President’s Message

continued from pg. 4 resulting in a verdict from a “finder of fact.” Read more details about the jury verdict on page 12, but make sure you sign up for the educational session at the trade show where we’ll dive in a little deeper and discuss what this means for Texas auto body repairers in our ongoing battle to convince the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) to protect Lone Star consumers! burl@burlscollision.com

And you’ll also get to meet and greet this year’s celebrity guest on the trade show floor, “Shorty” of Shorty’s Custom and star of Iron Ressurection. Don’t forget to head out back to check out this year’s car show, featuring some of the hottest rides in the DallasFort Worth area…maybe you’ll even want to enter your own sexy beast for a chance to win a prize.

Whether you’re a body technician, painter or estimator, you’ll want to shoot your shot at earning bragging rights by participating in ABAT’s third annual BIG SHOTS Competition! BIG SHOTS is a great opportunity to show off your talents, compete with others in the Texas market and possibly walk away with some really cool prizes. This is a true competition between skilled professionals, so don’t think that just anyone can win! You have to have the skills to get there, so be sure to step up, stand out and shine.

Before the day ends, make sure to stop by the ABAT booth and say hi to Executive Director Jill Tuggle and ask for a ticket to the after party because even when the show floor closes for the evening, it’s not really over…We’ll be heading down to Bar Louie again for an evening of drinks and fun. Be sure to enjoy the photo booth –but know that Jill gets copies of all the pictures and WILL share her favorites in future editions of Texas Automotive (just check out the June edition for proof at grecopublishing.com/texas-automotivejune-2023)!

And there’s still plenty of fun to be had in the vicinity. Between the Toyota Music Factory, movie theater, various dining (and drinking) options and even axe-throwing, the possibilities are endless – both within and outside of the show.

The Texas Auto Body Trade Show only comes around once a year, so get your @$$ here! Did you register yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Go to you’re at the forefront of the industry…because if you’re not here, you’re bound to get left behind.