Hammer & Dolly October 2015

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October 2015 Volume 9, No. 10 $5.95 www.wmaba.com

SEMA 2015 Preview Growing Your Business Online WMABA Goes Down Under www.grecopublishing.com

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CONTENTS October 2015

COVER STORY 44

2015 WMABA GOLF OUTING HIGHLIGHTS

A WMABA industry-building event brings local repairers and vendors to the green.

Featured on this month’s cover is Axalta Team (2): Rick Plum, Mike Pecilunas, Bill Butler

PHOTOS BY ALICIA FIGURELLI

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 22 WMABA REPS SHINE AT AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY FORUM

WMABA members travel Down Under for an unforgettable experience.

DEPARTMENTS 6

NATIONAL FEATURE 28 EQUIPMENT AND TRAINING IN THE REAL

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WORLD: A CONVERSATION WITH DAVE GRUSKOS A frank discussion on an evolving industry.

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BY JOEL GAUSTEN 16

MARKETING FEATURE 32 INTERNET MARKETING: “WHERE DO I START?”

A preview of this month’s special WMABA presentation in Virginia. BY LEE EMMONS

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SEMA UPDATE 38 SEMA 2015: INSIDE THE COLLISION

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Calendar of Events

WMABA Meeting Notice Editor’s Message JOEL GAUSTEN

Executive Director’s Message JORDAN HENDLER WMABA Sponsorship Page

What’s WMABA Up To? WMABA Membership Application

Technician of the Month: Randy Seek JACQUELYN BAUMAN

President’s Message DON BEAVER Advertisers’ Index

INDUSTRY’S GREATEST WEEK

The excitement builds as the trip to Vegas gets closer.

BY JOEL GAUSTEN

Images © www.istockphoto.com

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Industry training opportunities and don't-miss events.

CALENDAR OF

EVENTS CLASS LISTINGS

October 1, 2015

RePlAceMenT oF sTeel uniTizeD sTRucTuRes Southern Collision Center, Chesapeake, VA Full-FRAMe PARTiAl RePlAceMenT Refinish Solutions, Springfield, VA

October 6, 2015

ADhesive BonDing Harrison Body Works, Richmond, VA ADhesive BonDing Coxton’s Gold Team Collision Center, Yorktown, VA secTioning oF sTeel uniTizeD sTRucTuRes Southern Collision Center, Chesapeake, VA

October 7, 2015

AluMinuM PAnels & sTRucTuRes DAMAge AnAlysis Refinish Solutions, Springfield, VA

October 8, 2015

AluMinuM exTeRioR PAnel RePAiR & RePlAceMenT Harrison Body Works, Richmond, VA PlAsTic & coMPosiTe RePAiR Frederick Co. Career & Tech, Frederick, MD squeeze-TyPe ResisTAnce sPoT WelDing Southern Collision Center, Chesapeake, VA coRRosion PRoTecTion Radley Chevrolet, Fredricksburg, VA oveRvieW oF cycle TiMe iMPRoveMenTs FoR The collision RePAiR PRocess Refinish Solutions, Springfield, VA

October 13, 2015

sTeeRing & susPension DAMAge AnAlysis Southern Collision Center, Chesapeake, VA ADvAnceD sTeeRing & susPension sysTeMs DAMAge AnAlysis Harrison Body Works, Richmond, VA squeeze-TyPe ResisTAnce sPoT WelDing Coxton’s Gold Team Collision Center, Yorktown, VA

October 15, 2015

Full-FRAMe PARTiAl RePlAceMenT Harrison Body Works, Richmond, VA squeeze-TyPe ResisTAnce sPoT WelDing Frederick Co. Career & Tech, Frederick, MD BluePRinTing PRocess AnD DAMAge DiscoveRy Moore Cadillac, Chantilly, VA

October 20, 2015

ADvAnceD sTeeRing & susPension sysTeMs DAMAge AnAlysis Coxton’s Gold Team Collision Center, Yorktown, VA WelDeD & ADhesively BonDeD PAnel RePlAceMenT Southern Collision Center, Chesapeake, VA

October 21, 2015

RePlAceMenT oF sTeel uniTizeD sTRucTuRes Refinish Solutions, Springfield, VA

October 22, 2015

AuToMoTive FoAMs Southern Collision Center, Chesapeake, VA unDeRsTAnDing & PRevenTing ReFinish DeFecTs Frederick Co. Career & Tech, Frederick, MD coRRosion PRoTecTion Refinish Solutions, Springfield, VA BluePRinTing PRocess AnD DAMAge DiscoveRy Rosner Collision Center, Fredericksburg, VA

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October 2015

October 22, 2015 WMABA Presents: “Online Marketing Basics: Website,

by AP Media Video, Social Media” Precision Collision, 7901 Kincannon Place, Lorton, VA 6:30pm Networking / 7pm Presentation For more information, visit wmaba.com or see opposite page.

November 3-4, 2015 Collision Industry Conferen ce Westgate Las Vegas Reso rt & Casino, Las Vegas, NV November 3-6, 2015 SCRS’ Repairer Driven Educ Las Vegas Convention Cent ation (RDE) at SEMA 2015 er, Las Vegas, NV November 5, 2015 OEM Collision Repair Tech nology Summit Las Vegas Convention Cent er, Las Vegas, NV

October 27, 2015

MeAsuRing Southern Collision Center, Chesapeake, VA PlAsTic & coMPosiTe RePAiR Harrison Body Works, Richmond, VA Full-FRAMe PARTiAl RePlAceMenT Coxton’s Gold Team Collision Center, Yorktown, VA ResTRAinT sysTeMs DAMAge AnAlysis Virginia Farm Bureau, Richmond, VA

October 28, 2015

ADvAnceD sTeeRing & susPension sysTeMs DAMAge AnAlysis N T Auto Body, Alexandria, VA sTRucTuRAl sTRAighTening sTeel Refinish Solutions, Springfield, VA

October 29, 2015

sTeel uniTizeD sTRucTuRes Technologies & RePAiR Southern Collision Center, Chesapeake, VA hAzARDous MATeRiAls, PeRsonAl sAFeTy & ReFinish sAFeTy Radley Chevrolet, Fredricksburg, VA secTioning oF sTeel uniTizeD sTRucTuRes Refinish Solutions, Springfield, VA

November 3, 2015

oveRvieW oF cycle TiMe iMPRoveMenTs FoR The collision RePAiR PRocess Southern Collision Center, Chesapeake, VA PlAsTic & coMPosiTe RePAiR Coxton’s Gold Team Collision Center, Yorktown, VA coloR TheoRy, Mixing ToneRs & TinTing Harrison Body Works, Richmond, VA

November 4, 2015

AuToMoTive FoAMs Refinish Solutions, Springfield, VA TRiM & hARDWARe Radley Chevrolet, Fredericksburg, VA

November 5, 2015

RePlAceMenT oF sTeel uniTizeD sTRucTuRes Harrison Body Works, Richmond, VA coRRosion PRoTecTion Southern Collision Center, Chesapeake, VA AlTeRnATive Fuel vehicle DAMAge AnAlysis & sAFeTy Refinish Solutions, Springfield, VA

November 10, 2015

AlTeRnATive Fuel vehicle DAMAge AnAlysis & sAFeTy Southern Collision Center, Chesapeake, VA 2015 FoRD F-150 sTRucTuRAl RePAiR TRAining couRse Harrison Body Works, Richmond, VA

