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ASA Colorado Builds Bikes for Toys for Tots
By Chasidy Rae Sisk As part of ASA Colorado’s Annual Meeting on Dec. 14th, the association’s member shops donated bikes to Toys for Tots, an annual contribution with a slight twist due to the complexities of 2020. ASA Colorado Executive Director Julie Massaro explained, “Leading up to the meeting, we asked shops to build a bike or two to donate to Toys for Tots. Every year, when we normally hold the meeting in-person, we build the bikes as a group, but we wanted to make sure that we were still doing our part for the community during this chaotic year.” Over two dozen automotive and collision repair industry professionals attended…
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AWAF Welcomes Ford’s Lisa Drake and Presents Annual Awards and Scholarships at 2020 Holiday Event
By Chasidy Rae Sisk The Automotive Women’s Alliance Foundation (AWAF) virtually held its 2020 Holiday Event on Dec. 2, featuring Lisa Drake, COO, North America, Vice President, Global Purchasing for Ford Motor Company. According to AWAF Coaching Co-Chair Kim Ziomek, “The event was flawless, and Ford Motor Company was extremely supportive in hosting the virtual event.” AWAF’s goal “was to host our Holiday Celebration with a featured speaker to offer her knowledge, wisdom, words of advice, and how her career developed to our membership and guests. Lisa’s very genuine approach to addressing the group and answering questions was very impactful, and attendees enjoyed the event,” Ziomek explained. Drake began by…
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Customers Need Connections, Not Facades: Rick White Teaches IGONC to “See the Unseeable”
By Chasidy Rae Sisk On Dec. 3, Rick White of 180BIZ provided members of the Independent Garage Owners of North Carolina (IGONC) with valuable insights on how to have a discovery conversation. “A common question I hear from shops is: What can I do to improve my closing skills?” White posed, explaining, “You’re asking the wrong question! It’s not something you’re putting out that impacts your closing ratio; it’s about what you’re taking in – if you want to increase sales, you need to ask customers the right questions!” Shops’ struggles with sales, according to White, begins with the fact that shops aren’t in control of the conversation because they…
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ARA’s 77th Annual Convention and Expo is a Virtual Success
The Automotive Recycling Association (ARA) hosted its 77th Annual Convention and Expo on November 11-13. “After many discussions, serious consideration, and with the safety of all attendees at the forefront, ARA announced in August that the 77th Annual ARA Convention and Exposition would transition into a virtual conference,” said ARA Executive Director Sandy Blalock. “We were hopeful that this year’s Convention could remain a live event, but the current state-of-affairs simply presents too much uncertainty and risk at this time.” “For 76 years, the ARA Annual Convention and Exposition has been the gathering place for the professional automotive recycling industry and an incredible place to network, learn and conduct business,”…
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Paving the Path: Industry Organizations Collaborate to Produce the Ultimate Virtual Training Event
by Chasidy Rae Sisk Few collision repair industry events have taken place this year, leaving a gap in training and networking opportunities for many shop owners and their employees. Seeking to close this gap, over a dozen automotive industry organizations collaborated to create the Professional Automotive Virtual Education (PAVE) Training event, scheduled for January 8-10, 2021. Jeff Lovell, PAVE event chair, President/Executive Director of ASA Northwest, said, “By providing this event virtually, more industry professionals can take advantage of the training without the cost or risk of travel and lodging, especially during these uncertain times.” “This ULTIMATE training event brings quality training to the comfort and safety of your shop…
