall at locations across the U.S. To learn more about the program and additional Service King recruiting initiatives, visit www.Service King.com/careers.

Recent HABA Labor Survey Results Are In

Houston area market rates are significantly higher than claimed by some insurance carriers. According to HABA, with members reporting consistent denials of their requested labor and materials rates, the association decided to conduct

a market area survey for 2016 in order to find out what shops were really charging for their services.

HABA contacted Customer Research, Inc., a company specializing in CSI surveys for the Automotive industry. CRI contacted numerous independent and dealer owned collision repair shops from a list of over 500. They then compiled the data and presented HABA with their findings. To view the survey results, visit http://www .habaonline .org/labor-rate-survey.html. Please note that their findings show averages only and no shop identities or individual rates were revealed.

www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 5

Family Whose 3-Year-Old Daughter has Cancer Surprised with Refurbished Car

by Ashley Stilson, Deseret News

The only thing worse than having cancer is having an untreatable cancer.

Ruby Thackeray, who is just 3 years old, has suffered from health problems her entire life. She was born with a nonmalignant mass on the back of her neck that was later removed by surgery.

But in March, doctors found over 40 tumors in her lungs. She was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma cancer.

In an effort to treat the cancer, her family frequently traveled from their

Ali and Mark Thackeray and their daughter, Ruby, 3, react as they are presented with a free car by Don Adams, CEO and president of Bear River Mutual, right, and Brian Martin of KSL Newsradio, left, at Martins Collision Repair in Orem on Wednesday, July 20, 2016

home in Sandy to the Stanford Medical Center in California. They were often worried about car troubles, the mother said.

But on July 20, the family received

a gift from the community that will make their traveling a little easier.

Martins Collision Repair, Bear River Mutual Insurance, the Tyler Robinson Foundation and other local compa-

regional manager at Martin’s Collision Repair. “They just have to drive out.”

The car had been totaled by another owner who couldn’t afford to fix it. Bear River Mutual Insurance bought the car and turned it over to Martins Collision Repair.

“We want to help make a difference,” said Sergio Martins, chief financial officer at the auto body shop. “Even though we can’t give a car to everyone that needs one, we can at least give it to one family.”

Ruby Thackeray, 3, holds the keys to a car donated to her and her family at Martins Collision Repair in Orem on Wednesday, July 20, 2016

nies teamed up to surprise the family with a refurbished car, a 2009 Hyundai Sonata.

“I know there are other people who could use a car more than us,” said Ruby’s mother, Ali Thackery. “But it’s more the effort and the time and the love that is what the car represents that we so appreciate.”

All the paperwork and insurance processing was completed before the family arrived at the auto body shop Wednesday.

“All they have to do is turn the key and drive,” said Thiago Martins,

Dent Wizard Adds to Team in Mid-South Region

Dent Wizard International recently appointed Paul Spears as regional operations director for the company’s Mid-South Region.

According to the company, Spears is a seasoned automotive professional, having previously served as a purchasing manager for Manheim Dallas Auto Auction, assistant manager at ADESA Dallas Auto Auction, and most recently as reconditioning manager for Manheim Dallas-Ft. Worth Auto Auction.

“Paul brings an extensive knowledge base and practical firsthand understanding to his new role,” said Thomas. “I am confident that Paul possesses the techniIn this role, Spears will cal skillset and industry be responsible for leading expertise to thrive in his Dent Wizard’s safety and new role.” compliance efforts as well as “Safety and compliance providing additional operaare top of mind throughout tional support for the comthe Dent Wizard organizapany’s paint shops and tion,” said Mike Black, Frontline Fast dealer-clients.

Dent Wizard’s chief operatFrontline Fast is a SMART Paul Spears ing officer. “Paul’s experirepair program that helps remarketers and wholesalers prepare ve- ence and perspective will ensure we’re hicles for sale sooner and in top meeting our high standards as we concondition so vehicles sell for maximum tinue to grow Frontline Fast in this tenprofit. Spears will report directly to state territory.”

Addison Thomas, Dent Wizard’s vice president of the Mid-South region, which includes the states of Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah.

www.autobodynews.com

6 SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Ali and Mark Thackeray and their daughter, Ruby, 3, react as they are presented with an envelope containing a cash donation, along with a free car, at Martins Collision Repair in Orem on Wednesday, July 20, 2016

An independent agent from Bear River Mutual Insurance recommended the family receive the car after learning about them through the Tyler Robinson Foundation.

The company wanted the family to be surprised when they were presented with the car, so the family was told they were “finalists” in a contest. The surprise was revealed when the family came into the auto body shop Wednesday.

“It’s the knowledge that people are there for you,” said Ruby’s father, Mark Thackeray. “That’s more strengthening than anything we could ever receive.”

In June, the parents were told that Ruby’s treatment with immunotherapy wasn’t working, so they won’t have to continue to drive to California.

Ali Thackeray said the doctors told her they might find something to prolong Ruby’s life, but they don’t think they’ll find a cure.

For now, the mother said their family enjoys the time they have to be together, including going on family trips and swimming together with Ruby and their two other daughters.

The family recently returned from a Make-A-Wish trip to Florida.

“We’re just enjoying our time because we don’t know how long it will be,” Ali Thackeray said.

The family has a Go Fund Me account set up for Ruby’s treatments. Link: https://www.gofundme.com/rallyruby We would like to thank Deseret News for reprint permission.

www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 7

Service King Named Among Top Places to Work in San Antonio For the second consecutive year, the San Antonio Business Journal tabbed Service King Collision Repair Centers as one of the best places to work in South Texas. The announcement came as part of the publication’s annual Best Places to Work survey,

which ranked Service King No. 2 in the Very Large Company category.

Service King, which operates 11 San Antonio collision repair centers, celebrates the recognition in the midst of the company’s 40th Anniversary. The ranking also comes just one year after Service King was named the No. 1 Best Place to Work in San Antonio for 2015.

“Service King takes deep pride in creating an irresistible professional home for our teammates,” said Jason Peel, Service King market vice president for San Antonio.

“We couldn’t be more proud to be consistently recognized by the San Antonio Business Journal. The ranking is a direct reflection of the pride all of our teammates take in Service King and our mission to become the collision repair operator of choice.”

The San Antonio Business Journal, a leading regional business publication, annually conducts the Best Places to Work survey through collecting voluntary, anonymous feedback from employees at leading organizations across the market.

The publication, alongside partner Quantum Workforce, ranks companies based on feedback and engagement metrics.

In addition to being recognized by the San Antonio Business Journal, Service King was named the No. 1 Best Place to Work by the Dallas Business Journal and the No. 4 Best Place to Work by the Houston Business Journal in 2015.

According to the company, Service King is one of the fastest growing operators of collision repair centers in the U.S., with locations in 23 states. For more infor- mation, please visit www.ServiceKing.com.

8 SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

YANG to Host Two Regional Meet-Ups in September

The Young Auto Care Network Group (YANG) of the Auto Care Association has announced its Regional Meet-Up schedule for September. In partnership

with member companies, YANG is hosting two Regional Meet-Ups for young auto care professionals in Flint, MI and Fort Worth, TX.

Details for the events are as follows: Sept. 14, 2016, 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Redwood Steakhouse and Brewery 5304 Gateway Center, Flint, MI Host: AGS Additional Benefit: YANG members receive complimentary registration to Michigan Automotive Parts Associa-

tion (MAPA) Industry Day. Register by emailing Debbie Cook at dcook @mapaonline.org.

Sept. 24, 2016, 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.

The Omni Hotel 1300 Houston St., Fort Worth, TX Host: National PRONTO Association

These local events are part of the YANG Regional Meet-Up program, which was launched in June 2015.

All young industry professionals— both members and non-members— under the age of 40 are encouraged to attend these events for in-person networking without having to travel far from home.

To RSVP to any of these events, visit www.autocare.org/yangevents.

There is no fee to attend.

For more information on hosting an event, visit http://autocare.org/What -We-Do/Professional-Development /YANG/host-a-regional-meet-up/.

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NWLCRA August Meeting Recap

The Northwest Louisiana Collision Repair Association met at the Country Tavern Barbecue on August 2nd at 6:30 PM. The meeting was called to order by president Chris Shepherd, collision instructor for the Caddo Career and Technology Center.

A few quick items that were discussed include: • Dues are currently due for those that have not yet paid.

• Two more ads need to be sold.

Please keep in mind that the NWLCRA newsletter is seen by shops over the tri-state area.

• The Johnny Dickerson Memorial Golf Tournament that I-CAR is hosting will take place on October 8 at the Firewheel Golf Course in Garland, TX. The NWLCRA will continue to watch for further updated information about the Golf Tournament.

• NACE is meeting in Anaheim, CA August 9th - 13th.

• The BPCC 100 will wave the green flag to start the race on September 24. For those that don’t know, this is an annual race to raise money for scholarships. According to the NWLCRA, it’s a great family event, so mark your calendars.

• 3M’s “Hire a Hero” calendars

are still available.

• The Auto Body Association of Texas (ABAT) is having a Texas Auto Body Trade Show with Mike Anderson as the Keynote Speaker. It will be held on September 16th and 17th.

• Bill Burnside with FinishMaster discussed the new delivery method that I-CAR is implementing. If you have courses that you need to complete, you will have to plan ahead.

The NWLCRA received a letter from the principal of Bossier Parish School for Technology and Innovative Learning thanking the NWLCRA for donating money to help the Collision Repair students attend the SKILLSUSA competition. Chris read the letter aloud. The NWLCRA is proud of their local Collision Repair students and their accomplishments.

Congratulations to Austin Wallace, who placed 32nd out of 36 in the Refinish category, and Levi Glasgow, who placed 20th out of 45 in this National SKILLS competition. Congratulations to Mark Monroe, Collision Instructor for the Bossier Parish School for Technology and Innovative Learning.

SKILLSUSA will be adding more to the competition, including a

structural component that will involve the Rail section. Students will have to determine if the rail can be repaired, and if so, how and what procedure will they use to repair the rail. Mark added that Bossier Parish School for Technology and Innovative Learning is working with the National Auto Body Council to “Recycle Rides”. This program will involve technicians that are working in the Collision Industry and are willing to donate their time to work alongside the students to repair a vehicle. Once the vehicle has been repaired, it will be donated to a person in need of a vehicle.

The portion of the meeting devoted to discussing hot topics began with a discussion about pre and postscan diagnostics. In the next few weeks, Mike Anderson will meet with Honda, Toyota, Ford, Chrysler, Audi, and Nissan. These automakers have stated that it is mandatory that a pre-scan be conducted prior to repair. Mike Anderson is scheduled to conduct a panel discussion at the upcoming NACE conference in Anaheim to discuss diagnostic scanning requirements. This panel discussion will be hosted by the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS).

Gerber Collision & Glass Opens Repair Location in Louisiana

Gerber Collision & Glass announced the August 13 opening of a new collision repair center in Slidell, Louisiana. Slidell is about 34 miles northeast of New Orleans with the center well-located near the intersections of Interstate Highways 10 and 12.

“We are very pleased to add this new location, which strengthens our presence in the New Orleans area,” said Tim O’Day, president and COO of Gerber Collision & Glass. “We look forward to introducing our high-quality brand to new customers in Slidell while continuing to better assist our insurance partners.”

Gerber Collision & Glass is continuously looking to add new collision repair locations to its existing network in Canada and the U.S. Interested collision repair center owners are asked to contact Kim Allen at (847) 410-6003 or kim .allen@gerbercollision.com

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www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 9

Service King Hosts Hard Hat Tour of Future Location in The Colony, TX

Service King Collision Repair Centers®, as part of the organization’s ongoing robust national growth strategy, this week hosted an exclusive on-site tour of the company’s future highquality repair center set to serve The Colony, Texas. The event welcomed dozens of business partners, community leaders and guests all treated to a first-hand glimpse inside Service King’s 35th DFW location on pace to open in mid-September.

“This is an exciting period for the Service King family as we continue to invest in our home market,” said Dan Michaelis, Service King Central U.S. Vice President. “The Dallas-Fort Worth area has been the heartbeat of our organization for 40 years, so it’s particularly meaningful to continue adding high-quality repair centers across the Metroplex. The Colony and the Highway 121 corridor provide an optimal location for both our customers and business partners.

We’re anxiously awaiting the opportunity to provide both with the area’s foremost collision repair experience.”

Once open, the 22,000 squarefoot facility will boast the capacity to repair more than 250 vehicles per

month while also providing 20-30 jobs in The Colony. Service King officials plan to follow The Colony opening with several new development projects across the DFW Metroplex this year and beyond.

As a national leader in the auto repair industry, Service King proudly provides high-quality collision repair services.

Service King Collision Repair Centers®, with more than 40 years of experience in the automotive repair industry, is a leading national provider of comprehensive, high-quality collision repair facilities. The organization is consistently recognized for its commitment to customer satisfaction, superior workmanship and advocating on behalf of the industry through innovative training and recruiting initiatives. Service King operates repair centers in 23 states across the U.S. and in 2015 was named the No. 1 Best Place to Work by both the Dallas and San Antonio Business Journals. For more information and to find a local Service King, visit www.ServiceKing.com and follow Service King news on Facebook and Twitter.

Novus Glass Names New Colorado Franchisees

For more than 13 years, Lynn Washington worked for Safeway Lynn and Lorenzo Washington Inc. Starting in the grocery comwill be joining Novus Glass as fran- pany’s warehouse, he worked his chisees in the Denver, CO area. way up to the supervisor and superintendent positions. After experiencing his father and grandfather owning their own businesses for many years, he thought it was time to take a chance and start a business of his own, according to Novus Glass.

He partnered with his cousin, Lorenzo Washington, an auto body and mechanical technician. (l to r) Scott Rethwill, central regional director of Over the years, Lorenzo Novus; Lorenzo and Lynn Washington, the new Novus Washington worked for franchisees; and Keith Beveridge, senior vice president a local Chevrolet dealerof Novus. Credit: glassBYTES.com ship, ABRA Auto Body & “Our focus is on growing and Glass and RTD. strengthening our franchise network “I’ve always wanted to be my worldwide,” said Rick Christiaanse, own boss,” said Lorenzo Washingchief commercial officer and vice ton. “After researching Novus, it just president of operations for TCGI, felt right.” parent company to Novus Glass.

We would like to thank glass “We are excited to have Lynn and BYTES.com for reprint permission.

Lorenzo join our team and we know that they will make a significant contribution to the success of Novus in www.autobodynews.com the Denver market.” by glassBYTES.com

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MCC Student Alicia Grauberger Earns 4th at SkillsUSA

Three students represented ColAlicia Grauberger competed in orado’s Morgan Community College secondary automotive collision tech(MCC) at the 2016 national Skill- nology and earned 4th place out of 42 sUSA contest held June 20–24 in contenders. The contest was held over Louisville, KY. Contestants competed three days and assessed participants in two divisions: secondary (concur- on metal repair of a fender, bumper rently enrolled high school repair, frame analysis, and students) and post-secestimating, and contestants ondary (college level). were scored on written MCC Welding student tests, the I-CAR welding Trenten Forbes placed test, and a job interview. first in the secondary divi(See p. 21 for more.) sion at state and competed “I can’t begin to express at nationals. Forbes will rehow proud I am of her both turn to MCC this fall and as a dad and instructor,” will be eligible to partici- Alicia Grauberger said Tim Grauberger. “She competed in pate in the post-secondary worked hard after the sesecondary division next spring. mester was over to improve automotive In the refinishing cateher skills and knowledge. collision gory, Brandon Barrandey Alicia’s boss, Tom Regan technology and placed 22nd in the nation. of Concept Auto Body, earned 4th place Participants were tested on helped prepare her for napaint code identification, color match tionals by assigning correlating reassessment, masking, estimating, pri- pairs.” mer application, paint application, SkillsUSA is a national nonproand also completed a written test. fit organization serving teachers, high “I am very proud of Brandon,” school and college students who are said MCC Collision Repair faculty preparing for careers in trade, technimember Tim Grauberger. “He has cal and skilled service occupations. really improved upon his skills this For more information about the Skillyear and will have a great career.” sUSA chapter at MCC, contact Brad Barrandey currently works for Parker at (970) 542-3215. To find out Markley Motors in Fort Collins. more visit www.MorganCC.edu.

www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 11

ABAT to Host Its First Ever Trade Show in September

by Chasidy Rae Sisk

For the first time in the Association’s short history, the Auto Body Association of Texas (ABAT) will be sponsoring the Texas Auto Body Trade Show and Education Days on September 16 and 17 at the Hilton Doubletree in Richardson, TX. According to Burl Richards, president of ABAT, “ABAT wants to be an industry leader in regards to sharing educational information and show that we are a resource that others in the state of Texas can join in order to network with each other. We expect this to be the largest industry trade event in TX since NACE in the early 2000s.”

“The information shared at this meeting will allow others to become more aware of the processes and procedures that are not only necessary, but that are being requested and paid in order to restore vehicles to their pre-loss condition,” Richards predicted. “It will also feature many industry vendors that will be available for shops to ask questions and see their products firsthand.”

Although the final schedule has

not yet been confirmed, ABAT has verified the attendance of several revered industry speakers. Mi-ke Anderson of Collision Advice will deliver the keynote presentation and an estimating clinic. BASF’s Doug Grantham will discuss “Advanced Process Solutions,” and a seminar on the Variable Rate Survey will be presented by Sam and Richard Valenzuela.

Ken Boylan from Chief Industries will teach a technical seminar, and Robert McDorman will cover “Vehicle Value Experts.” ABAT stated that the official schedule will be released soon.

Richards believes this event benefits the industry “because it brings awareness in a lot of situations that you are not the ‘only one’ requesting certain processes and procedures for certain repairs. It will also help to educate attendees on a lot of the new technology that is built into the latest vehicles being manufactured.”

According to the Association, ABAT is also working diligently to continue expanding member benefits and to work on legislation that will be beneficial to consumers and the collision repair industry.

Autocraft Bodywerks Promotes Austin Local Tammie Harper to General Manager

Autocraft Bodywerks, located at the residents of Austin and sur5411 Wasson Rd. in Austin, Texas, rounding communities.”