AluMinuM PAnels & sTRucTuRes DAMAge AnAlysis Virginia Farm Bureau, Richmond, VA coloR TheoRy, Mixing ToneRs & TinTing Coxton’s Gold Team Collision Center, Yorktown, VA

November 12, 2015

sTRucTuRAl sTRAighTening sTeel Southern Collision Center, Chesapeake, VA unDeRsTAnDing & PRevenTing ReFinish DeFecTs Refinish Solutions, Springfield, VA MeAsuRing Radley Chevrolet, Fredericksburg, VA hAzARDous MATeRiAls, PeRsonAl sAFeTy & ReFinish sAFeTy Frederick Co. Career & Tech, Frederick, MD

November 17, 2015

susPension sysTeMs Southern Collision Center, Chesapeake, VA unDeRsTAnDing & PRevenTing ReFinish DeFecTs Coxton’s Gold Team Collision Center, Yorktown, VA

November 18, 2015

ADvAnceD MATeRiAl DAMAge AnAlysis N T Auto Body Inc., Alexandria, VA squeeze-TyPe ResisTAnce sPoT WelDing Refinish Solutions, Springfield, VA

November 19, 2015

hAzARDous MATeRiAls, PeRsonAl sAFeTy & ReFinish sAFeTy Refinish Solutions, Springfield, VA coloR TheoRy, Mixing ToneRs & TinTing Frederick Co. Career & Tech, Frederick, MD

November 24, 2015

ADvAnceD MATeRiAl DAMAge AnAlysis Virginia Farm Bureau, Richmond, VA DocuMenTATion & DigiTAl PhoTogRAPhy Coxton’s Gold Team Collision Center, Yorktown, VA hAzARDous MATeRiAls, PeRsonAl sAFeTy & ReFinish sAFeTy Southern Collision Center, Chesapeake, VA

November 30, 2015

DRiveTRAins & engine MounTs Moore Cadillac, Chantilly, VA secTioning oF sTeel uniTizeD sTRucTuRes Harrison Body Works, Richmond, VA

www.i-car.com or (800) 422-7872 for info

Information and updates from WMABA.

LOCAL

NEWS WMABA Presents…

Online Marketing Basics: Website, Video, Social Media

SAVE THE DATE! October 22, 2015

Presented by AP Media Lee Emmons is vice president in charge of AP Media, based in Sykesville, MD. He and his agency are certified Google Partners, with certifications in AdWords and in Google’s Video Advertising Advanced Certification. You can visit his company’s website at AbsolutePerfectionMedia.com.

6:30pm Networking • 7:00pm Presentation Location: Precision Collision 7901 Kincannon Place, Lorton, VA 22079 Questions? Contact Jordan Hendler at (804) 789-9649 / jordanhendler@wmaba.com / www.wmaba.com

Register online at www.wmaba.com

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Joel gausten

EDITOR’S

(973) 600-9288 tgpjoel@verizon.net

MESSAGE FIFTEEN YEARS OF FRIENDSHIPS

Fifteen years ago today, I walked into the Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc. office for the first time as the company’s managing editor. At the time, I was fresh out of school and eager to build a career in publishing. Since I was about to spend a considerable amount of time covering an industry that was quite unfamiliar to me, I decided that the best thing to do would be to reach out to as many shop owners, technicians, auto parts dealers/suppliers and

WMABA oFFiceRs PResiDenT

vice PResiDenT

TReAsuReR secReTARy

iMMeDiATe PAsT PResiDenT

Don Beaver Dbeaver@antwerpenauto.com 443-539-4200 ext. 17061 Torchy chandler torchy.chandler@gmail.com 410-309-2242 Mark schaech Jr. mark@marksbodyshop.com 410-358-5155 John Krauss jkrauss@craftsmanautobody.com 703-534-1818 Barry Dorn bdorn@dornsbodyandpaint.com 804-746-3928

BoARD oF DiRecToRs

Rodney Bolton (rbolton@aacps.org) 410-969-3100 ext. 250 Mark Boudreau (crashdaddy@aol.com) 703-671-2402 Kevin Burt (kevinburt@walkermillcollision.com) 301-336-1140

RT Plate (rt@pcirepair.com) 703-929-8050 Phil Rice (phil@ricewoods.com) 540-846-6617

ADMinisTRATion

execuTive DiRecToR Jordan Hendler (jordanhendler@wmaba.com) 804-789-9649 WMABA coRPoRATe oFFice P.O. Box 3157 • Mechanicsville, VA 23116

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consumers as I could in order to get wide-reaching perspectives on what drove the automotive world.

The first call I made was to a state association executive director, who gave me quite an earful about some of the many issues that shops faced (and, in many cases, continue to face) with insurers. After introducing me to these problems, he proceeded to list some of the ways his association was working to solve them on behalf of its members.

The second call I made was to a longtime body shop owner in New Jersey who had decided to sell his very successful facility and devote the rest of his working years to being an instructor at his local vocational school. He reasoned that the industry needed help encouraging young students to pursue this trade, and he wanted to put in the effort to guide them in a positive, proactive environment.

These two conversations left a lasting impression on me for two reasons: 1) They showcase just two examples of how members of the industry roll up their sleeves and work to find solutions to common obstacles, and 2) Both of these individuals are not only regular contacts of mine to this day, but they are truly great people who I always enjoy seeing at industry events. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate enough to build solid relationships with some extraordinary people in the automotive field, and it’s always a joy to cross paths with them at either a local meeting or a major gathering on the other side of the country.

Of course, I’m not the only one who has experienced this kind of camaraderie that only an industry association can inspire. As you can see by this issue’s coverage of WMABA’s recent Golf Outing, enjoying a day of simple fun and relaxation with industry peers is just as meaningful as standing alongside them in a meeting room or at a State House hearing.

As crazy and frustrating as this industry gets at times, never forget that you are part of a trade that survives due to the quality of its people. It’s been an honor getting to know so many of you, and I look forward to building new connections within this industry for years to come. H&D

October 2015

sTAFF

PuBlisheR DiRecToR oF sAles eDiToR MAnAging eDiToR ART DiRecToR oFFice MAnAgeR

Thomas greco thomas@grecopublishing.com

Alicia Figurelli alicia@grecopublishing.com

Joel gausten tgpjoel@verizon.net

Jacquelyn Bauman jacquelyn@grecopublishing.com

lea velocci lea@grecopublishing.com

Donna greco donna@grecopublishing.com

PUBLISHED BY TGP, Inc. 244 Chestnut St., Suite 202 Nutley, NJ 07110 973-667-6922 FAX 973-235-1963 Reproduction of any portions of this publication is specifically prohibited without written permission from the publisher. The opinions and ideas appearing in this magazine are not necessarily representations of TGP Inc. or of the Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association (WMABA). Copyright © 2015 Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc.

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S

MESSAGE

Jordan hendler

(804) 789-9649 jordanhendler@wmaba.com

Thank You Sponsors, “Fall”-ing for Us During the preparation for our annual WMABA Golf Outing this fall, the most important part of the workload was gaining sponsorships.

Every year, with tentative aspirations, I am overwhelmed by how giving our vendor community is. You need to know that those folks you purchase parts, supplies, paint, services, etc. from are all going beyond the association’s expectations with their support.

These same vendors get asked for sponsorships from every angle like rapid fire.

