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Letter to the Editor
This article originally appeared in the December 2009 Issue of INSIGHT
©2009 Collision Repair Industry INSIGHT All Rights Reserved
Senator Leahy Files Antitrust Repeal Amendment to Senate Healthcare Reform Act
SCRS Continues Delivery of Educational Seminar Offerings Across The U.S.
Solera Holdings Will Enter Greek Market; Will Repurchase Market Rights from Licensee
Sherwin-Williams Sets Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Goals
Boyd Group Acquires Four Arizona Collision Repair Facilities
Mitchell International Provides Free Vehicle Statusing and OEM Information to Shops
NCOIL Approves Model Airbag Fraud Legislation
NACE 2010 Moves to October in Las Vegas
NABC Applauds 2009 Recycled Rides Success
CIC Report on surveys of insurers seeks “common ground” issues with repairers
NACE 2009 Weathers the Economic Downturn
INDUSTRY UPDATE
Senator Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., chairman of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, has filed an amendment to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, H.R. 3590, to repeal the McCarran-Ferguson Act for health insurers.
“This amendment will prohibit the most egregious anticompetitive conduct-price fixing, bid-rigging and market allocations-conduct that harms consumers, raises health care costs, and for which there is no justification,” said Leahy. “Subjecting health and medical malpractice insurance provid-ers to the antitrust laws will enable customers to feel confident that the price they are being quoted is the product of a fair marketplace.”
The amendment contains language previously offered in September by Leahy in the “Health Insurance Industry Antitrust Enforcement Act,” S. 1681.
The Automotive Service Association (ASA) sent a letter to Leahy in support of his amendment, although ASA still has concerns with the underlying health care reform legislation.
“Chairman Leahy’s McCar-ran repeal amendment is the first step toward meaningful insurance reform. ASA appreciates the chairman’s efforts for a full repeal of McCarran-Ferguson in the past,” said Bob Redding, ASA Washington, D.C., representative. “Our goal is to see the repeal one day apply to property and casualty insurers, too.”
The U.S. House of Representatives’ health care reform bill includes language similar to the Leahy amendment. H.R. 3962, the “Affordable Health Care for America Act,” was passed on the House floor in a vote of 220-215 in November.
The “Health Insurance Industry Antitrust Enforcement Act” is co-sponsored by 18 senators and supported by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. Senate co-sponsors include Sens. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Richard Durbin, D-Ill., Russ Feingold, D-Wis., Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Arlen Specter, D-Pa., Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Al Franken, D-Minn., Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., Ted Kaufman, D-Del., John Rockefeller, D-W.V., Roland Burris, D-Ill., Michael Bennet, D-Colo., Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., John Kerry, D-Mass., and Joe Lieberman, I-Conn.
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The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) has announced dates for the first two SCRS seminars being offered by the association in 2010.
The first series will be a continuation of the eight-hour intensive training program entitled "Improving Workshop Efficiency," which was previously delivered in the Atlanta, Seattle, and Los Angeles markets in 2009. Instructor Steve Feltovich provided the participants with a very focused understanding of the history of lean production and specifically the application of the process of continual improvement within collision repair facilities.
The course includes such topics as running the shop more efficiently and effectively, raising output quality while lowering operating costs, capturing more market share through continuous improvement, maximizing production and profit opportunities, and developing systems and processes for assuring greater customer loyalty.
"Having attended numerous seminars and educational opportunities regarding continual improvement in shop efficiency, I can easily state that this course was perhaps the most concise, well delivered, and powerfully thought provoking presentations I have seen on the subject matter," commented Steve Morris, Chief Operating Officer for Holmes Body Shop in California. "I attended with two of my employees, and have already made the commitment to my business that if this offering from SCRS comes back to the California market, I will make sure all seven of my shop managers are there to take in the tremendous information offered."
SCRS has partnered with Sherwin-Williams, ALLDATA Collision Connect, and Summit Software as key sponsors in the event.
The next class, co-hosted by the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey (AASP/NJ), will be held in Clark, New Jersey on January 20th, 2010. In addition to the course content, attendees of the class will receive 15 credits towards their Automotive Management Institute (AMI) accreditation.
SCRS is also adding another seminar series to its roster, entitled "Profiting From Control," and instructed by longtime industry veteran Jeff Hendler. This eight-hour seminar looks at opportunities and processes to allow today's shop owners to regain control of their businesses, and leading to better management techniques, better trained and more satisfied employees, and more productive businesses. This series really teaches about implementing strategies to find greater success.