“I’ve been around the has promoted Austin naautomotive industry most tive Tammie Harper as of my life,” Harper said, the company’s general ma“and I feel so blessed to nager, owner Chris Raebe working with Chris der has announced. Harand our amazing team of per’s responsibilities as collision repair profesGM include managing the sionals. I truly believe that company’s day-to-day opAutocraft Bodywerks is erations, hiring and trainTammie Harper the best collision repair faing staff, maintaining and adding critical certifications, and cility in Austin, especially when it comes to repairing and restoring luxexpanding OEM relationships.

“Tammie has been a tremen- ury vehicles to showroom condidous asset to the company,” said tion.”

According to the company, AuRaeder. “As GM, she will be better positioned to apply her 21 years of tocraft Bodywerks uses only OEM experience to the task of taking our replacement parts and services all business to the next level. I’m very makes and models, specializing in proud of our team, and with Tammie luxury vehicles such as Lexus, Tesla, as our General Manager, I have con- Acura, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, fidence in our ability to continue de- Infiniti, Land Rover, Jaguar and livering superior collision repair to more.

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Fire Crews Extinguish Blaze at Auto Repair Shop in N.E. Oklahoma City

by Dallas Franklin, Kfor.Com

Fire crews extinguished a blaze at an auto repair shop in northeast Oklahoma City July 20.

Texas Auto Body Trade Show Sept. 16-17

The Texas Auto Body Trade Show will be held September 16-17 at the Doubletree Hotel in Richardson, Texas in the Dallas area.

This is the first major collision industry show in Texas since NACE in 2002.

The Auto Body Association

Credit: KFOR.com

Initial reports indicate a car caught on fire at Clyde’s Auto Repair Shop, near N.E. 23rd and Bryant around 2:40 p.m.

No word on how the fire started at this time.

Witnesses say black smoke was seen pouring from the building.

Fortunately, crews were able to extinguish the fire very quickly.

We would like to thank KFOR .com for reprint permission.

of Texas held its first industry association education event last September in Fort Worth.

“This show brings so much education these shops can get no place else,” said Burl Richards, president of ABAT and owner of Burl’s Collision in Henderson, Texas.

For more information, visit http://www.abat.us/

www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 13

Aspen Paint & Body Sold to Caliber Collision

OK Body Shop Said ‘Slow to Make Repairs’

Aspen Paint and Body, one of the area’s oldest and largest collision repair centers, recently was bought by Lewisville, Texas-based Caliber Collision. The shop at 2002 Alma Ave. has changed its name to Caliber.

Dennis and Cynthia Copeland said AutoWorks Collision Repair has had their damaged pick-up for nearly five months now.

They paid owner Bo Baxter all of their insurance money, about $20,000. The Copelands want to know what happened to the cash.

“He spent it on something different,” Dennis said. “I don’t know. I really don’t think he has it.”

The couple’s daughter, Randa, also dropped off her busted up pickup and insurance checks at Baxter’s shop.

“I can’t even tell you how many times he told me my truck would be finished by Friday, and it never does happen,” Randa said.

Baxter is a daredevil of sorts.

Five years ago, he and his buddy were arrested for base jumping off the Devon tower. Now, he’s trying to explain himself out of another tight spot.

A second collision repair company subleases a big chunk of the space at the shop. We found doors being painted and prepped to go on Randa’s pick-up. Dennis’ pick-up isn’t close to being finished either.

We know Baxter ordered the

by The Pueblo Chieftain

The acquisition continues an expansion by Caliber that began in 2009 and has seen the company grow from 68 sites to more than 400 centers in 16 states and Washington, D.C., according to information on the company’s website.

Caliber now ranks as the largest collision repair chain in the nation, the company says.

Aspen Paint and Body, owned

by Bryan Wilson, opened in Pueblo as a two-man shop in 1990 and grew to employ 26 people and re-

store 4,500 cars a year, according to a 2014 feature story in The Pueblo Chieftain.

Wilson called the Caliber offer “a really good opportunity” and noted the company agreed to keep the shop’s existing employees. He plans to devote time to his other ventures, including the family’s real estate and property management business, he said.

“I just would like to thank the Pueblo community for all of the years of support and being so great to us,” Wilson said.

A statement posted on Aspen’s Facebook page pays tribute to Wilson: “We wish the best for Bryan Wilson. He worked very hard and kept a lot of people employed for 26 years. We will miss him for sure.”

Business Briefs are compiled from staff reports and Chieftain wire services.

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by Scott Hines, KFOR

parts from this used parts shop on Northeast 23rd Street three months ago. The store rep who sold him the parts tells the In Your Corner team Baxter won’t come pick up the order.

“They actually tried to deliver the front end of my truck, but they wouldn’t leave it, because he wouldn’t pay for it,” Baxter cashed insurance checks to the tune of about $27,000. He said there was an issue with the wrong parts showing up, but text messages from him suggest he spent at least some of the money on something other than parts.

Randa and her parents said they don’t know what to believe and are running short on time, patience and money.

Cynthia has Lupus, and the couple needs their other car so she can go to doctor appointments.

The family filed complaints with the Oklahoma Insurance Department.

We know Baxter found someone to loan him the cash to finally purchase parts, and repairs to both pickups and are back on track.

We’ll check back.

Autobody News thanks KFOR for reprint permission and will publish shop response if given.

Texas I-CAR Committees Holding Inagural Johnny Dickerson Memorial Golf Fundraiser in October

The Texas I-CAR Committees have partnered together to organize the inaugural Johnny Dickerson Golf Memorial Fundraiser to be held Saturday, October 8 at Firewheel Golf Park in Garland, Texas. Funds raised through this event will benefit both the Johnny Dickerson Memorial Fund and local collision school programs through the Collision Repair Education Foundation.

Johnny Dickerson was involved with I-CAR for over 30 years, working with their field operations team and as a performance training coordinator. Johnny unexpectedly passed away in March of 2015.

Greg Babbitt, north Texas state chair for I-CAR, noted, “Johnny was

such a friend and mentor to not just me, but so many people in the industry. Johnny impacted everyone in the industry through education, training and, most importantly, friendship.”

Chris Stilwell, south Texas state chair for I-CAR, added, “To have the opportunity to gather Johnny’s family, friends and colleagues in his hometown of Garland and celebrate his life is truly an honor for us all here in Texas. Being able to support Texas schools through the Collision Repair Education Foundation at the same time is icing on the cake!”

Industry members looking to support this event through golf registration or sponsorship can visit www .JDMemorialFundraiser.org.

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Car-O-Liner® Hires Frank Ponte as Key Accounts Manager

Ponte brings the company over 20 years of experience in various sales roles within the automotive market. His extensive experience comes from prior executive positions held within Snap-On Equipment, Hunter Engineering Company, and, most recently, the Ford Rotunda Equipment Program through Bosch Automotive Service Solutions.

“Frank’s extensive knowledge of the automotive market, specifically with OEMs, is ideal as he conFrank Ponte tinues to build upon partnerships with our key account and large dealer partners,” said Jeff Kern, president of CarO-Liner, Americas. “Frank’s role will allow us to better serve our valued customers with the very best OEM approved equipment in our industry. We are thrilled to have Frank join the team.”

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Fire Damages Body Shop in Killeen, TX

by Nia Harden, KWTX

A fire was reported at 1:30 AM August 12 in the 300 block of West Veterans Memorial Boulevard in Killeen.

Credit: Nia Harden

Firefighters arrived to find smoke and flames coming from the Kandy Shop Auto Body garage.

They managed to contain the flames to one garage bay.

Vehicles were inside the garage, but no employees were at the business.

It’s not clear if any of those vehicles were damaged.

Officials are investigating the cause.

We would like to thank KWTX for reprint permission.

www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 15

TX Man Wins Top Trophy at Valley Life Car Club Picnic, Discusses Plans to Work at Body Shop radio.

Last weekend, it was apparent You’ve undoubtedly seen them out many others hadn’t seen one like it and around in the Rio Grande Valley, either. Reyes received a first-place TX. trophy for his white and chrome The have become quite popular lowrider at the Valley Life Car Club over the years. picnic in Weslaco.

“That’s one of a kind,” he said.

With a wide smile Sergio rolled his bike out and swung his left leg over highly customized pedal-powered vehicle and plopped down on the red velvet like banana seat.

Sergio grabbed the trophy and held it tight, every once in a while staring at the award and his latest pride and joy, the bike.

Sergio Reyes, with his first-place trophy he received He worked on the bicycle at the Valley Life Car Club picnic in Weslaco. Credit: for about six months.

Lisa Seiser/Valley Morning Star “I put my heart into this,” he But, you’ve probably never seen said. a lowrider bicycle quite like the one The 2012 San Benito High School San Benito’s Sergio Reyes, 22, built. graduate is attending Texas State TechThis long bike has tons of nical College with hopes to finish in twisted metal known as bird cages, a December and move on to obtain a job seat covered with 1962 Impala up- at an auto body shop. holstery, springer forks, sissy bar, A member of the Legacy Car fenders, whitewall tires and even a Club of San Benito, Sergio enjoys

by Lisa Seiser, Valley Morning Star

Texas Shop Owner Makes Crosses to Honor Officers said. “They all put their lives on the line.”

Kalyn Doyle isn’t a cop, he is the Doyle and his girlfriend, Nicole owner and operator of KD Designs, Ritchie, placed the crosses outside an auto body shop in Rhome, and Dallas police headquarters where a has a personal connection to police memorial will be permanently reofficers. moved on Tuesday.

“That could’ve happened to one of his brother inlaws. Police officers stay together,” Ritchie said. “It’s sad to see something like this happen.”

Doyle hopes the families of the slain officers will pick up the crosses from the memorial. He said he A man from Rhome, Texas cuts and welds crosses. And can build additional crosses he made five in honor of the five Dallas police officers for the city to keep and prekilled on July 7. (NBC-DFW) serve.

“It kind of hit home with three “If the families get a hold of brother in-laws in law enforcement,” them, they’ll hold them up for the Doyle said. “None of this should rest of their lives,” Doyle said. “I’m have happened. It shouldn’t have crossing my fingers in hopes I don’t happened in Baton Rouge either.” have to make anymore.”

A few days ago, Doyle built five steel crosses in memory of the five fallen police officers. It was FOLLOW US ON Doyle’s way to pay tribute for the sacrifice the officers made. : “They had to be made out of steel to last a lifetime. Once you’re connected, you’re in it for life,” Doyle

by Chris Jose–NBC-DFW, KXAS-TV

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what he is doing and has done this type of work for years, since he was a kid, he said.

He was quick to admit he did all the chrome work, from scratch. That’s where the twisted metal strips come in.

Despite his work on the bike, he never suspected he would win the trophy for his creation.

“I was just there having a good time,” Sergio said. “When it was finished, they were handing out trophies. I was just surprised when I got one.”

About 300 to 400 people attended the picnic.

Sergio said he wants to take a break, but also would like to be ready for the next show, which is set for August 21 in McAllen, TX. There’s still more work to do on the bike.

Sergio said he wants to add a Chevy logo to the front and also pinstripe the white body of the bike.

“There’s not much time,” he said. “I wanted to take a break, but I am getting my bike done.”

We would like to thank Valley Morning Star for reprint permission.

AASP-PA Redesigns, Relaunches Website

The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Pennsylvania (AASP-PA) has announced that after months of hard work, they have officially launched their newly redesigned website.

AASP-PA’s goal was to give the website a more modern look while making it easier to navigate for their members and visitors.

According to the AASP-PA, the new website will make it easier for members to obtain benefit and contact information, aiding in running their shops more efficiently.

The website will also become a better tool to communicate important news and legislative information that impacts the automotive industry.

Certain aspects of the website will continue to be designed after the official launch. One such area is the Shop Finder page, which will include updated features such as Gold Shop and Green Shop designations.

For more information about AASP-PA, contact Jeff Walter at (717) 564-8400 or Amanda Henry at (717) 303-6166.

www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 17

Continued from Cover

Louisiana Floods

dered, we have not able to get in since before the storm came across.”

She adds, “If I have something in stock, we can try to do it. But I’m not able to do anything unless I have glass.”

Eclipse Glass & Tint in Baton Rouge avoided most of the flooding, says John Tyler, company owner.

State Farm Assesses Damage from Floods

Autobody News reached out to Roszell Gadson, State Farm spokesman, to learn more about the flood damage and best practices for auto body shops and customers impacted.

Q) Have you been encountering a lot of State Farm customers whose vehicles have been damaged by the flooding?

A) As of August 17, State Farm has seen more than 12,300 auto claims in the state of Louisiana as a result of the historic flooding.

Q) How is State Farm handling this state of emergency?

A) State Farm has moved additional resources into the state to help our policyholders through the claim process and through the recovery. We’re asking impacted customers to call 1(800) SF Claim(1-800-732-5246) or they can start the claim process online at www.statefarm.com or contact their agent.

Q) What advice can you give to consumers who have flood damaged vehicles?

A) Vehicle owners should document the highest level of water on their vehicle, dry them out as soon as possible and avoid trying to start a flooded vehicle until a certified mechanic has inspected it and made any necessary repairs if it is repairable.

Q) What advice can you give to auto body shops who are repairing these vehicles?

A) Individual claim circumstances, including flood damage, vary widely. Just like we tell our customers, whenever possible, we advise repairers to mitigate additional water damage. In this event, we continue to work with repairers chosen by our customers to determine the extent of damage and to perform the necessary work related to the individual vehicle.”

Q) What is State Farm's plan going forward to help the victims?

A) State Farm will continue to have additional resources in the state of Louisiana until we’ve helped all of our customers with covered losses.”

CIECA Hosts 8th Annual Symposium Sept 12-14

The CIECA (Collision Industry Electronic Commerce Association) will host their Annual Symposium, “Magic Happens when Companies Connect,” on September 12-14, 2016 in Indianapolis, IN. 2016 marks the 8th consecutive year of successful implementation conferences.

The 2015 conference received an overall rating of 4.46 out of 5 based on an exit survey of the participants. It was the highest rating of all conferences to date.

The event will be held at the Hyatt Regency Indianapolis at One South Capital.

To register, visit www.cieca.com.

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However, his company has been closed since the afternoon of August 12.

“I’m doing fine,” he says. “There is no water anywhere in the shop, but plenty of family members and friends got water in their homes. Nobody was hurt, other than their spirit. This is my first day back to work and I probably won’t be here long. A lot of friends have seen total devastation. Their homes are gutted out. I’ve been helping them to tear all the sheet rock out and deal with that.”

Bengal Glass & Mirror in Baton Rouge didn’t get flooded.

“We’re doing fine,” says Weston Turner, an automotive glass installer.

“We didn’t see much water other than August 12 when our drainage had issues. All of our employees are okay, but a lot of friends have been affected.”

Mobile work has been curtailed with many roads closed until yesterday, he notes.

As for distributors, Turner has only heard from one—American Glass Distributors, which has a warehouse in Baton Rouge.

Jon “Kip” Wiley of American Glass Distributors says the local warehouse didn’t sustain much damage.

“We were closed because em-

ployees couldn’t get to work,” he says.

“There was a little water in the warehouse and nothing in the office. One gentleman lost everything. When we finally heard from him, he was in a shelter.”

It was a stationary system that just dumped an unbelievable amount of rain, he says.

“We got back up and running yesterday [August 16],” Wiley adds. “As the water recedes, we’ll continue on and take care of our customers. We’re not putting any vehicle on the road in danger to do deliveries.”

NSG Pilkington’s service center in Baton Rouge was closed August 15 and offered “will call” options on August 16.

“As of this morning, we are back to our normal delivery schedule,” says Erica Clouse, marketing specialist.

“All of our associates were safe, but most were unable to access the roads required to get to the service center on Monday, which led to the closing. Although many roads were flooded, our service center remained largely un-impacted.”

We thank Jenna Reed and glass BYTES.com for reprint permission.

www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 19

20 SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Shop Strategies with Stacey Phillips

Stacey Phillips is the assistant editor at Autobody News magazine. She has more than 20 years of experience writing for a variety of publications.

She can be reached at sphillips.autobodynews@gmail.com.

Hard Work, Dedication and a Passion for Collision Repair Help Female Student in SkillsUSA Contest A few years ago, Alicia Grauberger spent the summer working at her father’s body shop in Colorado, Tim’s Paint and Body. She said it was such a rewarding experience that she decided to get involved in the collision repair industry. “I instantly fell in love with making vehicles look as beautiful as they once did either before a wreck or after years of wear and tear,” said Alicia.

In December 2015, the high school senior began working at Concept Auto Body in Fort Morgan, Colorado. While

there, she trained for the SkillsUSA competition, held in Louisville, Kentucky, in June.

This was the second year Alicia took part in the event. Last year, she placed first in the regional competition and earned a second-place award dur-

back at the contest there were things I could have done better, but I will use the experience to work harder for my next chance.”

“I thought it was awesome that she came in fourth,” said Tom Reagan, the owner of Concept Auto Body.

ing system. “I think it really helped her,” said Reagan. “She was actually very hands-on, worked on a lot of different cars and I think it helped her with her estimating.”

“In my preparation for SkillsUSA, I studied long hours out of the textbook on suspension and structural analysis, as this is part of our graduate“I enjoy estimating; however, as long as I can level curriculum,” she said. She also practiced welding and fixed a few swing a hammer and sand some filler, I want to fenders with her dad by her side. be in the back of the shop working on the cars,” “Taking classes from my dad has been an amazing experience,” said Ali— Alicia Grauberger cia. “My dad pushes me to be better with my skills and helped mold my ing the state contest. This year, she “Alicia is really an exception to any work ethic. came in first at both the regional and student I have ever worked with be“He gives the necessary assisstate levels. SkillsUSA consists of fore. You don’t see a lot of women in tance, while knowing when to let me metal repair, plastic repair, estimating, this field but she was just really great (and his other students) obtain quality a written test, structural analysis, parts to work with.” results through struggling. This gives identification, and welding.