Rather than shirk it off and give lame excuses, they step up. For us, it’s in a big way. They want to help our association continue the good work that we do, whether with education, advocacy or through our technical schools. Many say that “it’s a no-brainer” to get involved in this way, but I think it is much greater than that.

Please, please, please review the list of annual WMABA sponsors on page 16 of this issue. Check out the coverage of the Golf Outing from September 16 on page 44. Look to see who you work with — and thank them! Call them, email them or give them a handshake in person for this generous effort.

Many times, our vendors take a beating from us, whether for a better price or faster service. They heave the load of supplying our industry with heavy shoulders. It’s not often that you get the opportunity to take that moment and give them gratitude. So do that.

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October 2015

Joe Mattos took home a galaxy tablet as the winner of this year’s Pro-Assist raffle, which benefits the Jerry Dalton Memorial education Fund.

If you don’t see your vendor on our list, send me a note with their information, or ask them to consider supporting the important work we do! Their continued support means that we can move ahead with the initiatives making an impact on the industry.

reservation and SEMA Registration and get to Vegas November 3-6! The information and concentration of expanded business opportunities is unrivaled in our industry. No excuses — do it right now and I’ll see you there! H&D

iMMeDiATe AcTion iTeM: If you haven’t already, get your airfare, hotel

Check the WMABA website and newsletters for regular updates and reports from the Executive Director’s perspective.

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THANKS

YOU WMABA thanks their Generous Supporters of the new

LEVEL 1

Corporate Sponsor Program for 2015!

We encourage YOUR SUPPORT of those who SUPPORT US! For more information about the sponsorship program, please contact Executive Director Jordan Hendler at (804) 789-9649 or email jordanhendler@wmaba.com

www.wmaba.com

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October 2015

LEVEL 2 3M Automotive Aftermarket Automotive Training Institute Certified Automotive Parts Association FinishMaster Mid-Atlantic Paint & Supply National Coatings and Supplies

Find more association updates at www.wmaba.com.

WHAT’S UP TO? WMABA MEMBERSHIP: GET YOUR QUARTER BACK

It’s always a good time to get involved with WMABA. If you’re reading this, your first benefit is already being realized: staying up on the news in our area and beyond.

Get Your Team Jersey

Supporting WMABA is an investment in the future of your business, and your industry. By becoming a member, you are represented in all the places the Board or Executive Director goes. Whether at a tradeshow like SEMA or locally at the state capital testifying at a hearing, your interests are at the forefront. Though repairers often feel competitive, the association is a place for camaraderie and community. Here, we’re all on the same team.

The Playbook

The association is your resource for all things. Whether you have a question about current Labor Rate data, operations, customer

interaction, insurer relationships, vendor products or national news, your association is the place to ask first. Through our relationships nationally, we can even take issues to the forefront of places such as the Society of Collision Repair Specialists, Collision Industry Conference or national contacts for insurers and vendors.

Locally, we research the governmental regulations and oversight to make sure the repair industry is protected from any negative legislation. Represented in both Virginia and Maryland, WMABA proposes and opposes recommended bills that come into the legislature during open session. Also, we work with consumer-related entities, government agencies and other related industry organizations to ensure that the voice of the repairer and their customer are heard.

Call the Game

As a member, you decide your personal level of participation. Do you have interest in committees to address particular issues you feel passionately about? Would you want to be a Board member and assist in guiding the direction of the association? How about sitting on the sidelines so you can focus on your own business? All answers can be correct! While WMABA would like to encourage your spirit of volunteerism, it is solely up to you at what level you get involved.

The minimum is getting your membership. 2015 can WIN with your commitment to the betterment of your business and your industry. Sign up today! H&D

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TECHNICIAN OF

THE MONTH Randy Seek

What makes an employee in any industry great? A good team.

Randy Seek, a painter at King Collision Center in Gaithersburg, MD, knows that he wouldn’t be where he is today without the influence of the people he’s worked with in the past (both positive and negative) and the strength of the individuals he works with today.

Having been exposed to a number of shop environments since his days in the vocational technical program at Gaithersburg High School in the early ’90s, Seek is grateful for the experiences he’s had and the position he currently holds.

“I have to say that from the beginning to the end, God bless, I’ve been places with the right people around me,” he states. “Whether the influences have been good or bad, they’ve all helped me get to where I am today.”

Seeks cites his positive experience with a fellow painter, Chris Cooper (a.k.a. Coop, with whom he started working early on in his career in 1993), as the reason for his strengths in decision-making and his ability to get every job done the right way. Seek explains that he’s been fortunate enough to know wonderful people in the past (like Cooper), as well as in his current position (like his managers Jon Benson and Jason Thorton). He believes that under their influence, he has the foundation necessary to be successful.

“I never intended on being in the position I’m in, having a full staff,” Seek says regarding his four assistants (Jose Ledesma, Ricardo Barbarra, Irving Carranza and Fidel Juarez) and fellow painter Jason Haynes. “I have the right people around me. They’re people who work hard. They’re a major part of what helps us succeed every day. I couldn’t do it without them. And it’s not just my team. A lot of people rely on what I do, and vice versa. There’s office staff, good body techs, parts people, etc. For instance, Rob Morris [a body tech] has been here since my interview and has always been an awesome friend and coworker. He works with me and helps me out even when I don’t need him.”

Although the industry is often demanding, it is this aspect of automotive service that keeps Seek’s interest in the field alive. After joking that he may have lost his passion for painting cars from doing it day in and day out for years, he explains that the challenges of the field (between the varying jobs that roll into the shop and the people who accompany them) are what still bring him satisfaction even this far into his career.

Despite having “another five to 10 strong years of hard work left painting cars,” Seek would eventually like to move over to the management or office side of the business, and he knows that the King Collision Center family is the place where he will be able to do so.

“King Collision Center has consistently been opening doors for me and others,” Seek says. “They’ve been good to us, allowing us to

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October 2015

Hammer & Dolly chats with the WMABA community’s best and brightest.

By JAcquelyn BAuMAn

If you would like to nominate someone as Technician of the Month, please contact Hammer & Dolly Managing Editor Jacquelyn Bauman at jacquelyn@grecopublishing.com

Randy seek with his family. (clockwise from top left: nicholas, Jennifer, Justin, shayne, Randy, shannon)

The King collision center paint team: (left to right) Jason haynes, Ricardo Barbarra, Randy seek, Fidel Juarez and Jose ledesma (not pictured: irving carranza) do the things we can with what we’ve got. They let us give it our all, give it our best. King has been overwhelmingly good to me, and at times I’ve been ungrateful. But the doors keep opening and things keep falling into place throughout 17 years of employment with them.”

When Seek isn’t at the shop, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Jennifer, and his four children – Nicholas (17), Justin (13), Shannon (11) and Shayne (8) – keeping up with their very active lifestyle.

Whether his team is at home or in the shop, Seek finds his ability to thrive through his relationships with others – a lesson that many other people in the industry can learn from. H&D

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INTERNATIONAL

NEWS

WMABA REPS SHINE at Australian Industry Forum

WMABA's Barry Dorn represented the American industry to his peers Down under.

If you want to gain a new perspective on the US auto body industry, get as far away from it as you can.

On August 15, WMABA Executive Director Jordan Hendler and Past WMABA President Barry Dorn were among the collision industry professionals who traveled to the Crowne Plaza – Coogee Beach in Sydney, Australia to take part in the 2015 Australian Industry Forum.