SCRS and the Auto Body and Painting Association of Hawaii (ABPAH) will be co-hosting this event in Honolulu, Hawaii on February 20th, 2010. Interested parties are encouraged to register early because space is limited.
"Providing educational opportunities and offerings to the industry will continue to be a focus for SCRS in 2010," stated SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg. "We have received tremendous feedback from the participants of the classes we have already provided, and have every intention to build upon that momentum. Staying motivated and focused on improving your business and service offerings can be challenging in the face of the pressures that our members experience every day. For SCRS to provide opportunities to step out of the four walls of the shop and get a renewed motivation through education, delivers exactly the type of information and forum that many of our members hunger for, and further serves our mission to educate, inform, and represent the collision repair professional in all aspects of the industry."
SCRS will be adding additional course dates periodically at its website, www.scrs.com, where registration forms are also available.
Solera Holdings, Inc. , a global provider of software and services to the automobile insurance claims processing industry, has announced that it intends to enter the Greek market by repurchasing and terminating the rights to conduct business in that market from Audatex Hellas, an independent licensee.
Solera will conduct business in the 5.4 million insured vehicle market through an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary named Informex Hellas.
Informex Hellas will introduce a new, web-based suite of products and services that are designed to allow insurers, assessors, and collision repair shops to manage claims processing work flow more effectively and accurately .
"Our entry into the Greek market by purchasing the rights to conduct business in that market from our independent licensee is consistent with our stated strategic plans of expanding into new geographies and bringing core value-added services to the participants in the automotive claims process," said Tony Aquila, Solera's Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
Solera is active in over 50 countries across six continents. The Solera companies include Audatex in the United States, Canada, and in more than 45 additional countries, Informex in Belgium, Sidexa in France, ABZ in The Netherlands, HPI in the United Kingdom, Hollander serving the North American recycling market, AUTOonline providing salvage disposition in a number of European countries and Mexico, and IMS providing medical review services.
The Sherwin-Williams Company has pledged to reduce its total U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by four percent from 2007 to 2012. The Sherwin-Williams Company has committed to this reduction goal as a partner in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Climate Leaders program, which the company joined in 2007.
Climate Leaders is an EPA industry-government partnership that works with companies to develop comprehensive climate change strategies. Partner companies commit to reducing their impact on the global environment by completing a corporate-wide inventory of their greenhouse gas emissions based on a quality management system, setting aggressive reduction goals, and annually reporting their progress to EPA. Through program participation, companies create a credible record of their accomplishments and receive EPA recognition as corporate environmental leaders.
"By setting a greenhouse gas reduction goal, we are complimenting our overall sustainability strategy of managing natural resources efficiently and responsibly. We believe that being stewards of the environment is consistent with the values of all our stakeholders and take the responsibility seriously," said John Gerulis, Sherwin-Williams Vice Presi-dent of Environmental, Health & Regulatory Affairs.
The Sherwin-Williams voluntary greenhouse gas reduction pledge is just one important facet of the company's overall commitment to be a leader in sustainable practices. Through ECOVISION Sherwin -Williams is a leader in the development of sustainable processes, products and activities that are profitable, preserve natural resources and contribute to social improvement.
By reducing the environmental impact Sherwin-Williams believes it can positively impact society by improving the quality of life in the communities where we do business, while making a positive economic impact for the company, its customers and investors.
In addition to the Climate Leaders program, Sherwin-Williams is active in other environmental programs including EPA's Smartway for transporters and the Department of Energy's (DOE) Save Energy Now.
Founded in 1866, The Sherwin-Williams Company is a global leader in the manufacture, development, distribution, and sale of coatings and related products to professional, industrial, commercial, and retail customers.
The Boyd Group Inc. has acquired Big Sky Autobody, a regional operator of four collision repair centers in the state of Arizona, as well as the opening of a new location in Georgia. The acquisition, which includes three centers in Tucson and one in Avondale, combined with the Georgia start-up, are expected to contribute approximately US$10 million in annualized revenue to the Boyd Group in fiscal 2010. Both the acquisition and the start-up will be funded primarily by a combination of supplier funding, capital leases on equipment, and seller provided financing. All locations will be branded "Gerber Collision & Glass", as are all of Boyd Group's U.S. collision repair centers.
Including these five facilities, Gerber Collision & Glass now operates eleven centers in Arizona, seven in Georgia, and 53 overall in the U.S.