Two years ago as a high school you the ability to solve your problems “When I placed fourth in the najunior, Alicia enrolled in Morgan when out in the work field. All in all, I Alicia Grauberger will be attending Northtion, I was extremely disappointed in Community College in northeastern never felt like I was treated differently eastern Junior College in the fall and work toward earning a business degree myself,” said Alicia. “I know looking Colorado, where she learned collision from his other students.” repair skills such as welding, basic Working on a variety of vehicles structural knowledge, dent repair, from big pick-ups to small cars, Alicia priming and painting. She graduated said her favorite part of the job is the this year with a certificate in collision accomplished feeling of watching a repair. Her father and instrucvehicle enter the shop tor, Tim, has worked there for wrecked and then watching it 28 of the 30 years he has leave as if there never was a taught collision repair. wreck.

2118 South Padre Island Drive Hours: M-F 7:00am-7:00pm “Both as a dad and her “Additionally, I love the Corpus Christi, TX 78416 Sat 8:00am-5:00pm instructor I could not have amazing environment upheld been prouder of her performat Concept Auto Body and üPrompt & Dependable Delivery ance, because it is not just the great people who make High school what she did but how hard up that genuine atmosphere,” üLarge Inventory of Genuine OEM Parts graduate Alicia she was willing to work for it said Alicia.

Grauberger üKnowledgeable and Courteous Parts Team and that is what winners are Her most memorable projcompeted in the SkillsUSA made of,” said Tim. “She will ect so far is restoring her own competition held win at whatever she sets her vehicle at Morgan Commuin Louisville, KY, mind to. nity College—a 1976 Musin June “Her skills in frame retang II Cobra. “I learned a ton pair analysis as a high school student of skills on this car from working with are the best I’ve had in all my years rust and putting a quarter panel on to teaching,” said Tim. “She definitely is priming/blocking and painting,” she one the hardest workers I have ever said. had in my classes.”

In the fall, Alicia will attend NorthAlicia’s main responsibilities eastern Junior College and work toward while working at Concept Auto Body earning a business degree while also included tearing down cars through the playing softball as a catcher. Once she blue print process and some light body completes her degree, she plans to rework. Shawn Rigli, one of the lead turn to Morgan Community College to technicians in the shop and also a gradfinish the collision repair graduate level uate of Morgan Community College, program. helped Alicia prepare for the contest “I believe that the business degree and learn how to use a frame measurSee Female Student, Page 28

800.242.3249

www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 21

Continued from Cover

Telematics Forum

atics represents a dizzying array of computer science, multimedia presentations and navigational components.

The forum consisted of several segmented discussions focusing on topics such as cybersecurity, consumer privacy and government oversight. Attendees heard from experts representing entities from across the automotive industry and the federal government, including: Craig Smith, Theia Labs; Mahbubul Alam, Movimento; Garrick Forkenbrock, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA); Matthew Valbuena, Mazda; Richard Salceda, Mazda; Mark Allen, Audi; Lauren Smith, Future of Privacy Forum; and Bob Gruszczynski, Volkswagen.

Toyota’s Jay Brown also explained the features of the Mirai, a hyContinued from Cover

Judge Dismisses

repair. The whole intent of anti-trust actions was and is to increase competition for the sole benefit of the American consumer. Defendants’ actions have violated the letter and the spirit of the law. Instead of providing the best quality repairs for the lowest cost, they have fixed the costs to their utmost benefit and forced the market into a race to the bottom in terms of quality to the customer.”

They further stated in court documents that according to the Department of Utah Insurance’s 2013 Company Market Share Report, State Farm had captured about 15.06 percent of the private passenger automobile insurance business in Utah as of December 31, 2013. The report also said that overall, the defendants controlled about 71 percent of the 2013 private passenger automobile insurance market in Utah.

Earlier this year, Magistrate Judge Thomas Smith prepared a Report and Recommendation in regards to the claims at the request of Judge Presnell.

Judge Smith considered the motions, the plaintiffs’ response and the replies that were filed by the defendants. He then recommended that all but one of the plaintiff’s remaining state law claims be dismissed with prejudice, which means that cannot be refiled.

Following his recommendation,

drogen-powered vehicle equipped with the latest automotive technologies. Attendees were given the opportunity to experience the vehicle firsthand in a ride-along following the forum.

According to ASA chairman Donny Seyfer, AAM, “The third installment of TTF was a wide-reaching program with more than 200 participants that encompassed the difficult topics of vehicle hacking, cybersecurity, vehicle-owner privacy and what the industry is doing to address these issues.”

Wayne Weikel, senior director of State Government Affairs for The Alliance, added, “The Alliance was happy to once again sponsor the Telematics and Technology Forum. Our relationship with ASA is important, and we hope that by providing a glimpse into what’s on the road ahead ASA members will be better prepared to service our collective customers. We understand that we’re in this together.” the plaintiffs and two of the defendants filed an objection to the Report and Recommendation.

According to court documents, Judge Smith struck the plaintiffs objection earlier this year in May on the grounds that it exceeded the permitted page count and was filed after the deadline.

In regards to the plaintiffs’ tortious interference claim, Judge Smith recommended it be dismissed with prejudice along with the other claims, except for one instance of alleged interference.

Judge Presnell affirmed his recommendation and dismissed the body shop’s claims of quantum meruit, tortious interference with economic relations and conversions.

The claim that can be refiled involved one of the plaintiffs, Perk’s Auto; one of the defendants, Farmers Insurance Exchange; and Jayme Montgomery, one of Farmer’s customers.

Montgomery took her vehicle to Perk’s Auto following an accident and allegedly Farmers told Montgomery to take the vehicle to another shop.

“Judge Smith found that the plaintiffs had failed to state a claim because they had failed to plead facts showing that Farmers’ alleged interference had caused injury to Perk’s Auto,” according to court documents.

“However, Judge Smith could not rule out the possibility that Perk’s Auto could re-plead so as to state a tortious

22 SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

ASA Hosted July Webinar on Telematics Policy

On July 27, the Automotive Service Association (ASA) held a webinar on the current state of telematics and new technology policy.

During the webinar, participants heard from representatives of OEMs and the aftermarket industry, including Donny Seyfer, AAM, chairman of ASA and co-owner of Seyfer Automotive in Wheat Ridge, CO; Chris Gardner, vice president of the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association; and Wayne Weikel, senior director of state government affairs for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.

Following the presentations, participants had the opportunity to engage in a Q & A session with panelists. Talking points included the following statements: • “OEMs are continuing to push for increased research and development (R&D) in the area of ve-

interference claim.”

All of the antitrust cases are represented by John Arthur Eaves Jr. and Allison Fry of Eaves Law Firm in Jackson, Mississippi.

hicle technology, which means these high-tech vehicles will become more and more prevalent on our roadways and in your shops.”

• “The technology is developing so quickly that it often outpaces legislative oversight. Be prepared to see many more bills on this topic over the next few years. However, in the meantime, these vehicles are being sold, and like any vehicle they will wear out and need repair. This will create a need for new diagnostic techniques, advanced training and a greater awareness of privacy concerns/risks.”

According to the ASA, the association continues to represent the aftermarket repair community and to serve as a leading voice in the telematics conversation.

To listen to a full recording of the webinar, visit https://youtu.be/ qWBJJOOPluE.

www.autobodynews.com C

www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 23

Car-O-Liner Hosts Damage Analysis Course at NACE

by Deana Cacus, Online Editor

Car-O-Liner hosted a course on Damage Analysis at the 2016 NACE | CARS Expo on August 12. The course was presented by Robert Hornedo, owner of Pacific Collision Equipment Co. Hornedo began the presentation by expressing his goal of condensing a four-hour presentation into a one-hour time slot and provided attendees with printed copies of the PowerPoint presentation slides. This way, any material that he could not cover due to time constraints could be read later at the attendee’s leisure.

He then discussed the drive for lighter materials, stating that they are effectively standardizing higher MPG and safer vehicles. He also explained that the use of lighter materials has ultimately led to more difficult and complicated repairs. He showed crash test footage demonstrating that vehicles are being built to sustain higher collision impacts with less physical damage, but stressed that just because damage is not immediately visible does not mean that it isn’t present. Hornedo discussed the four types of damage: direct, energy

transmission, induced, and inertia and went over build tolerance by vehicle brand.

Energy management was another area of focus. “The goal is to keep the impact away from the occupant area and to take it around the occupant area,”

Robert Hornedo (far right) visits the Car-O-Liner booth on the NACE | CARS Expo show floor after presenting a course on Damage Analysis on August 12, 2016

Hornedo said. He pointed out that advanced materials react differently to collision forces and that some areas of the vehicle are designed to absorb energy while other areas are designed to transfer energy. Much of his commentary was based on vehicle construction materials, and he provided several examples by brand and use of steel.

Barry’s Auto Body Releases New Video About Auto Collision Repair

Barry’s Auto Body has released the latest in a series of videos about auto col-

lision repair. “I Gotta Guy” depicts a married couple who find themselves in need of auto body repair. The husband, Vito, comes home to find out that the bumper on his wife’s Escalade is missing. He then confronts the wife, Donna, about it.

Donna, who is chatting on the phone with her girlfriend, says to Vito, “Relax, I got a guy to fix it.”

The disbelieving husband continues to press the wife until Barry, played by Barry’s Auto Body owner, Barry Crupi, pops in to assure them that their missing bumper can be fixed and the car can be restored.

“I Gotta Guy” is one of a series of videos that will be released by

Barry’s Auto Body over the coming months. According to the company, the purpose of the videos is to educate the public about the different services available and to get people laughing.

“People get nervous when it comes to having their car repaired so we wanted to create a video that takes the viewer through all of the emotions associated with car repair,” said Crupi. “From anger, to worry, to relief when they settle on the right repair shop, we packed it all into a humorous 30-second video, which we hope everyone will enjoy.”

The video stars George Passariello as Vito and Jen Remauro as Donna. It can be seen on Barry’s Auto Body website and on Barry’s Auto Body YouTube Channel, along with various “how-to” videos.

24 SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Regarding estimates, Hornedo’s presentation outlined ways to improve estimates and eliminate down time, which included the following points: ● Develop a repair plan ● Know the procedures of the repair ● Do not make up your own procedures ● We cannot crash test our repairs ● Follow OEM repair mandates and guidelines

Hornedo discussed the importance of scanning vehicles while writing estimates and went over the steps required in a damage diagnosis “visual quick check,” urging collision repairers to look for the following signs of structural damage and movement: body gaps, light assemblies, doors and hoods/lids, bumpers, glass, under hood, transmission, engine, frame, suspension and steering, and miscellaneous items that might indicate that previous repairs had been performed on the vehicle.

“You can’t write an accurate estimate without knowing where the damage is,” Hornedo stated. “And you can’t write an accurate estimate without knowing how the vehicle is to be

repaired.” He explained that “training, training, and more training” of estimators, insurance personnel, body/frame techs, and owners was the key to accurate estimates and complete repairs.

Elaborating on quality and accuracy, Hornedo stressed that “Every single pull, cut, weld, and replacement part must be of the utmost quality and must meet the manufacturer’s minimum requirements.”

Hornedo highlighted how modern damage analysis is different from that of the past due to the increased complexities of today’s vehicles. He listed the benefits of modern vehicles as increased fuel economy, vehicle performance, and crash performance as well as a greater variety of user electronics. He listed the disadvantages as complexity of design, manufacturing costs, increased difficulty of repair, and an increase in the number of necessary diagnostics of collision-damaged vehicles. With this in mind, his presentation was summarized by his three pieces of advice for collision repairers: “Measure the entire vehicle, get the OEM repair methodology, and don’t forget about the energy management.”

www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 25

Day Job/Night Job Writing Estimates By Day and Rocking it All Night Long with Ed Attanasio

“Get a second-hand guitar. Chances are you’ll go far if you get in with the right bunch of fellows.” These are lyrics from an old Bachman Turner Overdrive song (“Taking Care of Busi-

Tom Spencer is an Estimator/Manager at Mathews-Carlsen Body Works in Palo Alto, CA and also a very talented guitarist and song writer

ness”), and although it’s not quite that easy to get into a rock band and make it in the crazy world of music today, it’s still a dream for many people.

One of those dreamers who is passionately pursuing his musical career is Tom Spencer, 48, a Manager/Estimator at Mathews-Carlsen Body Works in Palo Alto, CA. A few years ago, he became a member of Bradford, an up-and-coming rock band in the San Francisco Bay Area, where Santana, the Grateful Dead, Huey Lewis and the News and Green Day all became stars.

Spencer’s journey in the collision repair industry started in a roundabout way, he explained. “I was a mobile glass guy and one of our customers was Mathews-Carlsen,” he explained.

“When I was working there, I started getting to know the people at the shop and I really liked the vibe there. So, when they started looking for an estimator, I seized the opportunity and got

26 SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.

the job. I have been here now for 18 years and it’s been a great experience.”

Originally established in 1955 by Carl Carlsen of Carlsen Motor Group, the shop later changed to MathewsCarlsen Body Works when Marshall

the shop’s head painter for several years. J.R. and Marshall worked together here for 25 years until Marshall’s passing in 2003. Today, J. R. Montelongo and Marshall’s wife Nancy Mathews co-own and operate the shop. The shop is well-known for repairing a wide range of luxury brands, including Audi, Volkswagen, Volvo, Porsche, BMW and Mercedes, but they will work on any type of vehicle as well.

Are there any notable similarities between Spencer’s day job and his musical career? “Not really, but I do tell people that writing estimates To become a better guitar player, Spencer completed the is easy compared to writing online educational program at Berklee College of Music, lyrics,” Spencer explained. which he called one of the toughest things he’s ever done “Other than that, the body Mathews was brought in as partner. shop business and the music business When Carl Carlsen retired in the early don’t have a lot of things in common, 1980’s, Marshall partnered with J. R. although writing a good estimate takes Montelongo who had been working as knowledge, training and practice and

getting good at playing guitar requires the same.”

To become more than just a casual musician, Spencer decided to attend the online educational program provided by the renowned Berklee College of Music. “I needed to get better, so I took their certificate program, consisting of five 12-week courses. I did the classes in the evenings after work and it was probably one of the toughest things I’ve ever done. It made I-CAR look easy compared to this intense program.”

Don’t underestimate this estimator, because when Spencer decides he wants to do something, he rocks on.

To audition for Bradford, the process wasn’t exactly easy, to say the least. “I saw an ad on Craigslist looking for a new guitarist, so I responded,” he said.

“The auditions were up in Marin, a two-hour drive from my house. They sent me three songs to learn and I had to do in two days. I practiced non-stop until the day of the audition.”

When Spencer showed up at the auditions for the band’s newest guitarist, the guys in the band were surprised and impressed. “They didn’t think I would come, because of the distance, plus it was a school night,”

Spencer explained. “As I was waiting to audition, I could hear the other guitarists in the other room and I realized that they weren’t playing the songs correctly. Wow, I thought—I might just have a shot!”

After playing one song for the band, Spencer was in. “They looked at each other and said, when can you start? I was excited, because I was

several times every month, in San Jose and San Francisco primarily, because those are the hottest places in the Bay Area to perform, according to Spencer.

Bradford’s music has been described by critics and insiders as a mixture of “The Eagles and Pearl Jam” and their lead singer Bret Bradford’s voice has been compared to Bob Seger’s. Peter Berghammer recently wrote this about Bradford: “Based out of San Francisco, Bradford has consistently produced music that pushes the rock genre out of oppression into a real world setting. Their fresh take on rock combining a fusion of sounds and influences has set them apart as one the premiere rock bands of this generation. The combination makes for driving guitar riffs, Bradford’s music has been described by critics and insiders melodically haunting vocals, as a mixture of “The Eagles and Pearl Jam” intense rhythms and beautinow the member of a really good fully crafted songs.” band, which was my goal from the beTim Bednarz, a local music ginning.” In addition to Spencer, the critic, former lead singer for several band’s members include Bret Brad- bands and the host of a popular South ford (vocals); Mark Randall (guitar); Bay podcast called C.O.A.R (Creative Scott Garbutt (bass) and Bill MorOriginal Artists Rock), is a big suprissey (drums). The band plays live porter of the band. “The music indus-

try has changed and the old days of getting signed by a big label are pretty much over,” Bednarz said. “Bradford has self-produced three albums and that’s the way bands are doing it now.

Their songs and the lyrics are really memorable and Bret Bradford is a great front man. The band is musically tight and they have developed a following, so if they keep plugging away and playing live as much as they can, who knows what the future can hold for this band.”

In other music projects, Spencer is working with another collision lifer who he met online by chance.

“I am starting a blues project with a new friend, Bryan Ashworth,” he said. “I met him through the music network and found out that he is a body technician who works in Tracy, CA for a shop. We’ve become very good friends and we’re excited about this project.”

Doing estimates and overseeing a staff of 20 at the shop during the day and practicing his music and doing gigs in the evenings makes for a busy life, but Spencer loves it all. “I wouldn’t do it any other way,” he said. “Creating music and playing it for people— what’s better than that?”

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www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 27

Lean Operations

The Successful CEO

with David Luehr

In a business such as collision repair that is notoriously difficult to manage, a successful leader must have a firm grasp on their time management. With so many distractions every day, a laser focus on completing important tasks that will move the company in the right direction is critical. In the collision repair business, the daily responsibilities of the CEO or business leader can vary greatly depending on the size of the organization, but there are several responsibilities that should always be a constant for a CEO regardless of the size of the company. Proper delegation is also a part of life for successful CEOs, but these four constants should never be delegated.

The Four Constant Responsibilities of Great CEOs 1. Building the executive team – The CEO is responsible for building his executive team with the right people that will support the company vision.

The team may be responsible for hiring and firing, but it is the CEOs job to build the leadership team and to give them all the support they need to be successful.

2. Sharing the vision – All successful companies have a leader that carries the flag and leads his team towards a future vision of the company. All cultures begin by understanding why the Continued from Page 21

Female Student

will help me move into an estimating position if I ever desire to do so,” said Alicia. “I enjoy estimating; however, as long as I can swing a hammer and sand some filler, I want to be in the back of the shop working on the cars.

I hope to have a long career in the collision repair industry.”