Organized by David Newton-Ross of Newton International Marketing, the all-day event featured a variety of panels and discussions designed to give a broad overview of the many successes and challenges that define the Australian repair industry. It also provided attendees a rare look into the American field thanks to active participation by Hendler, Dorn and fellow stateside industry representative Gary Wano, Jr. (G.W. and Son Auto Body, Inc.; Oklahoma City, OK).

Building on the well-received social media discussion she presented at last year’s Forum, Jordan Hendler

got the festivities off to an intriguing start with a special follow-up presentation on the topic. NewtonRoss feels that the Forum’s ongoing focus on shops’ utilization of online marketing methods offers true value to Australian automotive repairers.

“There were a lot of new attendees this year, so Jordan did a quick refresher on last year and then provided updates on the social media scene,” he says. “Unfortunately, the average age of shop owners in Australia is probably 90 percent over 50. They do not really embrace social media as they should, but maybe after listening to Jordan they will at least try!

The presentation was excellent.”

Naturally, WMABA’s executive director was happy to provide a current overview of this important – and always-developing – marketing tool.

“Just like vehicle technology, social media changes so fast,” she says. “As a result, a presentation can be a lot different year after year. The growth they’ve had in their country is astronomical, seeing a huge increase

WMABA's Jordan hendler participated in a panel discussion (with moderator David newton-Ross) during the 2015 Australian industry Forum.

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American industry reps gain a global perspective.

“

They have the same needs and concerns as we do. They understand that being a part of and working with their associations is key to understanding what they need to do next. - Barry Dorn

in the people looking for services online. The problem with our industry and getting on board with changing technology is that it is a very slow process, and those who embrace it can own the market. It behooves everyone to look into how their business presence is online.

“The mobile Internet revolution is still happening, so a huge message point was to make sure their website is mobile responsive,” she adds. “It also needs to have more than the basics, including answers to questions customers normally ask. If you have social pages, they need to be connected back to the website.”

Later in the day, moderator and US industry veteran Jeff Hendler (J.D. Hendler / Associates) joined Dorn and Wano in a special discussion on their successful US businesses, association involvement, training activities and plans for the future. Jordan Hendler also participated in a panel exploring the future of the industry from an association perspective, while Dorn and Wano took part in a panel discussion with shop owners from Australia and New Zealand.

Grateful to have had the opportunity to connect with his peers Down Under, Dorn is quick to note that there are striking

commonalities between their industry and the one he experiences at home.

“The Australian collision industry has always embraced us, and we work collaboratively together most of the time, so it makes it very easy and worthwhile to meet,” he offers. “They have the same needs and concerns as we do. They understand that being a part of and working with their associations is key to understanding what they need to do next.”

“Our industry is a global market, so all our issues in the States are similar to Australia,” adds Jordan Hendler. “Actually, they may be even worse off, with a major insurer owning their own shops and contractually obligating policyholders to use them. It is not a good situation at all. I’d really like to see their representatives attack that issue with vigor, as this situation is incomprehensible to me.”

With the August event marking his 49th trip to Australia, Jeff Hendler was pleased to again work with Newton-Ross (a partnership that has spanned decades) in developing and presenting meaningful events for the country’s auto industry.

“I have a great love for the collision repair industry over there,” he says. “[Participating in

Jeff hendler during one of his many trips to Australia

”

their events] gives me a wider perspective on what’s going on worldwide, both in the collision repair industry and the auto industry. The more you know, the more you can share and the more you can be prepared.”

Away from the meeting rooms, Wano (who also attended the first day of the inaugural Australian Automotive Industry National Summit on August 19 in Canberra) used his time to visit with a couple of shops to get firsthand knowledge of how things are done in that country – particularly when it came to operating as a manufacturer-certified facility.

He walked away greatly impressed by what he saw.

“A lot of those guys are doing an incredible job,” he shares. “The level of craftsmanship that their technicians have to go through to be part of these programs is just phenomenal.”

Looking back at another successful Australian Industry Forum, Newton-Ross is pleased to have had yet another opportunity to connect with some of his counterparts from the States.

“It is always good to have someone from outside provide their own experiences in their own country,” he says. “With Barry, Gary and

Photos courtesy of The National Collision Repairer

Jordan hendler provided Australian repairers with valuable information on how to use social media to grow business.

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

gary Wano, Jr. (right) with “gadget Man” Mark Pulham of Mark Pulham Panel Beating (sydney) and Mark’s daughter, Amy.

gary Wano, Jr. with “panel beater” (as they say in Australia) Keith Page (left) and Andrew Duncan, the manager of Perfect Auto Body in sydney.

Jordan, we have three outstanding individuals who have great experience and are capable of imparting this to others, and who enjoy doing so.”

Back in more familiar territory in Virginia, Jordan Hendler feels that her recent time in a foreign land has had a strong impact on her

work on behalf of WMABA. “I find myself with a global perspective the more I travel,” she says. “When a member calls me about an issue, I feel much more able to tackle it from a top-down way, or have the connections to make it happen.” H&D

Executive Director’s Thoughts Going to Australia gives a humbling perspective as to how shop issues are truly global. There isn’t an issue that a shop owner in Charlottesville, Virginia has that isn’t similarly faced by an owner in Sydney, Australia. - Jordan Hendler

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October 2015

Pre- and Post-filtration: Intake and Exhaust.

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Food for thought from a leading equipment expert.

NATIONAL

By Joel gAusTen

FEATURE As any proactive reader surely knows, the last handful of years have seen the biggest changes in equipment and procedures that the collision repair field has ever encountered. With everything from advancements in materials to complete revolutions in training causing even the most experienced auto professionals to reevaluate their qualifications, there has never been a better time for members of the WMABA community (and beyond) to take a closer look at their operations to ensure that they are truly producing modern, high-quality work.

As president of Reliable Automotive Equipment, Inc. (RAE), Dave Gruskos has direct access to shops throughout the country. This allows him a firsthand look into where the industry at-large stands in terms of equipment and training. Although he visits many premier collision centers that do things 100-percent right, what he sees at some other facilities isn’t good for anyone at all.

Obviously, many of the major changes unfolding in the auto body world require a drastic evolution in how technicians approach and perform collision repairs. In addition to diligently staying on top of the procedural requirements to legitimately repair today’s (or tomorrow’s) automobiles, repairers often need to adjust their physical and emotional natures as well. As the industry moves ahead into uncharted territory, Gruskos stresses that more has to be done to provide repairers with the proper structure, tools and information needed for success, both now and in the future.

“The changes in federal fuel economy standards require the OEMs to change the materials used in vehicle production, which has caused equipment manufacturers and shops to be much more aware of what they are working on,” Gruskos says. “Right now, the industry’s willingness to pursue the correct training to properly handle some of these developments is just not good enough.

There is always a reluctance by some shops to send their biggest asset – their techs – to training, and that needs to stop in order for the business to progress in the future.”

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EQUIPMENT AND TRAINING IN THE

REAL WORLD:

A Conversation with

DAVE GRUSKOS Not surprisingly, this lack of suitable training has led Gruskos to uncover some frightening things in the field. From loading up an improperly prepped vehicle with substandard parts to accidentally overheating materials, the missteps occurring in shops across the country are plentiful – and shops are in for even greater trouble as aluminum and other advanced materials (carbon fiber, nylons, very thin hard steel, etc.) continue to grow.

“It used to be that paint was the center component for training,” Gruskos says. “Now with special welding, riveting and gluing procedures, technicians need to be more aware of their entire environment.”