"We are pleased to announce that the addition of these five Gerber Collision & Glass locations has increased the number of our U.S. repair centers by more than ten percent," said Terry Smith, CEO of the Boyd Group. "Our acquisition allows us to establish a strong market presence for the Gerber Collision & Glass brand in the Tucson market, while the Avondale location helps strengthen our existing presence in the western Phoenix suburban area. The acquired centers are modern facilities with skilled personnel, and are a good fit with our existing network. The new start-up in Rome, Georgia is approximately 12,000 square feet in size and is well located to help serve consumers and insurance clients in the growing region of northwest Georgia."
"The opening of these five new Gerber Collision & Glass centers is in line with our stated strategy of adding eight to 10 new locations to our network each year," said Brock Bulbuck, President and Chief Operating Officer of the Boyd Group. "With the four new locations added earlier in the year, we now have added nine new locations during 2009. Through our expansion initiatives, we expect to grow the Fund's distributable cash, strengthen our relationships with our insurance company customers and business suppliers, and continue to build our market presence."
The Boyd Group Inc. is the largest operator of collision repair centers in Canada, and among the largest in North America. The company operates locations in the four western Canadian provinces under the trade name Boyd Autobody & Glass, as well as in seven U.S. states under the trade name Gerber Collision & Glass. The company also operates Gerber National Glass Services, an auto glass repair and replacement referral business with affiliated service providers throughout the United States.
Mitchell International, Inc., a provider of information, workflow, and performance management solutions to the Collision Repair and Property & Casualty insurance claims industries, is now offering Mitchell RepairCenter™ QuickStart free to the entire U.S. collision repair market.
Mitchell RepairCenter QuickStart provides collision repairers with instant access to vehicle repair web-statusing capabilities; the latest OEM repair data and procedures from Ford, GM, and Chrysler-including continuous updates to help ensure repairers are using the most current information; and the ability to convert estimate files from all major estimating systems into repair orders. Collision repairers can visit the new Mitchell RepairCenter Website at www.mitchellrepaircenter.com to access this free package.
"We are excited to be the only solution provider to share this valuable content free of charge with shops across the country," said Alex Sun, Mitchell's President and CEO. "I truly hope that repairers will take advantage of the free download because I am confident that this offering can immediately help repairers, who are challenged now more than ever, to operate more efficiently."
"Today is a very exciting day for us because we're able to offer shops of all sizes the opportunity to download Mitchell RepairCenter and realize the benefits of being able to manage the repair, the customer, and the business, all from a single Workspace," said Jason Bertellotti, Mitchell's Vice President of Repair Solutions.
Bertellotti added, "In just a few clicks and a matter of minutes, shops will be able to use Mitchell RepairCenter QuickStart's vehicle web-statusing tool, which they can implement on their own Website or via Mitchell's hosted Website to instantly inform customers of vehicle repair status. Shops will also have no-cost access to Mitchell RepairCenter TechAdvisor, which gives them up-to-date OEM repair data and procedures from the Detroit 3 auto makers so they will always be working with the most current information available."
At the website, shops can also select a 30-day, free trial of other RepairCenter packages, and learn about the complete Mitchell RepairCenter Shop Workspace.
Bertellotti concluded, "Collision repair shops of all types will immediately see how quick and easy it is to put Mitchell RepairCenter QuickStart technology to work. All they need to do is to visit our website, select and download the programs, and they'll be up and running in a matter of minutes."
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The Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA) has praised the National Conference of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL) Property-Casualty Insurance Committee for their adoption on November 21 of draft airbag fraud legislation that lays out a comprehensive set of policy options to discourage deceptive repairs and airbag theft. The committee's 20-5 vote for the draft legislation, followed by unanimous Executive Committee adoption on November 22, included language that recognizes that non- deployed OEM airbags harvested from salvaged or end of life vehicles are in the marketplace and state legislatures should consider recordkeeping, handling protocol and disclosure of their use.
Over the five day conference, ARA Executive Vice President Michael E. Wilson discussed with many state legislators the necessity of Americans to have proper functioning airbags in their vehicles. Wilson pointed to a recent review conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of 1,446 fatal accidents from 2001 and 2006 which found that in an alarming 255 instances – almost 18 percent – airbags that should have been replaced following deployment in a previous crash were missing.
ARA strongly supports the use of recycled OEM non-deployed airbags which have met specific industry standards and that those evaluated recycled OEM non-deployed airbag components are a safe, economically-smart repair alternative to restore vehicles to their pre-accident condition.