Alicia said she is very grateful to the owners of Concept Auto Body— Tom and his wife Sheila—for all of their support. “I think a lot of the time people overlook the help others have given them to get to a certain point in life,” she said. “My bosses at Concept

David Luehr is the owner of Elite Body Shop Solutions, LLC, a collision business consulting firm based in Nashville, Tennessee. He is a 30 year veteran of the collision repair industry.

David is an expert in Body Shop Operations and specializes in Lean, and Theory of Constraints methods. Email him at dluehr@msn.com

company exists and where they are going. A great CEO will paint this picture for the entire organization by talking about the vision every day.

3. Strategy – It may be up to the team to make decisions on the day to day tactics used to carry out a long term strategy, but it is the responsibility of the CEO to create high-level strategies that will support the company vision and values.

4. Company culture – The thing about culture is that every company has one either good or bad. The hard truth is that the culture is a direct reflection of the attitude and characteristics of the CEO. If you as a leader are unhappy with the culture at your business, take a look in the mirror to reveal the problem!

4 Character Traits of Great CEOs 1. Empathy – The best CEOs genuinely care about their people and seeks to understand them.

2. Ethical integrity – The best CEOs act in accordance with the company values no matter how difficult it may become. A great leader never compromises the trust of the entire organization by acting any differently than the leader would expect of his team.

3. Curiosity – Leaders that are natuAuto Body took a chance on me.”

She is also appreciative of the support she received from all of the people who have helped her learn about the industry and prepare for the SkillsUSA competition. “Most importantly, my family has given me the motivation, support, and background for a good work ethic that cannot be matched,” said Alicia.

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28 SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

rally curious tend to always be looking for things they can use to gain a competitive advantage. Whether it is a new piece of equipment, technical technique, or influence skill, A great CEO is always on the lookout and eager to learn new things.

4. Competitive drive – While some CEOs you meet may not always show an outward competitive nature, inside there is almost always a fire burning to dominate! Most successful CEOs are highly competitive and want to win.

“A leader without a title is better than a title without the ability to lead” —Simon Sinek

Leadership is a Learned Skill While there are certain characteristics that may come natural to some leaders, many of the skills required and even the character traits can be

learned, practiced, and mastered. Even those that are not in the position of CEO can become a great leader. Leadership is a lot more than a title! In fact, most of what I learned about leadership was from jobs where no-one reported directly to me. I had to learn influence skills that would create positive change without being anyone’s boss. The best leaders, and CEOs understand this and do not rely solely on their position as the boss to get people to perform. While learning a lot on the job, much of what I have learned and teach today is what I learned from reading books. My philosophy is to learn as much as I possibly can from reading books and then experiment with the knowledge in the business and on the shop floor.

Anyone that is interested in learning more about obtaining leadership skills or if you would simply like some book recommendations, I would love to hear from you…

www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 29

Shop Strategies with Stacey Phillips

Stacey Phillips is the assistant editor at Autobody News magazine. She has more than 20 years of experience writing for a variety of publications.

She can be reached at sphillips.autobodynews@gmail.com.

Improving Its Processes Every Day Helps Kansas Shop Stay Accountable to Customers In September, All Angles Collision Repair will celebrate its 11th anniversary. Established in 2005, the Wichitabased business originally started with one body shop and expanded to a second location in 2015. General manager Ken Hunnell said the company prides itself on excellent customer

(including F-150) in the Wichita metro area. The future of auto body repair is OEM certifications and it is a clear advantage for our customers to choose All Angles.

Congratulations on being voted Q: one of Wichita's best in auto body repair. Why do you think consumers choose your shop for this honor and what best practices do you employ in the shop?

A:

We were voted best shop in 2011 and one of the favorites in 2013, 2014 All Angles Collision Repair’s new east location in Wichita, and 2015. (They didn’t have Kansas the auto body category in 2012.) There are no ballots sent out; service. All Angles employs I-CARinstead, it requires people to log in or certified technicians and has more than send in a ballot. We are blessed to 20 workstations to handle a large volhave a very loyal customer base and a ume of repairs. Autobody News talked great reputation for taking good care to Hunnell, who is a partner in the busiof people. ness with primary owner Steve Austin, about the award-winning company and what makes it successful.

slow way of supplements and waiting.

It’s hard to believe how inefficient we used to be, but that was normal and we had to get comfortable being uncomfortable with change and improving.

Staffing has been a challenge, but we now have a process that is bettersuited for our new team members to succeed. This has also led us to improve our hiring process, and we are now getting and keeping better candidates.

Every challenge and obstacle we have faced has only made us better.

We are fortunate to have great teammates and positive momentum.

Is there anything else you would Q: like to share with readers about the industry and your shop?

This is a great industry and we have the best team around. Our A: team has the courage to challenge

business as usual and look for a better

Q:

What is the primary area of focus at All Angles and how was the shop named?

A:

Our focus is our customers— that includes internal customers (employees, insurance partners and vendors) and external customers (insurance companies, vehicle owners and fleets). Unfortunately, I don’t have a great story about how the shop was named. A previous partner in the business wanted a name that started with an A for the alphabetical listings and came up with All Angles Collision Repair.

way to improve our service for our customers. We are focused on breaking down the communication walls that slow most shops down. We won’t

The open lay out of the east location allows for more flexibility in the shop

accept mediocrity because it isn’t good enough for our customers.

For more information about All Angles Collision Repair, call (316) 267-7491 or (316) 201-4300.

If you know of a shop that would like to be profiled, email Stacey Phillips at sphillips.autobodynews@ gmail.com.

Audi Genuine Parts

The east location’s paint prep stations and 30-foot paint booth

We are working on improving our processes every day. One thing that has helped us is holding ourselves to a higher standard for our customers—they trust us as professionals to fix what is likely their secondlargest investment. We owe it to them to do our best every time.

Audi Genuine Parts make your repair easier • Delivery to Austin, Kyle, Buda and San Marcos areas.

• You can count on our customer service • Professional experienced staff

All Angles was officially certiQ: fied by Assured Performance What are some of the benein December 2015. What are the benQ: fits/challenges of running two efits of being an Assured Performance locations?

certified shop?

A:

There are required tools, training and inspection from Assured Performance. We were the first independent shop in our market to be certified by GM, Fiat Chrysler, Nissan and Hyundai and currently the only non-dealer shop to be Ford certified

The biggest benefit is that it A: forced us to establish processes.

Shortly after our east location opened, we “burned the ships” and sold out to lean production. It wasn’t easy, but we have a great team that worked their tails off to change the way we repaired cars. We will never go back to the old,

30 SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

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www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 31

Auto Body Fumes a Frequent Complaint in San Diego [Consumer Article]

by Ingrid Lobet, inewsource.org

In San Diego’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, a report came in—fumes from spray paint and thinner so thick the caller had problems breathing and was going to pass out.

In Spring Valley, a resident said an auto body shop was painting in a small room with no exhaust filters. Neighborhood children were getting sick.

Lemon Grove Truck Body & Equipment is one of several body shops at 8373 and 8377 Broadway. They have received more air complaints than any other auto paint operations in recent years. Credit: Ingrid Lobet, inewsource, July 21, 2016

Just outside Lemon Grove, Eric Drayner said he raised objections for years about a shop on the other side of the wall in his backyard. The problem is not going away.

“We gave up complaining,” Drayner said. “It doesn’t help. I’m getting

close to retirement. When I retire I’m leaving.” The civil engineer said the value of his property was diminished, and that his neighbors, aggravated and exhausted, also gave up and moved out.

From Oceanside to National City, Escondido to Chula Vista, complaints about fumes emanating from car painting operations are among the most frequent reported to air authorities. An analysis of records by inewsource shows more than 10 percent of air complaints in San Diego County cite auto and truck painting, with 224 of some 2,100 complaints made between January 2013 and April 2016.

The Environmental Health Coalition, one of nation’s oldest groups devoted to urban environmental health, has long worked in National City. Research Director Joy Williams said the issue is “a big part of what we have heard from residents.”

Some of the shops receiving complaints are well-established. Others are makeshift spray booths.

The county Air Pollution Control District has primary jurisdiction over air quality issues in the region. The district’s Robert Kard refused requests

32 SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

air pollutants,” said Alison Davis, a senior adviser for public affairs in the agency’s air office. The rules defined a shop as anyone taking money for painting cars or painting more than two vehicles a year. It required enclosed spray booths and controls on how workers clean their tools to reduce the release of solvents.

But chemicals that people ought not be exposed to are still used in auto body work.

Common solvents are xylene, acetone, alcohol, and sometimes NMP, said Charles Complaints received by the San Diego Air Pollution Corcoran, supervisory enviControl District 1/2013 through 4/2016 ronmental scientist at the an auto paint shop, Kard wrote, they state Department of Toxic Substances Control. NMP, or N-methyl-pyrrolilook at the coatings to make sure only modern, waterborne products are used. done, is considered a reproductive Several people interviewed spoke hazard by the California Department of positive change in the industry as it of Public Health, meaning it may be has moved away from solvent-based dangerous for babies in utero. Acetone can cause dizziness and irritate the paints. nose, throat, lungs and eyes. Both xyChanges are also a result of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rules lene and NMP have limits on their use that went into effect in 2010 and 2011 in San Diego County, the district wrote.

The district also exempts some because “these shops can emit a type of small shops from the federal requirepollution called air toxics or hazardous for an interview. In an email he said inspectors routinely canvas neighborhoods for unpermitted businesses of any kind and also respond to complaints in a timely manner. Any time they visit

ment for an enclosed spray booth, it said in an email. On a case-by-case basis it decides whether exhaust air must be filtered. Environmental Protection Agency rules require spray booths to have filtration systems that are 98 percent efficient. The district’s practice may be illegal.

“A local government or jurisdiction is not allowed to make exemptions for auto body shops,” Enesta Jones of the EPA wrote. “The federal rule reflects the minimum acceptable standards for auto body shops in the United States.”

No address in San Diego County received more vehicle painting complaints in the last three years than the one behind Drayner’s home on Broadway in Lemon Grove, with more than 60.

“One, two times someone has come out here,” he said of the air authorities. “‘Gee, we don’t smell anything now. We’ll take some samples.’

Well, of course not, you came out here the next day. They’re not real responsive.”

The Air Pollution Control District provided records showing it has issued 10 violations at the address since 2013, carrying fines totaling $2,650.

Those fines were all issued to one of several body shop businesses operating at 8373 Broadway. Air authorities say two of the violations are recent, from 2016, so fines haven’t been assessed yet.

One of the owners of Lemon Grove Truck Body, Omar Zamora, said he believes some of the complaints are wrongly attributed to his businesses.

Lemon Grove Truck Body is the subject of dozens of complaints about fumes, but Omar Zamora, an owner, says some are erroneous, and rightfully should name other body shops at the address. “There’s like six shops here,” he said

“We try to keep the noise and smells down, but there’s only so much we can do,” he said, noting apartments just a few feet away.

David McClune, executive director of the California Autobody Association, said most businesses try to prevent or remedy any disturbance to neighbors. He urged anyone who suspects an unlicensed operation to contact

the California Bureau of Automotive Repair. The bureau also dispatches inspectors to consumers’ homes or workplaces when a repair may have been done incorrectly.

David Winkowski, a program supervisor in the San Diego office, said the complaint may be that someone is painting out in the open in a residential neighborhood. “I will send a rep out to let them know the area is not zoned for auto body repairs and they need to take it out of there,” he said.

Maria and Thomas Hughes in Chula Vista say that is the situation they have endured for years—a neighbor sanding and painting multiple vehicles on the front patio. Their street is residential. Thomas Hughes said at one time nine Volkswagens were in the front yard. “Now they’ve got a tow truck over there.”

“We got old working so that we could rest a little at home,” Maria Hughes said in Spanish. “But we can’t even go outside, so what good is it?”

She said various authorities including the city of Chula Vista have observed the activity but done nothing.

The owner of the property on Emerson Street, Eva Sanchez, denied

that family members do body work on other people’s cars for pay.

“There is no business here,” Sanchez said, identifying four of seven cars as belonging to relatives. Her son, her son-in-law and her brother-in-law, she said, simply “like to work on cars.”

Comments and questions can be directed to Ingrid Lobet at ingridlobet @inewsource.org.

Paint complaints Chula Vista: “Business is painting cars with visible paint overspray that is also causing odors. Happens 7 days a week” until 8 p.m. – November 2015 City Heights: “Complains of ‘painting fumes’ and ‘smell that’s just killing us’ from a nearby auto [body] shop.” – February 2015 Southeastern San Diego: “Complainant can see paint coming from the business during business hours. The paint coats nearby homes, cars and businesses.

The complainant can also see paint coming from a vent in the shop into the air.” – January 2016 Vista: “They are constantly grinding and painting car parts, told them to stop, but they continue. Seems they’re running a body shop in a residential neighborhood.” – February 2016

www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 33

H OND A TEX AS

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Continued from Cover

Post-Repair Inspections

ing the inspections, Felder explained her decision to investigate developed from an ongoing debate.

Utlizing her marketing company, Engage Target Media, which conducts market research for the industry, Felder took a “360 degree” look at post repair inspections, she said. “Was PRI good or bad for the collision industry? Was it making a difference? What are the findings during the inspections?”

Felder spoke with a sampling of the various stakeholders involved in the process, including customers, body shop owners and technicians and insurers. Her goal was the gage their perspectives, she said.

Customer Perspective “Customers felt their insurer was sending them to the right shop that would perform proper repairs,” Felder said.

According to her interviews, Felder said many customers assumed insurers were actively verifying repair procedures. These same customers were surprised by the selection and supervising process for DRP shops—what insurers were and were not managing.

Body shops are more often graded by insurers on a series of KPIs that track speed and cost, not the actual output or repair quality.

Felder was quick to acknowledge the issue of questionable repairs does not reside within DRP shop walls alone. “It’s not only DRP shops with these kind of results,” but it’s across the board, she said. “I still remain a DRP fan and the service it could potentially offer customers.”

DRP shop or independent, Felder said that customers assume a vehicle repair would mean their well-being was secure. Safety was concern that they didn’t know they should be concerned about, she said. Many customers expressed their decision to choose the recommended body shop was so that they would have a “worry free” repair process.

“They saw us as the gatekeepers, the guardians and the protectors of their vehicles and their families,” she said.

“They believed that we were going to put that over anything else.”

Body Shop Perspective Some of the most troubling interviews around the post repair inspection process came from the shop owners them-

selves.

“They felt their duty was to control repair expenses and … deliver the car out as soon as possible,” she said.

While they did acknowledge a safe repair was important, they felt their insurance partners put more importance on the claims expense then the physical repair of the vehicle.

Repairers and insurers can be more concerned about customer satisfaction than customer service, she said.

Using her eight-year-old son as a metaphor, Felder described the difference between the two.

“If I let my child eat only what he wanted to eat, his satisfaction rate would be high,” she said. “But as a parent, I have to make sure he eats nutritionally.” Even if that meant he felt less satisfied in her parenting job, she said.

“But I owe him what is best, not what leads to his greatest satisfaction,” she said.

The study caused some important reflection for Felder. As a former DRP manager, she wondered if during her career she had helped to create these issues with performance equaling speed and cost vs. quality.

Felder also met with 15 technicians at various repair facilities to discuss the pros and cons of post repair inspections, she said, and to gain their input on the general repair process.

Again, she said, she found speed was a concern.

“The faster the car went, the happier their boss was going to be and therefore, the happier they were going to be as well,” she said. Many of the technicians she spoke with felt they were, at the very least, performing at the same level as their counterparts in the industry.

One troubling issue was technicians felt there were different levels of repair quality based on the insurer handling. They felt some insurers allow the cars to be repaired properly while others they said they “know” they will be asked to perform repairs that do not follow common repair standards.

As a repair industry, regardless of the insurer, each vehicle should be held to the same standard of repair quality.

Insurer Perspective Felder spoke with a variety of adjusters and DRP managers about post inspection repairs to find out their opinions on the topic.

She discovered their concerns greatly resided in fulfilling their duty to find a reputable shop to repair the

36 SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Three Types of Post Repair Inspections:

Customer Complaint Driven Inspection—when a customer is unhappy with the repair or notices something isn’t working properly with their car and seeks a third-party to evaluate. Many times they first seek a resolution through the company they dealt with during the claim or the repairer who fixed their car, and then go to a third-party if they aren’t satisfied.

Insurer Pre-Delivery Inspections— this is when an insurance company inspects the vehicle on behalf of the customer to ensure the accuracy of the repair and customer satisfaction.

Internal Quality Control Process Repairer—many shops across the country have PRI processes set up to inspect vehicles before they are delivered.

Kristen Felder grew up working in her family’s body shop and started her career as a technician. She also worked in the insurance industry. After being employed by various public relations and crisis communications companies for several years, Felder launched Engage Target Media in 2013. Her goal is to create affordable, custom solutions to meet a business’s objectives through customer engagement and marketing. vehicle, pay the cost and keep things more affordable for the policyholder, she said.

The inspectors told Felder that

after writing or receiving an estimate, inspectors focused on ensuring the car was repaired as quickly as possible See Post-Repair Inspections, Page 40

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Media and Publicity for Shops How Do You Get the Customer from the Street to the Shop? with Ed Attanasio

This scenario probably happens literspeaker on this topic. “When I did my ally every other minute at body shops very first presentation for a large colall over the country. A person has been lision repairer several years ago, they in an accident, which means they’re told me that their biggest concern was either 1.) Embarrassed or 2.) Just plain how to convert a potential customer to mad. If they caused the accident, an actual RO,” Friedman explained. they’re probably the former and if “So that is when we started focusing they were the victim of one, more intently on the process they are justifiably the latter. and began devising best There aren’t very many inpractices to achieve their godustries out there where your als.” customer is already annoyed Too many shops don’t have before the process even bea plan or a strategy for when gins. potential customers call, and So the $60,000 question that’s where Friedman steps Nancy Friedman, is this—how do you get the in, she said. “When someone “The Telephone customer from the street to who has been in a collision is Doctor” helps body shops and the shop without losing them calling you, it likely means other automotive along the way? It’s not an that they are doing their due companies to easy thing to retain a potendiligence and they aren’t devise techniques tial customer with so many happy to be making that call. to get customers other forces out there workThat is when you need to from the street to ing against you, and every the shop. She will have your ‘arm around their be a presenter body shop knows it all too shoulder’ mentality and then again at SEMA well. There are three main ask them if are they okay. A this November. ways to lose a potential cuscar can be replaced, but peoFile Photo tomer between the street and ple cannot. We want to acthe shop: 1.) Steering by the insurance quire that customer, but we also want company 2.) Sold by another shop or to be compassionate.”