As for the future, Gruskos suggests that techs get ready to deal with plenty of riveting, bonding and carbon fiber dust. Additionally, repairers need to prepare for a greater-thanever push to make manufacturers’ recommended procedures the standard of repair – though Gruskos cautions that making this a reality might take a while.

As he says, “Having these procedures be the standard of repair sounds great, but all the manufacturers first have to have procedures and be on the same page. That is not the case at the moment.

“There are many great OEM training programs that are weeks long, such as Tesla, Audi, Mercedes-Benz and BMW,” he adds. “I am sure many other OEMs will follow.”

Of course, Gruskos is quick to point out that truly safe, professional repairs will also depend on the insurance industry stepping

up to the plate and doing the right thing for shops and drivers alike.

“With all the technology and sophistication needed to do a proper repair, I find it mind-boggling that an insurance company can ask a person to use recycled or reconditioned parts or to not follow the OEM guidelines exactly how they are written,” he observes.

While the future holds exciting possibilities for automakers, equipment manufacturers, repairers and consumers alike, it is clear that the industry is facing a rapidly increasing demand for genuine experts on shop floors.

For some facilities, this means either getting on top of tooling and training now or walking away from the trade. There is little room left for gray areas.

“Training and professionalism at all levels of the collision center are key – from the floor sweeper to the general manager,” Gruskos offers. “Having educated and properly trained technicians is absolutely critical if you want to stay in business in this industry. If you’re not regularly training today and keeping your eye on what’s coming down the road, you’re not going to be able to provide safe and suitable repairs. After all, a fraction of a millimeter in a poorly repaired vehicle could mean the difference between a deploying airbag saving a person’s life or leaving him or her with a severe – or even fatal – injury.”

For information on RAE, please visit raeservice.com. H&D

PHONE: 732-495-7900 FAX: 732-495-7904 E-MAIL: bill@rae1.com www.raeservice.com VISIT US ON FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/ReliableAutomotiveEquipment October 2015

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MARKETING FEATURE Internet Marketing: “Where Do I Start?”

If you own (or manage the marketing for) a collision repair facility, you know that Internet marketing should be a vital part of your business strategy.

Your customers are very likely to use the Internet to search for your services immediately after an accident, so the strength of your online presence can have a huge impact on your revenue.

Even if you realize that your Internet exposure is important, there are so many options available that it can be difficult to know where to start. Should you be using social media? If so, what should you be posting? How do you know if your website will be effective?

What kind of content should be on your website? What is SEO, and what makes “good” SEO? With Google’s frequently changing algorithms and the constantly evolving rules of social media marketing, the situation can be overwhelming. In this article, I’ll tell you the most important places to focus your efforts, especially if you’re just starting out. This feature will also serve as an overview of my upcoming WMABA presentation, “Online Marketing Basics: Website, Video, Social Media,” which will be held on October 22 at Precision Collision in Lorton, VA. (See page 7.)

Your website serves as the face of your business – it’s where branding, content and lead generation collide. An effective website is visually appealing, easily navigable, informative and search engine optimized.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of increasing the number of visitors to a website by achieving a high rank in Google Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). SEO

Your Website

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strategies and best practices are always evolving as Google updates roll out and generate new methods of ranking results.

Websites that are “mobile responsive” adapt to the screen sizes of mobile devices and tablets. Google announced in its April 2015 update that it will begin penalizing websites that are not mobile responsive. Therefore, if your shop’s site is not up to speed with this, that is the most important place to start.

Even if Google hadn’t made this announcement, you would still want to make sure your website was optimized for mobile devices.

Internet traffic from mobile devices has significantly surpassed the amount of traffic from desktop computers.1 This means that most of the visitors to your website will be using their phones. If you aren’t providing a good user experience to smartphone visitors, a large portion of potential leads will immediately leave your website and submit an inquiry to another shop.

Guaranteeing Excellent Experiences and Usability

Due to Google updates, SEO has shifted from being link-building and keyword-focused to being all about user experience and quality content. The shotgun approach of targeting as many relevant keywords as possible is no longer enough. Your primary goal should be to create content that is informative and satisfying

to people reading and navigating the pages on your website.

The quality of your content “provides an indirect but measurable benefit to a site’s external popularity, which the engines can then interpret as a signal of higher quality.”2 Here’s how to make sure your website has good, “high-quality” content:

1. Make sure your pages are easy to navigate.

It should be easy for a visitor to your site to reach you through your phone number or contact form, and for them to find information about the services they’re looking for.

2. Make sure your pages are well written and informative. If a visitor to your site wants to know about your refinishing and paint capabilities, make sure your page gives them useful information on the features and benefits of your services (and not just a jumble of keywords).

3. Use pictures, videos and graphics. Use these forms of media to direct and enhance the user experience and create a more aesthetically pleasing page. While it’s vital to make sure your Web pages are well written, it’s also important to consider the fact that most people are visual learners.

Content marketing is the creation and sharing of written content, graphics, pictures

Content Marketing

A beginner’s guide to successful Web marketing. and videos in order to attract and retain customers. Content marketing revolves around quality. At your shop, it’s not about the quantity of repairs through the door, but the quality of each individual repair. The same goes for this concept.

Don’t focus on producing as much content as possible; instead, focus on producing quality content that speaks to the wants and needs of your audience and expresses your shop’s mission in useful and engaging ways. Use the various content types to express what distinguishes your shop from others. Emphasize your certifications, the advanced systems you use for repairs and things that enhance the customer experience. (One example of that would be on-site rental car services.) Anything your shop offers that aids in providing an excellent customer experience can be highlighted through content marketing and help to turn a website visitor into a customer.

Understanding your audience, and creating content that will engage them, should guide your efforts with both your website and your social media marketing.

Social media marketing is an affordable and customizable outlet for growing brand awareness, connecting with new customers, retaining past customers and driving people to your website. Oftentimes, the toughest part of implementing social media is developing a strategy. The most effective approach is to focus on building a presence on two or three major platforms. We recommend Facebook, Twitter and Google+, with a heavy focus on Facebook.

These major networks will each serve a unique purpose in your strategy and offer a particular set of benefits. Facebook is the largest of the three and allows your shop to reach its target audience through organic

Social Media Marketing

(unpaid) and paid efforts. It is the platform that proves most effective in generating engagement (likes, comments, shares) for the shops we service.

Twitter has a younger user base and is great for contributing to conversations thanks to hashtags. Hashtags categorize tweets and allow users and brands to follow or contribute to specific conversations and topics. Twitter is a hashtag-based network, so don’t forget to hashtag your tweets and check out the trending ones to see if any are related to the industry.

Lastly, Google+ is an important platform for businesses to take advantage of because a Google+ business page allows searchers to see your shop’s address, phone number, hours and customer reviews directly in their search results. Google+ customer reviews are particularly important because 88 percent of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.3 Asking satisfied customers to write a Google+ review is a great method to using the platform.

While using all of the aforementioned platforms and features is free, it’s crucial to allocate some of your marketing budget to paid Facebook ads. Facebook has slowly been transitioning to a “pay-to-play” social network, making it a challenge to reach your audience through strictly unpaid (or organic) means.

Let’s say that your shop has 400 followers. Because of Facebook’s algorithm, your posts may only reach 30 people on average.

A combination of creating Facebook paid ads and consistently publishing quality organic posts is an excellent method to overcoming the site’s difficult algorithm.

