5 minute read
LOCAL NEWS
LOCAL NEWS
The 21st Annual Race for Automotive Education is planned for January 23 – 26, 2023 at ProKart Indoor Racing, Burnsville, MN. The event serves as the Alliance’s primary fundraiser for its Automotive Education Fund, which provides financial resources to support automotive students, enhance automotive programs and raise awareness of career opportunities in the automotive service industry. Since its inception, the fund has disbursed nearly $300,000 directly to students enrolled in automotive programs through the association’s scholarship program and SkillsUSA competition.
AASP-MN members and other industry supporters will organize teams to compete in kart racing at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour. When the final checkered flag waves, the Race for Automotive Education is expected to raise up to $15,000, which is earmarked to fund scholarships for students enrolled in ASE-accredited automotive program (collision repair or auto service) in the state of Minnesota. Scholarship awards will be announced in the spring of 2023.
See page 8 for more details or contact the AASP-MN office at (612) 623-1110 or aasp@aaspmn.org.
AASP-MN recently hosted “Collision Repair Estimating: Best Practices, Tips & Advice” for shops in the greater Saint Cloud area. The seminar, presented by Josh Shaw (Shannon’s Auto Body; Brainerd) was held at St. Cloud Technical & Community College, from 4 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, October 12.
Over 80 people attended the session, which covered a variety of topics, including: • Damage Assessment / Repair Plan vs Estimate – Differences, does it matter, how to apply • Sources of Information – Where to get accurate information and how to use it • Included & Not-Included Operations – what is and is not included, how to bill for it, how to explain it • Supplements – Submitting strategies, what works • Negotiations – What has worked and where to get the best training in the industry • Department of Commerce – What they do from a shop’s perspective and how they can be helpful
Following the presentation, the group participated in open discussion, with many questions and answers.
Join AASP-MN For Monthly Morning Meetups
AASP-MN Executive Director Linden Wicklund will host two open format ZOOM sessions each month (one for collision shops and one for mechanical shops) for members to come together, network, swap ideas and ask questions! These ongoing opportunities to connect are designed to be a welcoming space for new ideas and everyday challenges alike.
Minnesota Careers in Auto Repair & Service (MNCARS)
MNCARS is a non-profit organization established in 2016 by AASP-MN. Its sole purpose is to promote careers in the automotive industry, recruit young people into the state’s college-level automotive service and collision repair programs and, ultimately, into industry workplaces. To further those efforts, MNCARS recently participated in the following event:
Next MeetiNgs: Nov. 15 & 17 @ 9AM
MECHANICAL SHOPS: DATE & TIME: Third Tuesday each month, 9am-10am
COLLISION SHOPS: DATE & TIME: Third Thursday each month, 9am-10am
LOCATION: Your computer
• Recharge Northfield EV Expo
& Test Drive
Take advantage of the resources in the MotorMouth toolbox at carcareers.org/ motor-mouth. Get out and get active in your local community promoting industry careers.
Watch for your monthly email invite to join in the conversation!
I-CAR/SkillsUSA Golf Highlights The Minnesota Volunteer I-CAR Committee, along with SkillsUSA MN, had its annual golf tournament at the beautiful Oak Glen Golf Club in Stillwater, September 21, 2022. The tournament brought together the best in the collision repair industry, including leading repair facilities,
parts vendors, automotive paint suppliers, local dealerships, towing companies, equipment vendors and insurance partners. Proceeds from the event go toward technical schools and students for scholarships and grants to continue the successful growth of the collision repair industry. Congratulations to team Heppner’s Auto Body (Amy Anderson, Laura Jacobson, Seth Keske and Brian Okubo), who won first place this year with a -14!
Second place went to the team from Farmers Insurance (Val Strachan, Terry Henschel, Tim Brosam and Nick Worm). There were also many other winners with all the prizes and donations presented at the dinner and awards ceremony following golf.
“We couldn’t do it without our sponsors! In particular, we would like to thank Caliber Collision (Event Sponsor), Keystone/LKQ (Photography Sponsor), Axalta Coating Systems (Gold Sponsor), Enterprise Rent-A-Car (Gold Sponsor), Twin Cities Transport and Recovery (Gold Sponsor), AASP-MN (Gold Sponsor), Pam's Auto Parts (Gold Sponsor) and Accelerated Vehicle Technology (Gold Sponsor),” said tournament coordinator Jamison Randall. “We are so grateful and were able to raise about $6,000 that will go towards scholarships and grants to help the future auto body employees to provide safe and quality repairs for consumers.”
Thank You 2022 Sponsors
Platinum Sponsors LKQ Minnesota Lube-Tech
Gold Sponsors AASP National Auto Value /APH CBIZ Elite Worldwide FinishMaster United Fire Group Silver Sponsors 3M Automotive Aftermarket aaa Auto Parts Aramark Axalta Coating Systems Colonial Life Dentsmart PDR Enterprise Rent-a-Car Heartman Insurance NCS/Single Source O’Reilly Auto Parts PAM’s Auto PPG Sherwin-Williams Shop Monkey Suburban Chevrolet
Bronze Sponsor C.H.E.S.S
AASP-MN Announces 21st Annual Race for Automotive Education
Join AASP-MN For Monthly Morning Meetups
