LOCAL NEWS AASP-MN Executive Director Announces Retirement Judell Anderson, executive director of AASP-MN since 1996, announced that she will retire at the end of this year. With Anderson at the helm, AASP-MN enjoyed major legislative victories, created a scholarship program, expanded member benefits and attained record membership. She introduced strategic planning and applied bestpractice association management principles into the day-to-day work of the association. Perhaps one of the most important accomplishments during her tenure was the founding of MNCARS – Minnesota Careers in Auto Repair & Service – in response to the industry’s workforce shortage. Judell has also been active in I-CAR, SkillsUSA and a multitude of high school and college auto advisory committees and industry work groups at the national and local level. “Judell has been our leader, our champion and our ally for 25 years! Her contributions to the automotive industry – most notably her support of automotive education and careers, along with legislative advocacy for independent automotive repair businesses – will be felt for years to come. For those reasons, and many others, we are forever grateful for her leadership of the Alliance and wish her all the best,” said AASP-MN President Tom Archambault. Anderson said, “I am grateful to have served the members of AASP-MN for 25-plus years, loving what I do every day and feeling like it made a difference. The job has
always challenged me and the work, the people and the experience have been incredible.” An experienced association management professional, Judell served as assistant executive director at the Sheet Metal, Air Conditioning & Roofing Contractors Association prior to joining AASP-MN. She earned the designation of Certified Association Executive (CAE) in 1995, a credential achieved by just five percent of association professionals. Anderson plans to continue in her role as administrator for AASP National. The AASP-MN Board of Directors is committed to ensuring the continuity, stability and stature of AASP-MN into the future. A sixmember search committee has been established to oversee the hiring and transition process and will keep the membership informed with updates as the process advances. AASP-MN Awards Scholarships to Automotive Students AASP-MN is pleased to announce scholarship awards totaling $21,000 to help automotive service and collision repair students pay for tuition or tools during the 2021-22 school year. The scholarships are in the amount of $1,500 and are made possible with generous donations from the Minnesota State I-CAR Committee and Bill Smith Fund, as well as proceeds from AASPMN’s Annual Race for Automotive Education fundraiser, which will be held later this fall. Thirty college and high school students from 14 schools submitted scholarship applications. Applications were reviewed by a committee of industry representatives, with consideration given to scholastic
Minnesota Careers in Auto Repair & Service (MNCARS) Thanks to MotorMouth Scott Miller, Collision Specialists, Inc. in Austin, for volunteering at the Southern Minnesota Education Consortium of high schools Outdoor Career Exploration Event on May 11.
Take advantage of the resources in the MotorMouth toolbox at https://carcareers.org/motor-mouth/. Get out and get active in your local community promoting industry careers!
8 | June 2021
AASP-MN News
achievement, education and career goals, financial need and written recommendations. The recipients are: • Austin Allison, South Central College, North Mankato – Auto Body Collision Repair • Moneab Amro, Century College, White Bear Lake – Automotive Service Technology • Carter Brandes, South Central College, North Mankato – Auto Body Collision Repair • Hunter Cooley, MN State Community & Technical College, Moorhead – Automotive Service Technology • Henry Cortes, Dunwoody College of Technology, Minneapolis – Auto Body Collision Repair • Jaycen Holt, Century College, White Bear Lake – Automotive Service Technology • Hunter Linnane, Dakota County Technical College, Rosemount – Automotive Service Technology • Jason Otterholt, Hennepin Technical College, Brooklyn Park – Auto Body Collision Repair • Erickson Point, Ridgewater College, Willmar – Automotive Service Technology • Cole Poncelet, Dakota County Technical College, Rosemount – Auto Body Collision Repair • Shaun Pope, Anoka Technical College, Anoka – Automotive Service Technology • Evan Plummer, Dakota County Technical College, Rosemount – Auto Body Collision Repair • Jonathan Swanson, Century College, White Bear Lake – Automotive Service Technology • Jacob Story, Pine Technical College, Pine City – Automotive Service Technology Congratulations to all of this year’s recipients! The scholarship awards are the centerpiece of AASPMN’s Automotive Education Fund, which was established to provide financial resources to support automotive students, enhance automotive programs and raise awareness of career opportunities in the independent automotive service industry.