Additionally, Facebook offers very customizable targeting options for paid ads. You can target Facebook users by location, age,

Paid Ads on Facebook

By lee eMMons

interests, job industry and much more. Paid ads are fantastic for getting your brand in front of people you would otherwise have a hard time reaching.

Video dominates the Internet in terms of viewership and engagement. To put it into perspective, only 20 percent of online visitors will read a page of plain text, while 80 percent will watch a video with the exact same information.4 Embedding a video on your website will make your pages much more engaging to visitors than if they only contained text. During my October 22 WMABA presentation, I will discuss how body shops should use video if they want it to be a successful part of their marketing plan.

Video Marketing

Have you ever noticed the Google search results that are labeled as “Ads”? These are ads created through Google’s pay-per-click (PPC) advertising platform, AdWords. AdWords is an incredibly customizable advertising solution and one of the most direct ways to access a customer who is ready to make a purchase.

People often think it’s expensive to create and show these ads, but because AdWords is a PPC platform, you pay for your ads only when a searcher actually clicks on them. This platform works with the daily budget you set, and you control the total amount spent.

Additionally, AdWords has several options available that allow you to target only qualified leads.

Locations and keywords are the primary targeting options, but there are many more to explore. You can be as broad or specific as you want with the keywords you target, such as “collision repair” or “Ford aluminum repair.”

AdWords

Lee Emmons is vice president in charge of AP Media based in Sykesville, MD. His public relations and marketing efforts on behalf of collision repair shops throughout the Mid-Atlantic have gained industry press coverage for those shops in trade publications and local media. He and his agency are certified Google Partners, with certifications in AdWords and in Google’s Video Advertising Advanced Certification. Marketing for auto body shops has become his passion and personal area of expertise. You can visit his company’s website at AbsolutePerfectionMedia.com.

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AdWords also offers incredibly informative and intuitive data on your campaigns. Its data shows you which keywords or ads are performing best, and which are lacking. It’s important to stay on top of this to determine what is producing the highest return, and where your campaigns can be improved.

At first glance, Internet marketing can be intimidating, with seemingly unlimited options available and constantly changing rules.

Fortunately, there are some fundamentals that every shop can start with. These include:

Conclusion

making sure your website is responsive and user-friendly;

making sure you have good content on your website that is informative and engaging to viewers;

focusing on one or two social media channels (and developing a strategy that will provide your followers with interesting content); using video marketing to make all of your online marketing efforts more effective; and

considering using AdWords to really focus on bringing in qualified leads.

Don’t worry about doing everything. Focus on the fundamentals, and you’ll start to bring in leads. I look forward to exploring these and other topics with you on October 22! H&D 1. smartinsights.com/mobile-marketing/mobile-marketinganalytics/mobile-marketing-statistics/ 2. moz.com/beginners-guide-to-seo/how-usability-experienceand-content-affect-search-engine-rankings 3. searchengineland.com/88-consumers-trust-online-reviewsmuch-personal-recommendations-195803 4. slideshare.net/BlogGrowth/how-to-increase-business-profit-byvideos

Executive Director’s Thoughts The point of marketing online is getting in front of your customers (existing or potential) and establishing yourself as the professional. Having this presence is necessary for both DRP and non-DRP shops. Shirking the Internet from your existence will soon deem you irrelevant. - Jordan Hendler

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Conquest your Mitsubishi parts needs!

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Ultra-Conquest Collision Parts Program Highlights: • Discounted prices on quality new and unblemished OEM parts • Automated price and part selection in collision estimating systems • High parts availability • Delivery to most major U.S. cities within 24 hours • Available through all participating Northeastern area Mitsubishi dealers • Includes the majority of key collision components for select popular models • We can meet or beat aftermarket prices!

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Buy Genuine Mitsubishi Parts and get the perfect fit at the perfect price.

10% off on all parts orders when you mention this ad.

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UPDATE

The countdown to the industry’s biggest gathering begins.

By Joel gAusTen

The collision industry is taking over the world’s largest automotive event.

As this issue of Hammer & Dolly went to press, the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) was busy signing up the largest Collision Repair & Refinish exhibitor list in SEMA Show history. This year’s Show (November 3-6 at the Las Vegas Convention Center) will feature additional booth space at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino. This ever-growing vendor overflow is a clear indication that the industry atlarge has acknowledged SEMA as the premier national trade show destination.

With mere weeks to go before the doors of the Las Vegas Convention Center open to more than 100,000 automotive industry representatives and enthusiasts from around the world, the level of excitement within the US auto body community is impossible to ignore.

“SEMA is the most talked-about and well-attended collision repair event, period,” offers Past WMABA President and SCRS Past Chairman Barry Dorn. “No matter what you are looking for, you can see it or learn about it at SEMA. The SCRS RDE [Repairer Driven Education] learning track is without a doubt the best, most comprehensive class lineup that we have ever offered. The best news is that this event is open to everyone and not exclusive to anyone. If you are in the collision repair industry, you should take the time and see what is available and what we have planned for you at SEMA.”

Inside the OEM Summit

One of the biggest things that SCRS has planned for this year’s SEMA is the OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit, a day-long event on November 5 that is broken into three, two-hour segments and will focus on emerging trends in vehicle construction and technology – and how both of those aspects influence vehicle repairability and collision industry preparation. Topics for discussion will include the future of aluminum in the automotive industry, the continuing evolution of advanced steels in automotive bodies, the future of automaker joining techniques, the role of programming and diagnostics in post-repair road worthiness and much more.

Participants confirmed as committed at the time this article was written included representatives from companies such as Audi, GM, Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, Wielander & Schill Engineering, 3M, Collision Diagnostic Services, Ellis & Associates and SEMA’s Vehicle Technology Division. It has also been confirmed that crowd favorite Doug Richman of Kaiser Aluminum (who also serves as Technical Committee chairman for the Aluminum Transportation Group) will be returning for this year’s discussions. Additionally, Dr. Blake Zuidema, director of automotive product applications for ArcelorMittal (the world’s largest steel and mining company), will take the stage to present on innovations in steel in automotive structures and lead a panel discussion with automakers. Although the industry already boasts a number of forums devoted to addressing key industry issues, SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg promises that the Summit will deliver something truly special.

“It will differ to some degree in the same way that most of

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SCRS’ things differ, in that the Summit is built with the repairer in mind,” he says. “Our objective is to provide tangible information that shop owners and operators can utilize. The way that the questions are posed, the panelists are prepped and the moderators approach the event are all based on looking at how all of these topics – whether we’re talking about joining techniques, scans and diagnostics or aluminum and steel – impact repairability at a shop-floor level.”

Always looking for new ways to expand his knowledge base as a shop owner, SCRS Chairman Andy Dingman expects to walk away from the Summit with a broader perspective on some of the major changes impacting his industry today and down the road. “[The Summit] is a great look into the future of where the industry is going,” he offers. “It gives business owners an opportunity to prepare for what’s coming. We talk about trying to be ‘ahead of the curve.’ Well, in today’s age, it’s ultimately impossible. The cars are already out; we just need to know where the ‘curve’ is and how to try to get on it and keep up. Things are changing so fast; to be able to try to keep up is a daunting task that keeps getting harder and harder. Having these representatives from the OEs to enlighten us on where things are going and to forecast is invaluable to our business in being prepared, making sure we’re doing repairs the way they need to be done and taking care of our vehicle owner customers.”