3.) Fumbling the initial call and turnReading the caller’s attitude and ing off the customer. surmising their state-of-mind quickly You’ve put a ton of work into is essential, so asking questions is just getting that customer to call you in the as important as providing information, first place, through marketing, netFriedman explained. “You can’t see working and more importantly, doing their face or read their body language, a good job, which leads to that covso asking questions about the individeted word-of-mouth. Large MSOs and ual and the accident is an ideal apsavvy independents see the value in proach to take. Most people enjoy doing whatever it takes to attract and talking about their lives, even if the retain that prospective client by estab- news is not exactly positive. So listen lishing large departments to make it carefully and act accordingly. If the happen. So why do too many shops person is willing to talk, let them talk, fail to put a major emphasis on snag- but if they’re more interested in findging that prospective customer during ing out about you and your shop, that initial call? that’s fine too. When you talk, you For sage advice about anything teach, and when you listen, you learn. that has to deal with the telephone, Either method can work in this scemany experts call upon Nancy Fried- nario, but you have to determine the man, “The Telephone Doctor” who is other person’s mood to be effective.” a nationally-recognized expert and There is a lot of money on the

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Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.

line when the customer calls and the clock is running. “That initial phone call and the repair that will hopefully result from it is important to both parties, so you need to treat it that way, Friedman said. “Rapport-building is not always easy, especially if you need to do it in a tight timeframe,” she said.

“You’re not going to get a second call.

Establishing a bond with this individual is key and good phone customer service professionals do it naturally. I call it the ‘care gene’ and you can learn it, but it’s easier if it’s already in your personality.”

Customers are skeptical just by nature and especially wary after getting into a car accident, whether it’s a serious collision or just a small fender bender. “You have to leave them thinking, ‘Wow, these people really do care,’ which is what they’re ultimately looking for,” she said. “Everyone has had a bad experience in some type of retail interaction; so of course, they’re

going to doubt you initially. That’s why you have to build a relationship with them and get them to talk about their feelings and their current situation.”

Giving the caller some good-old fashioned sympathy while mixing in some education along the way is a winning formula for body shops, according to Friedman. “Consumer education in every aspect of automotive repair is essential and a great way to further connect with the customer.

Many people don’t know what the difference between aftermarket and OE parts or realize that every shop will warranty their repair for as long as they own the vehicle. By taking a transparent approach and giving them all of the details and answers to all their questions, the trust builds and the customer feels more comfortable with your shop.”

And that’s when you get that new customer from the street to the shop!

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Continued from Page 36

Post-Repair Inspections

and in a cost-effective manner. They also detailed the shop’s responsibility on topics such as life-time warranties and repair issues.

While many openly acknowledge repair quality issues are found, they did not feel it was their obligation to manage those issues due to the shops contractual warranty, what Felder referred to as the “warranty myth.”

While shops do supply life-time warranties on the repairs, those warranties are not insulators to liability suits and duties of the insurer to maintain the repair network. In many cases when insurers were aware of gross repair negligence claims, those shops were not removed from the DRP program. In other words, customers were still being directed to the shops with no action plan around improvement or implementation of quality-control procedures.

Felder stressed the importance of shops and insurance companies working together as partners in the industry. The mutual customer demands a cost-effective, timely but above all a

safe repair. By aligning those values, DRP still stands as the best model for handling today’s volume of claims, she said.

Overall Findings “Customers were happy with the way they were treated, how they were kept informed, shuttle service, etc,” she said, “But the customer didn’t know what they didn’t know.”

The opportunity to educate shops about proper repairs has been at the forefront of Felder’s mind for the the past five years, she said.

Felder has been producing videos in various series, including the popular “Repair University,” which highlights repair procedures and how they can go very wrong, she said. “Maybe I need to talk a little more about what is right and showing what a good repair looks like instead of the bad.”

She suggested that customer service information and key performance indicators will always have a place in the repair process, but that shops and insurers must evolve beyond relying on these numbers.

“We have this CSI tool that does a lot to help us measure how our customers are going to be treated but we

40 SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

don’t have a lot of tools out there that measure how the quality of the repair will be when it’s over,” she said.

After her initial research, Felder said she found that there didn’t seem to be a plan in place for repairers or insurers on handling post-repair inspections or implementing quality control measures.

“No matter what side of the fence you are on, we don’t have a standard response for handling them,” she said.

It is an opportunity to raise the level of everyone involved so that they know what they are looking for, she said.

“If we’re going to protect the consumer and if our end game is truly a properly repaired safe vehicle, are we putting the right controls in place to manage that repairer?” she asked of stakeholders.

Felder also stressed the importance of sharing information and dialoging about these situations to continually make the industry better for everyone.

“We are all very passionate about what we do, no matter what side of this that you are on,” she said. “We’re also passionate about the consumer as well.

If we can raise our level of understanding, we can definitely improve safety.”

Automobile Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition - “Put the Brakes on Fakes”

A panel discussion took place at NACE/CARS this past August and discussed how the automotive industry and the U.S. government are working to protect the safety and welfare of consumers and repair businesses. Panelists included: Andy Forsythe, president, Automotive Anti-Counterfeiting Council; Bruce Foucart, director, Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center – Homeland Security Investigations; Jon Ruttencutter, U.S. Homeland Security Special Agent; Jason Kosofsky, Ford Motor Company; Joe Cammiso, Toyota Motor Sales.

Some of the counterfeit parts seized by law enforcement include: seat belts, oil and air filters, brake pads, brake rotors, control arms, windshields, bearings, steering linkages, ignition coils, microchips, spark plugs, wheels, solenoids, clutch housings, crankshafts, diagnostic equipment, suspension parts and oil pumps.

These counterfeits are produced illegally and sold at a profit.

At best, these parts will not perform as well as authentic parts; at worst, they can fail catastrophically with potentially fatal consequences.

Autologic Demos Diagnostic Solution at NACE, Wins Three Stevie Awards

by Deana Cacus, Online Editor

Autologic Diagnostics provided demonstrations of Autologic Assist, a cloud-based, vehicle-connected aftermarket automotive diagnostic solution, at the 2016 NACE | CARS Expo.

Autologic Assist was designed to serve aftermarket repair shops, specifically those specializing in European vehicle repairs. The app offers data resources and diagnostics tools to shops as well as real-time remote access to a pool of more than 100 master technicians.

Julio Rodriguez, lead software engineer, demonstrated the Assist technology at the Autologic booth on the Show floor. Rodriguez reported a 97.5% fix rate among 300,000 cases submitted to the company. According to Rodriguez, Autologic technicians have repaired more than 1,200 different models of vehicles throughout 120 countries using the Assist solution.

“During NACE, Autologic had an opportunity to share the benefits of our Assist offering with the attendee audience, who are direct potential users of our cloud-based, vehicle-connected di-

agnostic solution,” said Jeremy Fry, CEO of Autologic. “We were able to use the NACE platform to show the at-

Julio Rodriguez, lead software engineer for Autologic Diagnostics, demonstrated the Autologic Assist technology on the Show floor at the 2016 NACE | CARS Expo

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tendee community exactly how we can help them find fault and fix cars, fast.”

Autologic recently announced that they received three Stevie® Awards in The 13th Annual International Business Awards.

Autologic earned a Gold Stevie Award for Autologic Assist in the Best New Product or Service of the Year category for transportation; a silver in the Customer Service Team of the Year category, recognizing its Fault 2 Fix Vehicle Diagnostic Support team; and a bronze in the Mobile App - Utilities & Services category for AssistMobile.

“We are honored to be recognized not only by the prestigious Gold Stevie, the highest award level in the program, but to also have ranked in three categories of the overall competition,” said Fry. “We are gratified that the judges recognized all components of what can now be known as our award-winning solution.

“This acknowledgement is particularly fitting for our company – we operate internationally, from four offices worldwide and serve customers in 120 countries,” Fry continued. “It

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Nicknamed the Stevies for the Greek word for “crowned,” the awards will be presented to winners at a gala awards banquet at the Rome Cavalieri Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Rome, Italy on October 21.

Stevie Award winners were determined by the average scores of more than 200 executives worldwide who participated in the judging process from May through early August. Details about The International Business Awards and the lists of Stevie Award winners are available at www.Stevie Awards.com/IBA. For more information on Autologic Diagnostics, visit www.autologic .com.

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American Honda Shows NACE / CARS Attendees How to be “Service Ready”

by Victoria Antonelli

On Thursday, August 11, Autobody News attended the American Honda Service Ready seminar at NACE / CARS in Anaheim, CA. Erin Walker, Analytics & ePubs Assistant Manager, began the seminar by defining “service ready” as having the right tools, the right training, and the right information to get a competitive edge over the competition.

find Honda and Acura recall information: www.recalls.honda.com www.recalls.acura.com

Lee Bower, Assistant Manager of Technical Training Operations, took over next to discuss American Honda technical training with the attendees.

Through the course of three slides, he walked attendees through how to obtain Honda online service training courses, along with some additional tips: Access Honda independent repair website: https://techninfo.honda.com

● On FREE (BLUE) side, click TRAINING INFORMATION Walker’s next slide went over the different ways to gather repair information, highlighting third party providers, such as Mitchell and ALLDATA, as well as Honda Aftermarket websites, ServiceExpress and Service Information System (SIS).

She defined ServiceExpress as American Honda and Honda Canada’s service repair information website for independent repair shops and vehicle owners. This information covers all Honda and Acura vehicles from 1990 to current.

SearchExpress Subscriptions: 1 day – $10.00 30 days – $50.00 365 days – $350.00 SIS is American Honda’s dealer website for repair information. It contains the same information as ServiceExpress, as well as additional advanced search capabilities.

SIS Subscriptions: 1 Day – $20.00 30 Days – $100.00 365 Days – $1,000.00 In terms of content, ServiceExpress and SIS both offer repair information, owner manuals, accessory information, and parts catalogs. Search capabilities are where the two differ. While both offer a subject search and keyword search, ServiceExpress does not have the ability to do a combined subject/keyword search, a search by publications, or an auto DTC search. SIS offers all three.

Walker ended her portion of the presentation with a slide showing where to

● Link goes to HELMInc website – Honda training page

● Handles service & owner information for OEMs

● Links on HELMInc page describe Honda service training process

● Information about available training & computer requirements

● Self-paced Individualized Skills Training (IST) format

● Online training available from HELMInc offers the same component, system, & diagnostic knowledge that dealers receive

speeds through software enhancement ● Error reporting function

for Honda/Acura:

● Hunter alignment equipment

● ProCut on-car brake lathe

It also included equipment that is commercially available AND Honda/Acura exclusive: ● DENSO DST-i Vehicle Communication Interface (VCI) ● Honda/Acura ProCut On-Car Brake Lathe Adapters

The last piece of the four person presentation covered the new features of the Honda Diagnostic System (i-HDS):

● Home menu where users can launch all diagnostic applications from one place

● UI optimized for touchscreen devices

● J2534 Rewrite and Immobilizer applications

● Improved vehicle communication

● Windows 7 and Windows 10 support by Q4 2016 ● New modular design of DST-i

● Improved communication speeds

● J2534-1 compliant, pass thru device

● WiFi vehicle connectivity for P2P and client-server applications ● Stand-alone functionality

● Lower cost than previous VCI

i-HDS Subscriptions: 1 day– $10.00 30 days– $133.00 365 days– $1547.00 (which averages out to $4.24 a day) For more information, visit https:// techinfo.honda.com.

All information in this article was sourced from an American Honda PowerPoint presentation.

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The right part makes the difference.

● Dealer technician skill confirmation done at training centers

● Training centers not open to independent repairers

● Training searchable by category / subject & module

Wes Arnold, Assistant Manager, and Terence Vance, Assistant Manager of Special Tools, concluded the presentation with “07” special tools, tools and equipment program, HDS/ESS, SIS, and diagnostic.

All “07” Special Tools, such as the Push Pin Removal Pliers, are ordered through the dealer parts department.

The next slide showed examples of equipment that is typically commercially available, but not specifically

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CIC Presentation Highlights Issues that Pre- and Post-Repair Scans Raise for the Industry

by John Yoswick

although generally only in urban areas, Rozint said. Remote scanning, where off-site technicians scan vehicles hooked up at shops via the internet, may be “a great solution, but it’s not inexpensive,” Rozint said. And some calibrations of systems require the use of targets or other procedures that can’t be done remotely, he also pointed out.

A Collision Industry Conference (CIC) committee charged with looking at emerging technology in the industry argues that more guidelines and consensus is needed within the industry on when pre- and post-repair scans are necessary, and over fair compensation for that work.

“I don’t think it’s necessarily corMore information needed rect to say every repair needs to be Rozint said the scan tool manufacturscanned before or after, and ers have until now focused it’s certainly not correct to primarily on the mechanical say that only 1-in-10 cars repair industry; the Mechanineeds to be scanned,” comcal Division of the Automomittee chairman Jack Rozint tive Service Association, for said at the CIC in Anaheim, example, has developed a Calif., in August. “It’s defisummary of OEM scan tool nitely somewhere in between information (http://scantool Jack Rozint there.” resource.com/ ). This means “It’s not that this body is going to not all the tools are designed to meet set those guidelines,” committee memsome of the needs of the collision repair ber Fred Iantorno said. “It’s just that industry, such as providing printable there’s a need in the marketplace for documentation of scans and findings. that.”

Rozint said more parameters from With that in mind, the commitautomakers about which vehicles need tee’s presentation focused on the questo be scanned would be more helpful tions related to scanning that it hopes than blanket statements saying all veto bring automakers, insurers, tool- hicles need to be scanned. He cited a makers and collision repairers together shop owner he talked to who has one to address. shop that specializes in quick-turnRozint noted, for example, that in- around of light hits. That shop takes in house scanning by collision repair and delivers 15 cars a day, he said. If shops could have the least impact on scanning adds half-an-hour to every cycle time and repair costs, yet shops job, the shop would need to add two report more difficulty in getting paid full-time employees to do nothing but for in-house scans than those that are scanning. sublet to dealerships or outside ven“And guess what? They haven’t dors. fixed anything they’ve found. The time The costs related to scanning are to repair anything they’ve found isn’t real, Rozint noted. Buying OEM scan even included,” Rozint said. tools for just the Top 10 nameplates Clint Marlow of Allstate Insurwould cost a shop more than $100,000, ance agreed that vehicle age and feahe said, with $30,000 in annual softtures have to play a role in what ware updates. These fees don’t include vehicles need to be scanned. He said any of the training expenses the average age of vehicles that would be necessary. Afhis company insures is about termarket tools are available nine years. for about $5,000, he said, but “It doesn’t pass that initial generally don’t cover all velogical test [that all vehicles hicle functions. need to be scanned],” Marlow The alternative to in-housaid. “I think we need to work se scanning pose challenges as together to understand more Roger Wright well. Outsourcing the work to about when it needs to be dealerships is generally the most exdone, in what cases and on what cars.” pensive option, both in terms of actual Former CIC Chairman Roger costs and cycle time delays, Rozint Wright suggested that the committee said. He also pointed out that dealer netmake a similar presentation at a Propworks don’t have the capacity to hanerty Casualty Insurers Association dle all the collision-related scanning meeting this fall, given that a $200 that will be needed. scan charge would add 7 percent to the Mobile technicians offer scanning average claim of $2,800.

44 SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

“For some of the top insurers, that could be up to $500,000 or $600,000 a day in additional severity,” Wright said. “The repairers can’t eat 7 percent, and an insurer would have to get rate increases across the board to do the same thing. I think we can work it out.

We had the same thing back in the 1980s when we had to have 4-point and 3-dimensional measuring systems.

We got through that.”

CIC Chairman Randy Stabler said the committee’s work is timely and important.

“I know that for every collision repairer and every insurer in this country, this particular issue is a burning problem that needs to get improved,” Stabler said.

ters Supply in 2009. His term as chairman will begin with the January CIC in Palm Springs, Calif., after Stabler completes his two years as chairman with the final CIC of 2016, being held November 1-2 in Las Vegas.

Stabler kicked off the CIC meeting in Anaheim, which attracted about 325 attendees, by pointing out that he is the 16th CIC chairman, and that the 16th U.S. President, Abraham Lincoln, described the nation as “a house divided against itself.” Stabler said he views consolidation as creating a division within the collision repair industry, noting that “some people may like it, and some people may not,” but that it is a real and continuing part of the lifecycle of the industry.

He asked, however, for a Other News at CIC show of hands of anyone repIn other news at CIC in Anaresenting any of the four larheim, Guy Bargnes of Paingest multi-shop operations ters Supply and E-quipment Randy Stabler (ABRA, Boyd/Gerber, CalCompany was named the next iber and Service King) among the CIC chairman of CIC, a selection made by attendees. Not a single hand went up. It previous chairs of the conference. may have been they had not yet arrived Bargnes has been an active CIC particas the meeting began or chose not to ipant during his 18 years with BASF and more recently since joining PainSee CIC Focus on Scans, Page 47

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Sales Manager for FinishMaster Once Painted Air Force One Air Base, Turkey, he explained.

“When I was young airman, I Mike McKenzie has more than 23 was stationed at McChord Airforce years of experience working for sev- Base and I was one of five Airframe eral paint companies and currently he Repair and Corrosion Control Speis a Sales Manager for FinishMaster, cialists who were in charge of keeping overseeing New Jersey, New York and a squadron of C-130’s and C-141’s Connecticut. Today, he calls on body corrosion-free and looking good for the general in charge of the shops and supports a sales base.” staff, but his career began in Sometimes ingenuity the military, when McKenzie leads to opportunity. “One was painting airplanes for day as we were prepping the nine years while in the Air aircraft for deployment, I had Force. to repaint the tail of a C-130.