NACE 2010 will take place October 10-13, Sunday through Wednesday, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, no longer during AAIW. A new name for the event has also been tossed at us - Automotive Service & Repair Week (ASRW). It will now be a stand-alone event specifically created, according to the ASA press release, "for all automotive service and repair professionals, enabling even more industry segments to join under the umbrella."
One might ask what other industry segments are there apart from those already involved?
ASA President and Chief Staff Executive Ron Pyle commented, "It is high time for the automotive service and repair market to be served by a dedicated event that caters directly to professional shop owners and technicians. Automotive Service & Repair Week (ASRW) will focus entirely on automotive service and repair businesses that are on the front-lines serving the motoring public. Every day in America, millions of repairs and services are performed by automotive repair professionals who make decisions about which parts to use, which products or services to recommend to their customers, what equipment they will use to perform those services, and how and when they will acquire the necessary training and education to maintain their skills and capabilities. At NACE, CARS, and Auto Glass Week they will be welcomed, respected and listened to -- because they are the customer."
In his ASA website blog, Pyle posted the following:
In my last post, I spoke about the plans we were making for the 2010 Automotive Service & Repair Week (ASRW). I made mention that ASRW 2010 would mark a departure from the past, but I didn't elaborate as to how or why.
Here is the rest of the story: Today, ASA announced a change in the date for the 2010 ASRW events, which include the International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE) and the Congress of Automotive Repair and Service (CARS). This is exciting news for our association and for the industry we serve - the automotive service and repair industry.
We have already validated the need for an event dedicated to the shops and technicians who service and repair vehicles of all kinds on behalf of the motoring public. When we established ASRW, we did so with the intent of creating an umbrella for events that address the needs of all types of automotive repair and service. ASA of course, sponsors NACE for collision repairers and CARS for mechanical repairers, and we were very pleased when the Auto Glass Replacement Safety Standards Council (AGRSS) became a part of ASRW to include automotive glass replacement shops. However, there are more segments of automotive service and repair that are not yet represented, so opportunities are now open for other groups to join with us.
When NACE initially moved its date to co-locate with Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week (AAIW), there was good reason to do so. CARS had been scheduled during AAIW for some time, and ultimately it became apparent that the combination made sense. There was an expectation that holding the major trade shows in one location during the same time frame would create synergies that would benefit all. Unfortunately, those synergies didn't materialize.
Over the past two years as the economy took its toll, attendance at all trade shows fell precipitously. NACE and CARS suffered as well, but by comparison, they performed better than most. In my opinion, it was an indication of the relative strength of the automotive service and repair sector compared to the other automotive-related sectors. It also became clear that our events, which are geared toward the automotive service and repair professional, were drawing attendees that were highly coveted by other shows.
We believe automotive service and repair professionals come to ASRW because they feel valued. They know they are the customer that these events are designed around. When we felt that we were contributing our attendees to the other events but not receiving a reciprocal benefit, it was time to consider a change.
ASRW will be a freestanding destination for shop owners and technicians of all disciplines in the automotive service and repair industry - an industry that deserves its own dedicated week - where everyone is focused on the needs of the automotive service and repair professional.
If this person is your customer, or you want him to be, or if you are an automotive service and repair professional, you now know where you need to be Oct. 10-13, 2010.
INSIGHT comments:
This all sounds lovely and inclusive, BUT one must remember back a few years, when ASA was heralding the decision to move NACE to Las Vegas during the big AAIW week there, to draw more industry segments together. Here are a few problems that INSIGHT sees with this change:
- Why was this change not announced until immediately after this year's NACE?
- Why were no attempts made to poll exhibitors about this before such a big decision was made?
- Why is the event scheduled to begin on a Sunday?
- When will the CIC, NABC, and SCRS meetings be scheduled - or re-scheduled?
- Is it likely that auto manufacturers and other industry suppliers will be happy to exhibit in Las Vegas in mid-October, for an event of unknown success, and again a few weeks later at the big SEMA show?
- Will insurers and estimating system providers decide to attend?
- Why does ASA assume that attendance figures will increase?
- While we are whining - How do you pronounce ASRW anyway? NACE was so catchy.
The National Auto Body Council (NABC) has proudly announced that 72 vehicles were gifted to families and service organizations across the nation this Thanksgiving season as part of the 2009 Recycled Rides™ initiative sponsored by NABC.
Recycled Rides is a community awareness project whereby members of the NABC repair and donate refurbished vehicles to families and service organizations in need throughout the United States. A “green” program, Recycled Rides recruits auto body shops, insurers, paint suppliers, and parts vendors to contribute in their own specific ways.