Elevating Auto Education

In addition to featuring seminars by independent firms (P&L Consultants, B2B Automotive, QLC, Inc., etc.), the RDE Series boasts training opportunities from some of the most recognizable vendors in the industry. This year’s slate includes presentations by AkzoNobel (“Getting Paid for Investing in Facility, Equipment and Training,” “The Myths, Mysteries and Fallacies Surrounding Accurate Repair Planning”), PPG (“Paint Shop Performance”), Sherwin-Williams (“Compensation Solutions,” “Process-Driven Collision Repair,” “The Lean Office – Organizing the Shop Office for Maximum Efficiency,” “In-Process Quality Assurance”), BASF (“Scheduling and Work in Progress [WIP],” “Panel Discussion – Our Journey to Become a ‘Successful’ Collision Center”), 3M (“Structural Adhesive Bonding: The New Frontier”), Chief Automotive Technologies (“Advanced and Evolving Automotive Structural Technologies”) and Ford (“2015 F-150 Repair Information”). Not surprisingly, SCRS is encouraged by the outpouring of interest and support offered by these industry mainstays.

As Schulenburg says, “I think these companies are looking for ways to support good, healthy, helpful programs that benefit the industry. A lot of companies out there – including our sponsors – are looking to find a way to be a part of the industry becoming more knowledgeable. Secondarily, [presenting at SEMA] gives them access to a pretty advanced audience. We cycle a lot of collision repairers through the Repairer Driven Education program, and most of those repairers have made a commitment to investing in bettering their business by spending a week at the SEMA Show and attending classes. These are really the leading shops in the country and exactly the type of people that every corporation and speaker wants to get in front of.”

While RDE classes will offer plenty of valuable insight into how attendees can improve their business lives, what they won’t feature are sales pitches.

“Our education programs are not about products; they’re not about selling companies or services,” Schulenburg insists. “They’re about getting valuable information into the hands of repairers.”

Sponsors Speak

For RDE Doctorate-Level sponsor PPG, participating in SEMA at this high level is in line with the philosophy of the company’s MVP Business Solutions Group.

“Our charter is to determine and develop training and educational programs that are current and relevant to assist our customers on the business end of the collision repair industry,” explains John Fagan, a PPG business solutions manager and MVP training manager. “It only makes sense for us to continue to support programs like RDE at industry-wide shows.”

Repair pros who attend Fagan’s November 3 “Paint Shop Performance” seminar will experience an in-depth examination of how to overcome some of the industry’s most common production obstacles.

“Paint shop performance is grounded in the fundamentals of what we need to know in the collision repair industry,” he says. “If we are struggling to perform well in the paint shop, what are the things that influence our performance there? How do we extract the correct data to know and understand why we have substandard performance? Once we know what is potentially influencing poor performance in the paint shop, then we can focus on measures that make sense based on the information we have available to us to take corrective action.”

Already veterans of the SEMA experience, longtime exhibitor Global Finishing Solutions (GFS) will elevate its presence at the 2015 edition by becoming a RDE Masters-Level sponsor for the very first time.

“Global Finishing Solutions is really excited this year to be involved with SCRS,” offers GFS Marketing Sales Coordinator Jessica Leinon. “GFS has a wealth of knowledge behind the walls of our facility here, and we wanted to be able to share some of that with the industry to help educate them and support their businesses.”

While the industry offers plenty of other ways for a company to market its services, GFS (who is also supporting this year’s OEM Summit) feels that SEMA is truly a promotional opportunity not to be missed.

“SEMA is more than a trade show,” Leinon says. “It’s proven to be a great networking source for us, as well as [an industry] resource.”

After debuting as a SEMA exhibitor last year, CCC has also committed its dedication to the 2015 RDE Series by becoming a first-time Masters-Level sponsor and supporter of the OEM Summit.

“From an education perspective, we’ve been very impressed with the feedback we’ve heard from repairers [about] the value that they get from those sessions,” explains Mark Fincher, CCC’s vice president of market solutions. “We think there’s a great opportunity for repair facilities to use these courses to figure out ways to continually improve the management of their business.”

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Party Like a Star

When not experiencing the best educational and networking environment offered in today’s industry, SEMA showgoers obviously have a world of entertainment options to explore in the city.

But what happens when those cab lines get too long and the crowds waiting to get into the nightclubs get just a little too crazy to handle after a long day at the Convention Center? On November 5, the magic of Las Vegas will be brought right to the Westgate when SCRS hosts its annual RDE Sky Villa After-party. Held on the same floor previously used by celebrities ranging from Elvis Presley to Michael Jackson, the private After-party will give RDE attendees and other members of the SCRS community a truly unique chance to unwind in one of the most opulent settings in America.

“It’s an iconic location and a fun space to be inside of,” Schulenburg says.

“It’s on Thursday night; we’ve all done a lot of work up to that point. It’s a perfect opportunity to let your hair down, relax a little bit and have a little fun. With the Westgate directly connected to the Convention Hall – and part of the SEMA Show now being in the Westgate as well – what we have is a great event in the evening that nobody has to go anywhere for. Most of the collision industry members attending SEMA are staying at the Westgate, so they can take the elevator up to the Afterparty and the elevator back down to their rooms.”

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CIC Comes Back to Vegas For many industry stakeholders, a trip to SEMA also means attending the final Collision Industry Conference (CIC) of the year. If news reports from the last several CICs are any indication, attendees of the two-day meeting (held November 3 and 4) can expect to see forum participants continuing their work in addressing parts procurement, rental time formulas, steering and a variety of other issues. For CIC Administrator Jeff Hendler, SEMA provides the perfect environment for a Conference founded on the principals of interindustry collaboration and understanding.

“SEMA is the gathering point now for the collision repair industry,” he says. “It’s a great opportunity to see all the latest technology and equipment on display for your business.

It’s probably the easiest place to network with people who know about the collision repair industry, and I think that’s very important.”

The Only Place to Be From hundreds of the biggest exhibitors in the industry to high-end education and training you simply can’t find anywhere else, SEMA offers an experience like no other. If you’re new to this unforgettable event, make plans now to attend the largest automotive gathering you’ll ever see.

In the words of Jeff Hendler, “Everybody is there.” H&D

A complete list of RDE classes and SCRS-related SEMA events (as well as registration information) is available at tinyurl.com/q34qu9f.

Executive Director’s Thoughts

SEMA is the biggest, baddest-a**, compact place for you to go learn, invent and achieve business breakthroughs. It’s a shame more folks don’t take advantage of these tremendous opportunities and shrug SEMA off as “just a car show” – it couldn’t be further from the truth. This is where everyone should be in the first week of November! - Jordan Hendler

Giving Back

Of course, no SEMA would be complete without experiencing the collision repair industry’s altruistic side. Once again, the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) will be in Las Vegas to announce the winners of their annual $50,000 Ultimate Collision Education Makeover Grant. According to the Foundation, the goal of the Grant is to “honor schools that have been doing an outstanding job in educating students in collision repair, but that need some financial assistance to improve their program’s teaching materials and equipment.” This year, a record 140 high school and college collision programs from 33 states applied for the Grant. The Foundation will be awarding a $50,000 Ultimate Collision Education Makeover Grant to one high school and one college collision program.

(More information on the Collision Repair Education Foundation is available at tinyurl.com/nm9dlyo.)