Most notably, McKenzie, 55, was part of a crew Mike McKenzie is As I was painting the tail in different colors, I put a subtle that painted and maintained a Sales Manager for FinishMaster, duck design on the tail. The the exterior of Airforce One overseeing New general in charge saw this from 1989 to 1993 during Jersey, New York and loved how it looked, bethe presidency of George and Connecticut cause anyone who looked at Bush. and has 23 years this plane could tell what part McKenzie’s nine-year of experience in the automotive of the world it came from.” stint in the Air Force had him paint industry That small duck graphic working on a wide range of different military aircraft before get- later helped McKenzie to eventually ting to paint Airforce One. These in- work on the “Big One.” “After a while, cluded refinish operations on T-37, this same general moved to a different T-38 training aircraft and F-5, F-111, base and requested me to oversee his F-16 fighter aircraft at Williams Air squadron. After a short time, he started Force Base, Chandler AZ and Incirlik sending me on special projects to inby Ed Attanasio

46 SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

spect aircraft and to refinish them according to mil specs. I worked on the B1 Bomber project as we applied special coatings so it was undetected during its missions.”

Landing the assignment to work on Airforce wasn’t exactly a slam dunk.

“When I was stationed at Incirlik, my commander put in for the assignment,” McKenzie said. “I had to go through an intense background check. They went back to my high school days and interviewed family and friends for hours to gain my top secret clearance.”

McKenzie quickly became a team member of a select group that was highly skilled to do the job. “There were approximately five or six airman assigned to the squadron that had the clearance to work on the aircraft,” he said. “We all had to do our own prepping and painting on both of the two Airforce Ones in the fleet.”

Most people think that there is only one Airforce One, but actually the president regularly flies in one of two customized Boeing 747-200B jets specifically designed for his use and identical to each other.

Most of the work McKenzie and

the rest of his corrosion control crew performed on President Bush’s plane was called spot painting as they concentrated on specific sections of this six-story high plane. “We never had to repaint the entire aircraft and much of our time was spent maintaining it and inspecting it for corrosion and structural cracks or defects. There was a crew of 20-30 maintenance or crew chiefs that keep both aircraft and four smaller jets polished and clean all the time.”

The security surrounding the planes was intense and incredibly thorough, McKenzie said. “The security was unbelievable—you had to go through two sets of gates where they would conduct a body check and then check the vehicle with a dog. Then once we were in there, we had to be escorted if we needed to do any work inside the aircraft.”

To get the president back in the air, sometimes McKenzie and his crew worked on tight deadlines. “We painted the main part of the aircraft and the engines as well,” he said. “We had to bring fans into exhaust the overspray. When the engines came

into our building for painting, the security was even more tight than usual, for obvious reasons. As we were prepping the engine, we had 2-3 guys in a security detail with the crew chief there. We had to prep, paint and get those engines back to the hangars in less than eight hours, so talk about a tight cycle time!”

Did Airforce One get into any collisions during McKenzie’s five years on the job? “We never got into any fender benders, but we did have to repair the aircraft a few times when some of the crew chiefs drop tools or buffers on it. We also had to re-paint sections of the plane due to things like bird collisions, hail and other conditions that could cause major delamination, corrosion, stress cracks and other paint issues. After a long trip, we would have

to perform an in-depth inspection to find what needed to be repaired.”

Did McKenzie ever get to meet President Bush during his time painting his plane? “Oh yes—several times.

He was very appreciative of what we were doing and told us that every time I met the man.”

In 1991, McKenzie was awarded an Commendations Medal and was Honorable Discharge from the Air Force. Looking back now, it was a great experience and he would not change it for the world. “I was able to work on a team that was one of the best in the world and I served a president, which is pretty special. I still love painting and do it all the time.

When these young painters challenge me, I pick up that gun and show them I still have some skills.”

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CIC Focus on Scans

identify themselves, but Stabler said he views the lack of their involvement at CIC as an issue.

“The challenge here, and the reason that I bring it up for the CIC body, is because they are a part of our industry, and we need to have better participation,” Stabler said. “That is one of the challenges I hoped to address [as chairman] and was unsuccessful, but that I hope we as an industry can address.”

Stabler also explained the lack of a presentation at the Anaheim meeting by the CIC Definitions Committee; the committee’s draft of revisions to CIC’s long-standing “Minimum Recommended Requirements for a ‘Class A’ Collision Repair Facility” document had led to much debate at the three previous CIC meetings. Stabler said the committee has continued to revise the document based on input it has received – including removing the reference to “Class A” in the title—and will be posting the latest draft on the CIC website (www.CIClink.com). Stabler said he feels CIC should have reached consensus on changes to the document some time ago,

as more organizations now launch shop certification programs.

“This is my opinion as CIC Chairman, but we missed an opportunity to come together…on that sooner because we’re now being confronted with a lot of other entities that are going to try to answer this question and come up with a minimum standard for us, and the industry may or may not like it,” Stabler said. “And we may end up with multiple standards. I think we really missed an opportunity on that.”

John Yoswick, a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon, who has been writing about the automotive industry since 1988, is also the editor of the weekly CRASH Network (for a free 4-week trial subscription, visit www .CrashNetwork.com).

He can be contacted by email at jyoswick@ SpiritOne.com.

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Tips for Busy Body Shops How to Engage Millennials in Your Workplace with Stacey Phillips

As baby boomers in this industry resion repair shop. Instead, he recomtire, body shops are depending more mends getting to know and understand and more on Generation X and Milthis generation because they are the lennials. Millennials, also known as employees of the future.

“Generation Y” or “Gen Me,” include As the first generation with comanyone born after 1980. They now puter and iPads, millennials were raised make up the majority of the population very differently than Baby Boomers. and the workforce. That means more “They view the world through a digital than 80 million Americans. lens,” said Claypool. “Their attention During the NACE CARS Expo & is fragmented between their phones, Conference, Mark Claypool discussed tablets and wearable devices.” how to attract and retain this He said that perceived cornew generation of employees. porate greed or being in busiClaypool, the owner of ness just for profit doesn’t appeal to this age group.

Optima Automotive, said there are certain negative connotaMany watched their parents tions often associated with and others work hard, and millennials; however, accordthen lose everything through ing to a Time Magazine article bankruptcy and foreclosures.

Mark Claypool from May 2013, they are also “Work is not life to them,” known to be open-minded, exude consaid Claypool. “Why would Millennifidence and are open to new ideas. als want to follow in those footsteps?”

His advice to attendees was not As a result, he stressed the importo let the stereotypes steer you away tance of looking at ways to engage Milfrom hiring millennials in your colli- lennials.

“You cannot approach employees the same way as you always have,” said Claypool. “They don’t view business the same way you likely do.”

Claypool said there are certain characteristics Millennials are known to have such as preferring to work in teams, enjoying a challenge and a work-life balance. They seem to look at work as a place to go and earn a living, but prefer not to work extra hours.

They might even try to dictate the days and times they work.

Here are some recommendations Claypool offered on how to attract and retain Millennials:

1) Provide frequent feedback Let them know what they are doing well and play close attention to how you express what they need improvement on.

“Millennials, who have played thousands of hours of video games, always know their health status during the game,” said Claypool. Rather than an

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Stacey Phillips is the assistant editor at Autobody News magazine. She has more than 20 years of experience writing for a variety of publications.

She can be reached at sphillips.autobodynews@gmail.com.

annual review, millennials prefer praise when it is earned and constant feedback, so they always know where they stand.

2) Explain why Millennials like to understand why and how tasks are done. Compile a checklist of things that need to get accomplished and then empower them to get the job done!

3) Match with a mentor Find a mentor who can train millennials. Consider pairing more than one millennial with a mentor, which is often found to be effective.

4) Offer a career path Similar to a video game, millennials are known to enjoy moving up from one level to the next. Give them opportunities to take on a leadership role while they continue to learn and develop their skills.

See Engage Millennials, Page 52

The YANG of the Aftermarket Industry

by Chasidy Rae Sisk

Networking is a vital component in developing a career, but it is particularly imperative to young professionals whose careers are still in their early stages. The Auto Care Association recognized this and created a program which addresses the needs of young professionals in the industry.

The Young Auto Care Network Group (YANG) offers a free membership available to anyone under the age of 40 working in the auto care industry. YANG provides an opportunity for individuals to network with industry peers, enhance their knowledge, and improve their leadership capabilities.

YANG began in 2014 after two young members of the Auto Care Association noticed how few members of their generation attended industry conferences and events. Seeing a need to attract and develop young people in this business, they began generating awareness among young people, and YANG has now grown to include 750 young industry professionals nationwide. YANG’s membership is representative of the entire supply chain and even includes students.

Courtney Hammer, director of

job and career development for the association, said, “We find value in raising awareness of the young person’s perspective and sharing their opinions.

They need to be involved in decisionmaking processes since this is the next generation that will be in charge someday. There is also a real need in the industry to develop succession plans.

Recruiting new talent is an issue that spans across the entire automotive industry, but YANG involves young people who help with recruitment and retention as well as the professional development of young people entering the industry. All of volunteer leadership team helps spread information needed about working in the industry, and the program has generated a lot of interest.”

Since networking is the foundation of YANG’s creation, it’s not surprising that the group plans a number of activities to allow for engagement with their peers. While the group schedules some larger scale functions, their most popular events are their Regional Meet-Ups and their YANGTime webinars.

YANG’s Regional Meet-Ups are designed to provide networking opportunities for young industry professionals across the country and potentially

internationally. YANG understands that not everyone is able to travel to industry events, so the concept is to bring YANG to members’ local communities.

According to Hammer, “YANG plans to hold 20 Regional Meet-Ups this year, which are hosted by members in areas where we have a dense population of YANG members. We usually have anywhere between 15 and 50 people attend these networking events which often coincide with other local events. In the past, YANG’s Regional Meet-Ups have included happy hours, baseball games and go-karts, but members can choose any venue where they can encourage interaction amongst attendees.”

YANG’s mission is spreading and more organizations are working to get young people involved. Two state associations, AAAS and CAWA, have partnered with YANG to host upcoming Regional Meet-Ups and have also agreed to offer free registration for YANG members to attend their conferences.

In addition to offering networking opportunities, YANG also focuses on education and professional development of its members. YANGTime is an educational program comprised of webinars which are geared toward

young auto care professionals. Topics range from professional development to industry specific trends. Past topics include using the history of the supply chain, technology tips for productivity, and the connected car.

On May 6-7, YANG held its 2016 Leadership Conference in Bonita Springs, FL, which was held in conjunction with the Auto Care Association’s Spring Leadership Days. The YANG Conference included presentations from their parent association, the Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance and many others. In addition to panel discussions on “The Rules of Globalization” and “Have You Ever Tried Listening to Your Customer?,” seminar topics included “Technology Related Opportunities and Challenges for the Automotive Aftermarket,” “Telematics - The Connected Car,” and “Emotional Intelligence.”

Hammer said the focus of YANG’s 2016 Leadership Conference was “professional development and education. It allowed attendees to see the big picture and provided an opportunity to witness the size of the aftermarket industry. Talks were about big topics that impact everyone, such as new technology, distribution and acquisitions.”

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www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 51

The Unexpected Results of Creating a ‘Safe’ Culture

by Stacey Phillips

ment and retention of employees.

Mention the word safety in a collision Reduce Costs repair shop and most employees think of wearing eye protection, putting on 1) Fines gloves and steel-toed boots, and using As of August 2, the Occupational Safea respirator. ty & Health Administration (OSHA) inKyle Holt, president of creased its fines by about 80 S/P2, said that true safety goes percent. What used to be the beyond bodily harm. During maximum of $70,000 for a the NACE CARS Expo & willful violation has increased Conference, Holt talked to atto $124,709. “Many shops tendees about the benefits of can’t even handle a $15,000 creating a safe culture for your fine,” said Holt. “That would business. In his presentation, be enough to close the doors Kyle Holt he stressed the importance of for some shops so don’t get addressing everything that affects how yourself in trouble.” people feel about how safe their work environment is. This includes various 2) Medical Insurance hazards, pollution prevention, bullying, Since 1992, Holt said health insurworkplace violence, harassment, and ance premiums have increased 182 diversity. percent while wages have increased “A culture of safety must account 50 percent. “When an incident hapfor the protection of the physical, pens, those medical insurance premental and emotional health of the miums go through the roof,” he said. employees, customers, vendors and “Dropped coverage or lack of covercommunity you serve,” said Holt. age really hurts you when you are When creating this type of cul- doing retention or recruiting because ture, everyone in the shop needs to get nobody wants to work at a place involved. The first step is to recognize where they are not going to get covhealth, safety, and environmental con- ered in some way.” cerns. He encouraged employers to create a plan of action and then follow 3) Liability Insurance up with training. It’s also crucial to Property and Casualty coverage rates continually track and report progress. have also increased. Some shops are Holt said this will not only foster no longer able to get coverage due to a better working environment, it will incidents, even small ones. This can help your bottom line by reducing affect DRP relationships. “If you don’t costs and assisting with the recruit- have property and casualty coverage Continued from Page 50

Engage Millennials

5) Share your mission According to industry reports, 90 percent want to use their skills and talents to better an organization. Talk to millennials about your vision and how your business helps the lives of others.

6) Make health and safety a priority Consider offering flexible work hours each week for your employees. Set up in-house gym equipment and a variety of games, such as a ping pong table, for break times. “More frequent breaks will make more productive Millennials,” said Claypool.

7) Incorporate community outreach Claypool said 75 percent feel it is ei-

ther fairly or very important that a business gives back to their community in some way. Set up an ongoing company-wide community outreach campaign and ask Millennials to help identify causes and plan activities.

Consider offering them paid volunteer days to reward them for their dedication.

By taking the time to learn about Millennials, it will help your collision repair shop become more productive and profitable. “Millennials are taking over,” said Claypool. It’s up to you to make this transition smooth.”

In closing, he asked attendees: “Are you up to the challenge? If not, someone else will be.”

For more information, contact Mark Claypool at 888-225-6968, ext 3 or mclaypool@optimaautomotive.com.

52 SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

on your shop, you are not going to get on one of the top insurance company’s DRPs,” said Holt. “Now you have fewer cars coming to your door, and that hurts the bottom line as well.”

4) Lawsuits One significant lawsuit can be enough to put a shop out of business. “Typically, a lawsuit comes in connection with fines or other expenses, adding multiple layers of expenses and legal challenges for shops that haven’t made safety and compliance a priority,” said Holt.

5) Business Interruption & Downtime Interruptions in your shop are one of the hidden costs of an unsafe work environment. In addition to paying worker’s compensation, delays and downtime can negatively affect business.

Recruiting & Retention

1) Your reputation precedes you Holt said the number one problem now facing this industry is the shortage of technicians. “When shops are trying to

recruit and don’t have a good reputation, it makes it very difficult to find the employees needed,” said Holt.

Word travels fast when there is a problem at your business and technical schools aren’t keen on placing students in shops that are unsafe or poorly run.

2) Retain key employees Employees want the assurance they are working in a safe environment. “If you have the kind of culture that encourages and promotes the safety and the well-being of the employees, you’re more likely to retain and find the people you need,” said Holt.

There are many benefits of implementing a safety culture at your shop.

“When it comes right down to it, it’s the law, we have to protect people’s safety and it affects the lives and livelihoods of those who are working the back shop,” said Holt. “It’s just the right thing to do—to create this kind of a culture.”

For more information, contact Kyle Holt at 888-241-8332 or kyle.holt@ sp2.org.

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ASA, Automotive Parts Services Group Announce Partnership

The Automotive Service Association (ASA) has announced that it has joined forces with the Automotive Parts Services Group (also known as “The Group”) to offer ASA members additional parts supply capabilities as well as training and marketing support.

ASA member shops that have an approved account with members of either the Pronto or Federated networks can take advantage of several benefits, including expedited parts delivery and preferred pricing on parts and supplies from participating Pronto or Federated members and their supporting auto parts store locations.

Other benefits include access to data warehouse tools that provide sales analysis information to customers on products purchased, return rates, warranty information and more. ASA member shops also have access to training and marketing through The Group Training Academy and Banner Shop Programs.

For more information, visit The Group’s profile at ASA.savings4members.com.

Toyota On Scanning for Electrical System Faults Toyota has released the following statement regarding scanning for electrical system faults: Toyota, Lexus and Scion onboard vehicle electrical systems are designed to control and communicate with engine, drivetrain, body electrical, navigation, audio, handling and safety systems.

In the event of a collision, electronic control modules, actua-

has sustained damage as a result of a collision that may affect electrical systems. Additionally, Toyota strongly recommends that repairers perform a “Health Check” diagnostic scan before and after every repair to identify and document DTCs. If DTCs are identified pre-repair, then they can be considered to create a complete vehicle damage analysis report. If DTCs are identified post-repair, then they can be diagnosed and addressed before returning a vehicle to the customer. * Call Toyota Approved Dealer Equipment at (800) 3686787 for information, availability and pricing.

tors, sensors, or wiring can be damaged. Damage related to these systems may cause them to not perform properly during future operating conditions including subsequent collisions.

These electrical systems are designed to set fault codes known as

Auto Care Association Completes Rebranding Its Segment Communities

The Auto Care Association has completed the final phase of its internal rebranding initiative with the alignment, redesign, and in some cases, renaming of its segment communities. As a result, the 11 distinct communities that represent various segments and professional groups in the industry operating under the association umbrella portray a unified and consistent appearance that reinforces the association’s overall rebranding. Our segment communities provide the framework that supports the association – the mothership,” said Bill Hanvey, president and CEO, Auto Care Association.

“Now, each of these communities displays a brand aesthetic and cohesion that offers a clear visual connection between the association and all segment communities.” In 2014, the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association changed its name to the Auto Care Association. Building on the success and widespread acceptance of the rebranding initiative, each segment community has undergone an evaluation of its value proposition, name, logo and tagline to collectively align their respective relationships with one another and with the association. “During the research phase of the rebranding

DTCs (Diagnostic Trouble Codes) if a fault is detected. Not all DTCs illuminate a MIL (Malfunction Indicator Light). Toyota’s “Techstream” and “Techstream Lite”* scan tool and

process, we learned that the inconsistency in names, logos, fonts, colors and taglines, and lack of connection to the Auto Care Association was confusing and obscured the size and scope of our industry, thus presenting a roadblock to raising the profile among stakeholders, for both the industry and the association that represents it,” said Hanvey. “Now the consistency between segment communities, from their comprehensive mission statements and now their look/feel, illustrates how the association truly represents the entire industry as a collective whole.” The segment communities include: ● Automotive Content Professionals Network ● Automotive Electric Association ● Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association ● Car Care Professionals Network ● HDDA: Heavy Duty ● Import Vehicle Community ● Manufacturers’ Representatives ● Paint, Body and Equipment Specialists ● Tool and Equipment ● Upholstery and Trim International ● Young Auto Care Network Group For more information, visit www .autocare.org/segmentcommunities.

54 SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

software can retrieve and report all DTCs for all Toyota, Lexus, and Scion vehicles.** Considering the fact that a capable scan tool is the only way to identify some DTCs, Toyota requires that repairers perform a “Health Check” diagnostic scan if a vehicle

** Before using an aftermarket scan tool, check with the manufacturer to ensure that their equipment can retrieve History, Pending and Current DTCs as well as ‘Time Stamp’ their occurrence on all Toyota vehicles.

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Collision Repair Industry Snapshot Survey Launched

The Collision Repair Industry Snapshot Survey, co-sponsored by the Collision Repair Education Foundation and I-CAR, has launched and is now open for responses from collision shop owners and managers. The collected data will be compared to previous benchmarks. Trends over the years will be analyzed, with results published and shared with the industry.

In order to touch the entire industry both within the Foundation and I-CAR customer base as well as externally, the electronic survey, which is intended only for shop owners or managers, will be distributed via various vehicles including: • Industry publications • Information providers • CAR Industry Alliance partners newsletters • Industry co-ops & buying groups • Associations’ newsletters • Large paint distributors and others It is estimated that this survey will be distributed electronically to over 20,000 shop managers and owners. Collision Shop owners are invited to take the survey online at this link: http://www.cvent.com/d/8vqmtp?refid =7445. Any questions regarding the survey: info@ed-foundation.org

IADA Hosts Another Fantastic Vehicle Repair Conference

by Chasidy Rae Sisk

The Independent Automotive Damage Appraisers Association (IADA) hosted its 47th Vehicle Repair Conference on June 15-17 at the Sheraton Charlotte Hotel in Charlotte, NC. Dennis O’Mahoney, executive vice president of IADA, noted, “The conference was fantastic. It is a great event, and we attracted around 120 attendees from the independent appraisal and insurance sides. It was also great to hear the perspective of the OEMs who came out to talk about new technology, self-driving vehicles, and the training they offer. IADA’s Annual Conference is a great opportunity for everyone to participate and get up to speed with industry changes.”

During the conference, attendees had the chance to attend a variety of educational sessions, and plenty of networking opportunities were offered. Attendees’ feedback indicated that participants enjoyed the fact that both sides of the industry were present to discuss factors impacting their businesses. At the conference, IADA also launched its refreshed branding and a new logo to represent the future vision, behaviors and culture of the Association.

In addition to presenting educational seminars, IADA held several association business meetings during the conference, including the Board of Directors and Industry Advisory Board meetings. During the Directors meeting, Mark Nathan transitioned IADA’s presidency to Bill Ambrosino, who will lead IADA for the next two years, while at the Advisory meeting, IADA shared future plans and industry executives provided opportunities of how IADA can help and better serve the insurance and collision industries.

IADA held its President’s Dinner at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, which featured a great dinner with competitive racing among conference participants. IADA also highlighted its “Save a Life Project,” a charity program for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, raising over $15,000.

According to O’Mahoney, “Mark Nathan as President was driven to make sure that, as an organization, IADA was giving something back, and there could not be a more deserving need than children with cancer. We are proud to support the work that St. Jude does for these families.

All our members and partners really stepped up, and we couldn’t be more thankful; Audatex pushed us over our

event goal with a $5,000 donation.

“The conference is beneficial to IADA members and the entire industry because it provides the ability for attendees to interact and exchange ideas with their peers,” O’Mahoney continued. “With all of the rapid changes taking place, it’s important that everyone learns about the new technology and that appraisers understand what’s going on under the hood of these vehicles. The training we offered allowed them to learn a lot about the industry.”

Moving forward, IADA is looking to increase the value it provides to members by upgrading technology and leading with a progressive approach to the changing needs of the industry. “The insurance claims industry is rapidly changing, and IADA is committed to being a leading edge resource in technology, education and tools for our members and the insurance industry,” O’Mahoney said.

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Mitchell Issues Third Quarter 2016 Industry Trends Report

Mitchell International, a provider of technology, connectivity and information solutions to the Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance industry and their supply chain partners, has released its Industry Trends Report (ITR) for the third quarter of 2016.

In honor of the company’s 70th anniversary, Alex Sun, President and CEO, looks ahead at key technology, social and trends include technology transformation, machine learning and digital consumer engagement. Sun also weighs in on the trends specifically impacting the auto casualty, workers’ compensation and auto physical damage industries.

Nine years ago, Mitchell created the Mitchell Collision Parts Price Index (MCPPI) to track the inflationary trends of the most replaced collision parts. Today, the annuallyupdated MCPPI includes the top 20 most replaced parts on collision estimates split out by country of origin and part type.

Mitchell's ITR reaches more than 33,000 collision and casualty industry professionals and provides visibility into data-driven trends in the P&C market. The complete report is available at www.mitchell.com/industrytrends-report.

Chief® Introduces Chief University Training Voucher Program

Customers who purchase a Chief Goliath™ or Impulse - E/VHT™ frame rack; Vector™ or LaserLock™ computerized measuring system; or Chief MI-200T spot welder will receive a voucher good for two days of free training at any Chief University class.

Chief® introduces the Chief University Training Voucher Program: customers who purchase certain Chief frame racks, measuring systems or spot welders will receive a free voucher for two days of training at any Chief University training class

The voucher is valid for one year after equipment installation.

“There’s not a body shop I go into these days where a repair technician doesn’t tell me how much he or she needs more training,” says Mickey Swartz, director of global product management for Chief. “This is indicative of how OEM-

Sherwin-Williams Receives Approval from Volkswagen Group in North America, South America and Asia Pacific Promote your business with

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“We’re very pleased that Volk800-699-8251 swagen Group has certified us and Mail Subscription look forward to supporting its dealerships and certified collision centers,” said Tom Hablitzel, president and general manager of Sherwin-Williams America, South America and Asia Pa- Automotive Finishes. “The new partcific. nership demonstrates the trust VolkThis is a result of Sherwin-Wi- swagen Group places in our products Register Your Our lliams’ performance in testing to meet andEmail will helpfor expand our reach around the Volkswagen Group’s intensive re- the globe.” finish coatings specifications. The certification confirms that only the For more information, visit www www.autobodynews.com best-in-class products are utilized for .sherwin-automotive.com.

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recommended repair processes and the materials used to manufacture vehicles have changed substantially in the last few years, and technicians need training to keep up. Our new voucher program helps make additional training more affordable for our customers.”

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www.autobodynews.com 56 SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Chief University offers training classes for technicians, estimators and insurance appraisers at locations across North America. A training voucher can be used for any Chief University course as follows: ▪ Two people can attend Aluminum Damage Analysis and Repair Technology

▪ One person can attend Design Based Repair, Computerized Measuring, Full Frame Analysis and Repair Planning, Unibody Analysis and Repair Planning, Advanced Frame Analysis or Advanced Steering/Suspension Analysis ▪ One technician can attend Structural Damage Analysis at the reduced price of $325.00

“The training voucher program was designed to enable a customer to easily choose the class that will be of greatest benefit to the shop or technician,” explains Swartz. “After equipment installation, the voucher containing a code number is issued to the shop. The shop owner, manager or technician can visit the Chief website to learn more about the classes, check the class schedule and register.”

Chief training is certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) for compliance with the Continuing Automotive Service Education (CASE) Standards. Most Chief University classes are approved for I-CAR credit hours through the ICAR Industry Training Alliance® program.

For the most up-to-date schedule, course descriptions and to register, visit http://bit.ly/chieftraining.

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www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 57

Pokémon Go and Car Accidents

by Barry P. Goldberg, A Professional Law Corporation

Chances are, you have heard of the new Pokémon Go phenomenon that is sweeping the nation. Pokémon Go is a game played on a smartphone that encourages people to walk around to collect 151 Pokémon and is based off the card game and hand-held Nintendo games of the 90’s.

While a seemingly harmless game of augmented reality, Pokémon Go is turning into anything but. Indeed, the app—one of the most popular smartphone games of all time—is causing numerous car crashes and injuring innocent victims throughout the state and country.

Here are a few times the game has actually contributed to real world accidents: ■ A man was driving while playing the game when he got distracted, drove off the road, and slammed into a tree. He was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

■ A 15-year-old girl was hit by a car as she was walked onto a busy highway while paying attention to her phone instead of oncoming traffic. The girl suffered an injured collarbone and foot as well some bruising.

■ A man stopped his car in the middle of the highway, causing a multi-car pile up,

in an effort to catch Pikachu, one of the tiny fictional monsters.

■ A police body-camera recorded a man crashing into the back of a police car while playing the game. No officers were inside the vehicle at the time of the crash.

No one was injured.

These are just a few examples of the accidents caused by drivers distracted by Pokémon Go. If you or a loved one were injured by a driver or pedestrian who was playing the game, contact an experienced injury attorney to discuss your legal rights.

What is Pokémon Go? As noted above, Pokémon Go is an augmented reality game one can play on their smartphone. To quote pokemon.com, after downloading the application: “Get on your feet and step outside to find and catch wild Pokémon. Explore cities and towns around where you live and even around the globe to capture as many Pokémon as you can. As you move around, your smartphone will vibrate to let you know you’re near a Pokémon.

Once you’ve encountered a Pokémon, take aim on your smartphone’s touch screen and throw a Poké Ball to catch it.

Be careful when you try to catch it, or it might run away! Also look for PokéStops

located at interesting places, such as public art installations, historical markers, and monuments, where you can collect more Poké Balls and other items.”

Unfortunately, the game does not take into consideration private property, busy highways, etc. and is putting many innocent individuals at risk when inattentive gamers attempt to drive and play the game.

Pokémon Go and Distracted Driving Distracted driving includes “any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving.

All distractions endanger driver, passenger, and bystander safety.” These types of distractions can include:

Texting Using a cell phone or smartphone Eating and drinking Talking to passengers Reading Watching a video Adjusting a radio, CD player, or MP3 player

And now it seems that we can add “playing Pokémon Go” to this list.

We would like to thank Barry Goldberg for reprint permission.

BASF Accepting Entries for 2nd Annual Glasurit Best Paint Award

Glasurit Automotive Refinishes will honor outstanding excellence in painting during the 2nd annual Glasurit Best Paint Award, judged and presented by the legendary Chip Foose during the SEMA show in Las Vegas on November 2. Vehicles must be on display at the 2016 SEMA show and must use Glasurit 22, 55 or 90 Line products including primer, color and clear to be considered.

Foose will judge vehicles based on fit and finish, quality of preparation and final presentation.

“We are proud to partner with world renowned designer Chip Foose to recognize the highest level of craftsmanship for vehicles restored with Glasurit,” said Shefali Cromer, Glasurit market segment manager.

The first place winner will receive a Chip Foose-designed trophy, a personalized rendering autographed by Foose and a customized Glasurit Best Paint Award jacket.

The awards will be presented at 9 a.m. on November 2nd at BASF booth #23067.

For more information, visit http://www.basfrefinish.com.

“Counting Cars” Renewed for 6th Season on ‘History’

Matrix® Automotive Finishes, a brand of Valspar Automotive, is the official automotive paint brand for the sixth straight season of “Counting Cars,” History’s reality TV series that profiles the transformation of run-down beaters into custom hot rods. Matrix products are used in creating all the masterpieces that exit Danny “The Count” Koker’s custom refinish shop in Las Vegas on every episode.

“Our history with Count’s Kustoms goes way back … long before they were famous,” says Laura Yerkey, Valspar Automotive director of marketing in the Americas. “Danny’s shop and specialty painter, Ryan Evans, have been using Matrix for more than a decade. They’re genuinely loyal to the brand and continually create world-renown paint jobs with Matrix.

There’s truly no greater testament to the product’s capabilities and proven performance.”

Season 6 of Counting Cars marks another strong year for Matrix on and off the air, Yerkey says, with continued product innovation and an upcoming campaign that recognizes the industry’s best with a spray gun — Evans included. Evans was instrumental in bringing Matrix to the shop five seasons ago. “I’ve used just about every

manufacturer’s paint,” says Evans.

“Sixteen years ago, at Count’s Kustoms, we were lost. We didn’t know who to use. We used this company’s base, that company’s primer, and another company’s clear. Nobody wants to do that. Everybody really wants to work with one system because they’re all made to go with each other.”

Evans became a believer in Matrix as he was introduced to the product lineup, starting with clearcoats.

“As time went on,” Evans recalls, “they started bringing me basecoats and again knocked it out of the park.

Their sealers, same thing. This was starting to really build into a solid system from bare metal up. Then I saw their custom colors and was blown away. Matrix literally can you make anything you want…candies, pearls, multi-layer tri-stages. Finally, I found that complete system that covers everything, and that’s Matrix.”

Meet Evans and the rest of the Counting Cars cast at the Valspar Automotive Booth, No. 10851 at SEMA November 1-4, 2016, and see the team’s feature Matrix car.

The new season of Counting Cars kicked off July 5. Catch new episodes every Tuesday on History™ at 9/8c.

58 SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

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CARSTAR Appoints Sam Freeman as Vice President of Franchise Development

CARSTAR has announced the hiring of Sam Freeman as vice president of franchise development. Freeman enters this new role at CARSTAR

after serving as the director of franchise sales for one of CARSTAR’s sister brands under the parent company of Driven Brands, Inc. According to the company, as the director of franchise sales, Freeman drove significant growth assisting existing owners with additional centers, as well as adding new franchisees to the system. Transitioning into an elevated role with CARSTAR, Freeman is looking forward to supporting existing franchisees by identifying their potential for multi-center ownership, and will grow CARSTAR by uncovering new potential markets.

To ease the process of CARSTAR’s conversion program that targets single-unit auto body shops, Freeman

will work closely with the real estate team to create a seamless platform for new and existing franchisees.

“I’m thrilled to join CARSTAR, which has an outstanding method of converting independent shop owners and enhancing their profitability. The processes and synergy created by Dave Schaefers and Michael Macaluso among CARSTAR and the other automotive aftermarket franchise concepts at Driven Brands, is unmatched in our industry,” said Freeman. “CARSTAR is leading the charge in the consolidation that is occurring wi-thin the collision industry. Many independent auto shops often do not having a consistent and time-effective process in place; I’m looking forward to helping more of those businesses get off the ground and adding to our remarkable franchise system.”

For more information, visit www .CARSTAR.com.

Car Care Professionals Network Releases Recommended Sales Contact and Communication Best Practices

The Car Care Professionals Network (CCPN), an Auto Care Association advisory committee of repair shop owners and managers, has released a recommended set of sales contact and communication best practices.

The practices are recommended for

distributor and manufacturer sales personnel and manufacturers’ representatives, and detail what works best for repair shops when setting up appointments and maintaining communication.

The concept for the best practices document developed from a forum of association member warehouse distributors, manufacturers, manufacturers’ representatives and CCPN. CCPN members noted that while they rely on their supplier sales personnel for information and support, these recommended practices could enhance the efficiency of their communications and meetings.

The best practices were submitted and discussed by CCPN members, then reviewed and approved by the combined forum.

The CCPN committee members are: Chuck Hartogh, C & M Auto Service, Glenview, IL, Chairman Dwayne Myers, Dynamic Automotive, Frederick, MD, Vice Chairman Brian Bowersock, West Escondido Automotive & Transmission, Escondido, CA Scott Brown, Cardinal Plaza Shell, Springfield, VA Rudy Epp, Rudy’s Auto Service Ltd., Winnipeg, Canada Andy Massoll, Curt’s Service, Oak Park, MI Brian Ponder, Ponder Auto Repair, Johnson City, TN Ron Smith, Smith’s Service Center of Madison, Inc., Madison, WI Ron Tinner, Sparks Tire & Auto, St. Charles, MO Rick Urso, Meineke Car Care Center, OakPromote Lawn, IL your business with Wes Ward, Wes Ward Auto Repair, an exclusive article featuring St. Johnsbury, VT To your accessproducts a copy ofor theservices. best practices, visit http://bit.ly/ccpnseries

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3rd YANG AAPEX Program

The Young Auto Care Network Group (YANG) of the Auto Care Association is hosting the third annual YANG@AAPEX Program during the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) on Wednesday, November 2 in Las Vegas, NV. Attendance is free and open to all professionals in the auto care industry under the age of 40.

The program will include the YANG Town Hall, featuring “Your Career—Take Control, Move on Up Now” presented by professional coach Dana Manciagli from 3:45 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. at The Venetian Hotel, Marco Polo Room 706. Directly following, attendees are invited to attend the YANG-sponsored networking happy hour from 5 p.m.

- 6:30 p.m. at LAVO in The Palazzo.

Professional headshots free of charge are available to attendees on Wednesday, Nov. 2 from 10:30 a.m.

- 3:30 p.m. in the Auto Care Association Member Center, Rooms 201203 in the Sands Expo Center.

Membership is free and open to ACA members and non-members. For more information, visit www.auto care.org/yang or contact Courtney Hammer at 240-333-1067 or courtney.hammer@autocare.org.

National Auto Body Council Opens Nominations for 2017 Board of Directors

The National Auto Body Council (NABC) has announced that it is now accepting nominations for seven open seats for its 2017 Board of Directors. The deadline to submit nominations is Friday, September 2.

Craig Camacho, the Designated Representative for Silver member, 3D Auto Body & Collision Centers

Elizabeth Clark, the Designated Representative for Diamond member, State Farm

Board candidates may be selfnominated or an industry professional nominated by three members of the National Auto Body Council (NABC).

To qualify, the nominee must be either an individual member of the NABC or the designated representative of a company member. NABC Board members are elected for threeyear terms.