SEMA 2015 will also see the return of the National Auto Body Council’s Recycled Rides Luncheon on November 4. Recycled Rides is a special automotive industry program in which collision repair facilities, parts vendors, insurers and others work together to repair and donate refurbished automobiles to individuals and service organizations across the country. To date, nearly 1,000 Recycled Rides have been donated to the needy since the program’s inception eight years ago.

(More information on Recycled Rides is available at tinyurl.com/no335e9.)

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COVER STORY

September 16, 2015 The Timbers at Troy Golf Course, Elkridge, MD Benefiting the Jerry Dalton Memorial Education Fund Always, in Memory of John A. Mattos

2015 WMABA Golf Outing 1

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left to Right:

1 national coatings and supplies Team: Joe Mattos, Tom Wighington, nat Wollet, scott Peterson

4 Refinish solutions Team: Danny guilliams, Matt Kessler, Mark huddleston, Phil Rice 7 st. gobain Team (2): John Poole, Jeff steinbach, zan Dodson, Theresa leet

Photos by Alicia Figurelli

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2 Packer norris Parts Team: Wayne Ward, Dennis elliot, Dennis Boyle, Rick Paukstitus

3 Wheelsonsite Team: Mark zavacky, Brian Dean, Brad Dean

5 Refinish solutions Team (2): sean hanagan, Anthony hanagan, Justin Durham, Mason Fisher

6 st. gobain Team: chris Birkett, Mike hemmer, charles lipford, Mike Peroni

8 Mark’s Auto Body Team: Dave harris, Mark schaech Jr., nick giro, Drew Barone

9 sherwin-Williams Team: chris Dolan, Jake Wren, stephen haney

Fun and industry camaraderie out on the golf course.

Team Entrants 10

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10 PPg Team: Tom Brown, Randy haranin, Jason ginesky, Mark Miller

11 PPg Team (2): Ryan Perry, lance ellison, Bob ellison, scott Kennedy

13 Axalta Team: Jacob Autry, Jay Troyer, David Fisher, Bob Fisher

14 BAsF Team: Rob Brunner, John schweizer, Roger colbert

16 Mid-Atlantic Paint & supply Team: Frank Jones, Tommy Thomas, chuck Jones, Ralph Krzielec

17 chesapeake Automotive equipment Team: Paul Acito, Jet Taylor, Pat o’neill, grayson Ashby

12 Automotive Training institute Team: Doug Worm, Brian Turley, Barbara Keane, eric Anderson

15 BAsF Team (2): Jack vogel, Thad greene, steve neek, Johnny Morris 18 enterprise Team: Mark hudson, Michelle Moore, Tim Wess

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COVER STORY

WMABA would like to thank these sponsors for making this year’s Golf Outing such a success:

LEVEL 1 SPONSORS

Axalta coating systems Akzonobel BAsF caliber collision centers chesapeake Automotive equipment PPg industries Packer norris Parts Refinish solutions LEVEL 2 SPONSORS

3M Automotive equipment Automotive Training institute certified Automotive Parts Association enterprise Rent-A-car FinishMaster Mid-Atlantic Paint & supply national coatings & supplies

BEVERAGE CART SPONSOR Mid-Atlantic Paint & supply

HOLE-IN-ONE SPONSOR

Brandywine Automotive Parts

PRO-ASSIST SPONSOR Precision collision

CLOSEST-TO-THE-PIN SPONSORS chesapeake Automotive equipment ccc information services Mitchell international

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2015 HOLE SPONSORS

Alexander & cleaver legal and lobbying Firm chandler’s collision center Dave’s collision center Fort Washington Auto Body Hammer & Dolly i-cAR Karen Radley Acura/volkswagen Mark’s Body shop sherwin-Williams springfield Auto Body sullivan’s Auto Body Thomas greco Publishing, inc.

Wheelsonsite

Tournament Winner sherwin-Williams Team

closest-to-the-Pin Winner Ryan Perry (hole #14) closest-to-the-Pin Winner Jake Wren (hole #5) closest-to-the-Pin Winner scott Kennedy (hole #8) Pro-Assist Raffle Winner Joe Mattos

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Don Beaver

(443) 539-4200 ext. 17061 Dbeaver@antwerpenauto.com

PRESIDENT’S

MESSAGE Have we lost the art of conversation and personal communication? Recently, after we had sent him several supplemental requests via email, an appraiser rang me up and asked, “Why didn’t you just call me?” I had to stop and think to myself, “Yeah, why didn’t I just call him?” Technology now allows us to communicate without interaction. It provides a provable timeline and a written record of our conversations. What it also does is remove the personal relationships that many of us have with people on a day-to-day basis. By removing the personal touch, we also lose the trust and respect that have been groomed over a period of time (many years in some cases).

The next time you are sitting in public (be it the mall, a restaurant or a movie theater), look around. Look at the number of people with their noses buried in a phone, tablet or laptop. Nobody is talking to each other. We are becoming slaves and zombies to this trend. Don’t get me wrong; this technology is here to stay and has made us more proficient in many instances. This is the way of now and the future, but don’t lose sight of what makes this business and life in general click – relationships.

You can’t have relationships without communication; otherwise, we all just become a number. I can’t tell you how many times I have said to someone here, “Just call them.” What happens then?

An email or text is sent and something gets lost in communication. Or someone on the other end reads too much or too little into a message, and the next thing you know, nobody is talking or texting. A conversation would so easily eliminate that. The next time you need something from someone, call them or (better yet) talk to them in person. You just might be surprised by what you hear. H&D

HAVE WE LOST IT?

WE NEED YOUR LEGISLATIVE CONTRIBUTION! I appreciate WMABA working on my behalf at the state capitol(s)!

Here is my contribution to the legislative efforts.

P.O. Box 3157 • Mechanicsville, VA 23116

Name: ______________________________________Company: __________________________________ Address: __________________________________________________________________________________ City:____________________________________________State: ______________________Zip: ________ Phone:

______________________________Email:

Donation Amount: Check Enclosed

$50

$100

____________________________________________ $500

Other ________________

Credit Card (Visa, Amex, MC)# __________________________________________________________ Exp: ________

Name on Card: ______________________________Signature: __________________________________ 48

October 2015

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ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

Air-Tech Products ................................24 Alexandria Toyota ................................34 All Foreign Used Auto..........................40 AP Media ............................................7

Audi Group ..........................................13

Audi Silver Spring ................................IBC

Axalta Coating Systems ......................OBC

BMW Group ........................................26-27 BMW of Silver Spring ..........................IBC BMW of Fairfax....................................3

CAPA ..................................................11

Chesapeake Automotive Equipment ..50

Empire Auto Parts................................34 Ford Group ..........................................15 Future Cure ........................................41 GM Parts Group ..................................9

Hendrick Honda ..................................25

Honda Group ......................................18 Hyundai Group ....................................21

Koons Ford ..........................................25 Malloy Auto Group ..............................8

Mazda Group ......................................31 MINI Group ..........................................19 Mitsubishi Group..................................37 Mopar Group ........................................36

Nissan Group ......................................35 NuCar ..................................................4

O’Donnell Honda ................................40 Packer Norris Parts ............................14

Porsche Group ....................................49

Porsche Silver Spring ..........................IBC PPG ....................................................IFC Reliable Auto Equipment ....................29

Safety Regulations ..............................50 SEMA Show ........................................42

Subaru Group ......................................47

Toyota Group ......................................43 VW Group............................................30

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