All nominations must be submitted in writing. The election will take place at NABC’s upcoming Annual Meeting in November at the SEMA Conference in Las Vegas. Per NABC Bylaws, proxy voting and nominations from the floor are not allowed.

Summer Fun and Industry Info for IGONC’s Triangle Chapter

This summer, the Triangle Chapter of the Independent Garage Owners of North Carolina (IGONC) met twice in less than two weeks. First, the chapter enjoyed a baseball game on July 29, and then, on August 9, they got down to business with their standard monthly meeting, filled with important industry information.

Around 25 Triangle Chapter members forewent their usual monthly chapter meeting for an evening at the ballpark to see the Durham Bulls on Friday, July 29 as they do each summer. According to IGONC Executive Director Bob Pulverenti, “Several shops brought their staff and had a great time socializing with others in the automotive industry. Members enjoyed all the fun and food of the ballpark, and a prize was raffled off to the children in attendance. The Durham Bulls easily landed a win against Louisville with a score of nine to one.

The fun evening was topped off with an amazing fireworks show set off from the middle of the ballpark.”

On Tuesday, August 9, IGONC’s Triangle Chapter held their August meeting at the Golden Coral in Raleigh, NC. Chapter President Dean Bailey of Kings Garage led the meeting, and after discussing some infor-

Current NABC Board members whose terms are ending this year that may also seek re-election include:

mation from their previous meeting, he spoke a bit on the emissions laws and how they may change. He also offered some tips to use during staff meetings to keep employees motivated to work.

The meeting’s guest speaker was Tricia Sauls, Communications Manager for IGONC, and she introduced attendees to Member Zone, the association’s new membership management software. Sauls explained how shops can build their own custom pages, including shop photos, logos, videos and more. She noted, “Members learned how to register for events and pay their membership dues all through our secure membership portal. They were also shown how to communicate with other members, share job listings, and share equipment, cars or even garages for sale.”

The meeting also included a brief discussion on IGONC’s upcoming Automotive Service and Technology Expo (ASTE). Members received an update on speakers and vendors, plus they learned the best way to register and “how to help spread the news regarding this wonderful, long-standing IGONCsponsored event,” Pulverenti shared.

More information about IGONC’s 2016 ASTE is available at www.asteshow.com.

60 SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Bill Mayer, the Designated Representative for Diamond member, Insurance Auto Auctions

Anthony Natale, the Designated Representative for Diamond member, Dent Concepts Jeff Peevy, Individual Member

Renee Ricciotti, the Designated Representative for Diamond member, 3M Automotive Eric Showalter, the Designated Representative for Bronze member, Washburn Tech

“We welcome nominations from all

segments of the collision industry for leaders who are willing to invest the time and effort to help guide the organization in our ongoing efforts to promote community initiatives that exemplify the professionalism and integrity of the collision industry,” said Chuck Sulkala, NABC executive director.

NABC initiatives include the successful and popular Recycled RidesTM program as well as other NABC community service programs including First Responder Emergency Extrication (FREETM), and the Distracted Driving initiative.

Nominations for NABC board seats must be submitted in writing.

Options include: ■ E-mail Info@NationalAutoBody Council.org or executive director Chuck Sulkala at chucksulkala@msn .com.

■ Fax NABC administrative office at (414) 768-8001

■ Mail to National Auto Body Council, 7044 S. 13th St, Oak Creek, WI 53154.

For more information, visit www.

NationalAutoBodyCouncil.org.

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www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 61

Copart Joins NABC as Top Level Diamond Member

The National Auto Body Council (NABC) has announced that they have welcomed Copart, a provider of remarketing services to process and sell salvage and clean title vehicles, as a top level Diamond Member.

According to the Council, as a long-term supporter of NABC’s community service programs, Copart has donated and facilitated the transfer of vehicles from insurers and other donors for use in Recycled Rides™ and First Responder Emergency Extrication (FREE™) programs.

“Copart has been an integral part of the success and growth of our community service initiatives,” said Chuck Sulkala, NABC executive director. “We appreciate all their contributions and are grateful for this increased commitment as a Diamond member so we can fulfill NABC’s mission to provide our members with the ability to showcase the integrity and professionalism of collision industry professionals.”

According to the company, Copart links sellers to more than 750,000 members in more than 150 countries worldwide through its multi-channel platform.

BASF Boosts R&D in Asia Pacific for Automotive Coatings BASF has increased its regional research and development (R&D) activities for automotive coatings at the BASF Innovation Campus Asia Pacific in Shanghai, China. At the new state-of-the-art coatings and coating resins laboratories, the company’s R&D team is addressing regional automotive customers’ growing demands for high-performance, quality and flexible coatings solutions with a lower environmental impact.

“We anticipated the significant market shift of the automotive industry as well as the shift of R&D ca-

pacities of our customers to Asia,” said Peter Fischer, BASF senior vice

president, Coatings Solutions, Asia Pacific. “One key enabler for future success is the globalization of our R&D landscape and to establish an organization to meet future market needs.

We plan to increase our R&D personnel in Asia Pacific, mostly in China.”

The new laboratories focus on R&D activities for coating formulations, resins and polymer synthesis, as well as coating applications for spraycoats and electro deposition coatings. The BASF’s new laboratories conduct R&D activities covering resins, latest coating applicacoating formulation, and polymer synthesis as well as coating tion technology also applications for spray and electro deposition coatings ensures that custo-

mer’s production line conditions can be simulated, creating superior value.

According to the company, demand for sustainable and high-performance coatings that reduce volatile organic compounds in the automotive industry is on the rise.

“We have built up significant R&D resources at the Innovation Campus in Shanghai, where many of our innovations are developed to benefit our customers,” said Rafael Bautista Mester, BASF head of R&D and technology management, Coatings Solutions Asia Pacific. “We will further invest and develop new solutions to address growing demand of our customers for products that are sustainable, durable and aesthetically pleasing. Bringing together our R&D talent, we are working on global and regional projects that focus on researching and developing new and improved products, applications and alternative technologies.”

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Snap-on to Provide Integration for i3 Brands’ Extended Warranty Coverage for Genuine OEM Automotive Parts

i3 Brands and Snap-on Business Solutions (SBS), a business unit of Snap- on Incorporated, will integrate i3 Brands’ signature PartProtection platform into the SBS ecosystem.

PartProtection created the indus-

try’s first point-of-sale for providing extended coverage service contracts in the automotive genuine parts industry.

According to i3 Brands, PartProtection has a certified interface with the top Dealer Management Systems (DMS) and is improving service experiences in franchised dealerships across the country.

“We are thrilled to work with i3 Brands on this new endeavor,” said David Foutz, vice president of sales and marketing at SBS. “This integration will provide our OEM dealership customers with unprecedented access to coverage and extended service contracts on all eligible OEM parts and service. In addition to opening up new revenue streams for dealerships, this

will improve customer retention and deliver real value to consumers. By working together, SBS and i3 Brands can help dealers extend these offerings to parts wholesale customers as well.”

PartProtection will be embedded directly into SBS’s electronic parts catalog (EPC), allowing for seamless look-up and immediate identification of extended warranty or service contract opportunities on all eligible OEM parts. Franchise dealerships and other OEM customers will then be able to provide consumers with an additional two years of coverage beyond manufacturer warranties with unlimited miles. Used as a retention tool, the majority of policies are redeemed at the dealership of origin.

“This is an exciting opportunity for i3 Brands,” said Michael Lucas, CEO of i3 Brands. “The integration of these world-class technologies will enable i3 Brands to help SBS enhance its strong relationships within the dealership network and increase coverage of OEM parts sold by the shop owners and managers. Making enhanced warranties more affordable and accessible to repair shops and consumers is a central component of this partnership.”

62 SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

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I-CAR® Launches Vehicle and Technology Specific Training™

I-CAR , the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair, has announced the launch of its Vehicle and Technology Specific Training™ product line that conveys OEM-specific, model-specific and technology-specific knowledge designed to help the colli®

sion repair industry facilitate complete, safe and quality repairs on today’s increasingly complex vehicles. The current product lineup includes 26 of I-CAR’s courses, classified into either vehicle or technology-specific training categories. The new product line sets the stage for further development of the portfolio, with new courses already in development.

According to I-CAR, this product line was developed with industry input in mind. “The industry has demonstrated that it seeks more vehicle and technology-specific collision repair information in order to keep upto-date on the increased usage of new materials on vehicles as well as the nuances of the 100+ new or redesigned vehicles introduced each year. The industry has demonstrated this demand,”

a statement from the company read.

“You need both fundamental and vehicle-specific training to facilitate quality repairs,” said John Van Alstyne, I-CAR CEO and president. “ICAR’s training portfolio, which now includes over 200 courses, works synergistically to deliver the breadth and level of knowledge required to repair today’s vehicles, especially when combined with OEM repair procedures and I-CAR’s Repairability Technical Support information services.”

I-CAR’s Vehicle and Technology Specific Training aims to give collision repair professionals access to vehiclespecific information that they may not otherwise have had access to. According to Van Alstyne, “Not all OEMs deliver vehicle-specific training themselves, and when they do, it’s often for the benefit of their own repair networks. I-CAR’s platform and distribution channels allow us to deliver vehicle-specific training to a broad audience, making this information broadly accessible to the industry.”

In support of the launch of Vehicle and Technology Specific Training, I-CAR is offering a limited-time promotion on Honda/Acura courses. For more information, visit https://www .i-car.com/.

Glassware Fundraiser to Benefit NABC

An online fundraiser raises a glass to the National Auto Body Council (NABC) courtesy of B-Cycled Bottles, which is offering 50% of proceeds from sales of its unique cocktail glass-

ware to help fund NABC community service programs.

The glasses are made from recycled Grey Goose vodka bottles and retail for $40 for a set of two glasses on eBay. Proceeds from the fundraiser

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will help the National Auto Body Council further its mission to promote the professionalism and integrity of collision industry professionals.

“This is a unique, fun and practical way folks can support NABC’s community service programs,” said Chuck Sulkala, NABC executive director. “The recycled component of the product dovetails with our signature Recycled Rides™ program, which provides vehicles and transportation to individuals in need. We appreciate B-Cycled Bottles’ support to bring our community service initiatives to as many communities across the country as possible.”

For more information, contact Brandon Eckenrode at: Brandon .Eckenrode@ed-foundation.org.

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www.autobodynews.com | SEPTEMBER 2016 AUTOBODY NEWS 63

Advance Measurement Systems Introduces SPECTRE™ Advance Measurement Systems (AMS) recently introduced its patented SPECTRE™ Measurement System, the latest in electronic measurement technology.

“SPECTRE™ uses a complete-ly wireless, multi-point laser system to accurately measure a vehicle’s frame and identify damaged areas on a 3D model,” a statement

from the company read. “With simple, intuitive software, technicians can quickly assess damage and verify repairs in real time. Plus, with instantly-generated electronic reports, users can provide peace of mind to customers and insurance adjusters alike with the click of a button.”

The Tennessee-based company will be demonstrating the SPECTRE™ Measurement System at the NACE | CARS Expo in Anaheim,

happening August 9 through 13.

AMS will be exhibiting at booth #323.

For more information, visit http: //www.ams-laser.com.

General Motors Dealer Equipment Program Approves Global Finishing Solutions’ REVO Accelerated Curing Systems

Global Finishing Solutions (GFS) has sion repair industry a win-win-win,” announced its inclusion in the General added Lowder. “The dealership can Motors Dealer Equipment Program realize increased profits through prowith its REVO Accelerated Curing ductivity gains, the technician enjoys Systems. According to the company, easy-to-use technology that produces the state-of-the-art REVO Systems, exceptional repairs and the end user rewhich use short wave electric infrared ceives a higher quality repair that truly Promote your with technology, can improve paint shop brings a vehicle backbusiness to the quality it throughput up to 80 percent. was an accident.” anbefore exclusive article featuring “Global Finishing Solutions is exThe GM Dealer Equipment Proyour products or services. cited to work with the GM Dealer gram provides a full range of OEM The source for timely Equipment Program to be the pro- tested and approved equipment to servgram’s sole provider infrared curing ice, parts and body shops. The program information thatof every equipment,” said Brandon body shop needs! Lowder, offers installation and training assisvice president of auto refinish sales at tance, factory direct shipments and exGlobal Finishing Solutions. “With periencedCall personnel. can also arrange forItdetails!

CALL 800-699-8251 REVO Systems, GFS provides shops for supplier visits and product demonthe ability to dramatically increase strations 800-699-8251 to provide shops with comthroughput without overhauling their plete information about its approved Mail space.” Subscription products.

Introduced in 2014, GFS’ REVO As an OEM-approved supplier, Accelerated Curing Systems leverage Global Finishing Solutions will offer electric IR technology to reduce cur- REVO Accelerated Curing Systems ing times for both prep and paint to meet the needs of GM dealership phases of repairs. Available in multi- service operations across the U.S. and ple models ranging from a handheld Canada. In addition to supplying the Your Email for Our unit to larger systemsRegister which integrate REVO Systems, GFS is a GM-apinto paint booths and prep areas, the proved supplier of paint booths, prep REVO Systems are designed to fit a environments and other finishing equipvariety of needs while working within ment. www.autobodynews.com a shop’s current footprint.

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Caliber Collision Teammates Rally Nationwide, Donate Record 3.1 Million Meals for 37 Food Banks

Caliber Collision’s 5th Annual Rhythm Restoration Food Drive has resulted in 3.1 million meals collected for donation to 37 different food banks across the U.S. Caliber Collision created the Rhythm Restoration food drive as a grassroots effort, spearheaded by Caliber’s 9,000 associates, to rally customers, local business partners, and the general public to donate cash and food for at-risk children who don’t receive subsidized school lunches over the summer months. The three-week campaign raised over $334,000 in cash donations and thousands of pounds of food items. According to Feeding America, one in five children in the U.S. worry about when they’ll have their next meal. Hunger is especially devastating in childhood. Studies show that proper nutrition is critical to a child’s physical, emotional and learning development.

The problem is especially acute during the summer months when at-risk children do not have access to subsidized school lunch programs. Collection bins were set up at each of Caliber’s 420 locations nationwide.

Caliber associates challenged each other and engaged their local communities through a variety of fund-

raising events such as car shows, auctions, motorcycle rallies, dunk tanks, head shaving, pie throwing and other giving opportunities. “Giving back to our local communities is an integral part of Caliber’s core values,” said

Caliber Collision associates and friends celebrate the success of the company’s 5th annual Rhythm Restoration Food Drive, which raised over $334,000 and collected thousands of pounds of food, resulting in a record 3.1 million meals for 37 food banks across the country

Steve Grimshaw, Caliber Collision chief executive officer. “I am proud of our 9,000 teammates who worked tirelessly over the three week drive to raise a record breaking amount of meals for kids in need. We thank our business and community partners who have joined with us to restore the rhythm of life for children across the 16 states that Caliber serves.”

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Chief® Joins National Truck & Heavy Equipment Claims Council

Chief was recently admitted to the National Truck & Heavy Equipment Claims Council (NTHECC), the industry trade organization dedicated to ethics, efficiency and issues involving the servicing of insurance claims and the subsequent repairs of all forms of

heavy-duty vehicles and equipment.

Chief was elected into the council as an associate member by majority vote of the membership at its spring meeting.

NTHECC membership is comprised primarily of independent claims adjusters and insurance companies. As one of the few manufacturers of heavyduty collision repair equipment admitted to the NTHECC, Chief brings a unique perspective to the organization.

Recognizing this, the members have asked Chief to make a presentation addressing the latest advancements in collision repair equipment for the heavy-duty truck industry at the council’s next meeting in October.

According to Chief, the NTHECC is highly respected within the in-

dustry, in part because becoming a member is not easy. The process involves a written letter of reference and consideration for membership from three current members, and a formal presentation to Council members regarding the proposed company’s philosophies and qualifications. This is followed by a lengthy vetting process before admission is offered.

“NTHECC membership gives us the opportunity to have conversations with the people who are out there in the repair shops every day, seeing damaged vehicles and how they are being repaired,” said Lee Daugherty, heavy duty sales manager for Chief.

“As an NTHECC member, we are part of the team constantly learning what’s going on in the ‘real world’ of the industry so we can work with heavyduty collision repair shops, insurance adjusters and insurance companies to enhance productivity and safety.”

Safety is a key stated objective of the NTHECC. The organization works to promote safety in the ownership and use of trucks and heavy equipment and supports studies into the causes of highway accidents and how to reduce them.

To learn more about the National Truck & Heavy Equipment Claims Council, visit nthecc.org.

Assured Performance and TenPoint Complete Announce Advanced and Customized CSI Services for OEM Certified Collision Care Providers

Assured Performance has announced that they have entered into an agreement with TenPoint Complete to provide special services and pricing to their Certified Repair Provider network. Through this alliance, Assured Performance Certified shops will be able to track their CSI performance and access, measure and manage all aspects of their collision repair business through a newly developed KPI

feature. The newly developed services delivered by TenPoint Complete also feature custom dashboards and electronic and phone-based CSI surveying. According to the company, this exclusive tool set will provide Collision Care Providers with an advanced approach to CSI that is also cost-effective.

“Our alliance with Assured Performance demonstrates a collaborative effort that provides services to multiple stakeholders, including repairers, OEMs and other business partners,” said Robb Young, TenPoint

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Complete. “Repair businesses in the network now have access to the ‘Complete Solution,’ including custom dashboards and electronic and phone-based CSI surveying. This will enable decision makers the ability to positively impact customer satisfaction on a daily basis,” Young said.

“This new business relationship with TenPoint Complete creates an ideal way for our OEM Certified Collision Care Providers to deliver, monitor and manage the best customer experience possible,” said Scott Biggs, CEO of Assured Performance. “Enabling our Certified Repair Providers to deliver an excep-tional customer experience consistently and cost-effectively is funda- mental to our mission.”

Aaron Clark, Assured Performance vice president of certification compliance and former MSO shop owner, commented, “This CSI solution provides a shop with exactly what they need to manage quality and compliance efficiently, with the added bonus that it represents the most costeffective solution, improving the overall business ROI.”

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