This year Recycled Rides had a notable boost from “Market Champions” - repairers who participated in last year’s effort and have now challenged their competitiors to assist even more individuals in their communities. These repairers have really stepped up their level of commitment to the Recycled Rides program and are making significant contributions in their communities.
The first Recycled Rides market champion of 2009 is Bob Schubert of Impact Auto Body in Mesa, Arizona. After gifting a single vehicle to the local Diasbled American Veterans (DAV) group in last year’s program, Bob recruited other body shops in a statewide effort to assist five DAV chapters. In addition to adorning the vehicles with the large green bow that has become a Recycled Rides tradition, these vehicles were furnished with patriotic wraps and presented at the Arizona state capitol.
The second Recycled Rides market champion of 2009 is Joseph Amodei of 112 Automotive in Patchogue, New York. Also a contributor of a single vehicle in 2008, Joseph and his competitiors stepped up their game this year and will gift a total of six vehicles to military families identified by the Suffolk County Veterans Services as meeting the Recycled Rides recipient criteria.
“We are proud of all Recycled Ride participants and the positive impact they are having in the markets in which they operate,” stated Michael Quinn of 911 Collision Centers and chair of the Recycled Rides program since its inception three years ago. “We are hopeful that others in our profession find inspiration in their good acts and take part in making Recycled Rides 2010 our most successful to date.”
In addition to the previously mentioned market champions, a host of other repair facilities contributed multiple vehicles. They are:
- Bakers Collision Repair Specialists—Mansfield, Ohio
- CARSTAR
- Collision Authority—Las Vegas, Nevada
- 191 Clarksville Road, Princeton Junction, NJ
- Collex Collision Experts—Detroit, Michigan and Naples, Florida
- Connecticut Collision Repair Specialists
- Cooks Collision Centers—Roseville, California
- FIX Auto – Southern California, Portland and Northern California
- Precision Auto Body—Beaverton, Oregon
- Sterling Auto Body Centers
- 911 Collision Centers —Scottsdale and Tucson, Arizona; Las Vegas, Nevada.
“To be present for a vehicle giveway ceremony is an unforgettable and humbling experience,” added Quinn. “We challenge all repair facilities, trade associations, insurers and parts and material vendors to get involved with Recycled Rides and join the NABC in changing the image of our industry.”
NABC Executive Director Chuck Sulkala expressed related sentiments. “This is the best work that we do as a collective industry,” he stated. “Not only are we having a positive impact on the image of our industry to consumers, but we are helping those whose lives have been turned upside down for one reason or another. It’s a life?changing initiative of which we’re lucky to be a part.“
NABC is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the image of the Collision Industry. Its ongoing and continued success is a direct result of the efforts and support of sponsoring companies and membership.
Insurers almost across the board believe that that the formula used in the industry to calculate refinish materials isn’t an accurate or effective tool.
That was among the findings of a new study conducted to examine the viewpoints of top auto claims personnel, and reported on at the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) in Las Vegas in November.
“I hope everybody gets this first point: Insurers think the refinish material formula is broken. Period,” Mike Condon of Condon Consulting, one of two firms hired by BASF to conduct the insurer survey, told those at CIC.
Condon said the goal of the survey was to identify “common-ground issues” from the insurers’ perspectives that could help move the industry forward. Rather than a formal written survey, the study involved 22 hours of freestyle interviews on 13 topics with top claims management at nine insurance companies (that combined account for about 50 percent of the collision repair market). The insurers’ comments and information are reported anonymously. The study was somewhat of a follow-up to a 2006 study that BASF also sponsored to document shops' concerns with insurer direct repair programs (DRPs).
Among some of the study findings reported at CIC:
- Condon said perhaps the number one concern voiced by many insurers was whether the industry has enough information and training on new vehicle materials and structures, comparing the current change in the industry to that of the shift to unibody vehicles 30 years ago.
- Condon said that with the exception of one insurer, all had what he called “lower-than-expected” rates of DRP use. One insurer said more than 50 percent of its claims were handled through its DRP, but most of the others said between 65 and 75 percent of its claims were processed outside of their DRPs.
- One direct quote that Condon reported from an insurer with regard to DRPs was “I’m amazed that repairers tolerate all these requirements.” Some said they were growing tired of “steering issues,” and “believe that customer education is an essential part of their service, and DRP is part of the educational process,” Condon said. They expressed surprise that shops in their DRPs do not stand up more to defend the value of the programs.
- Insurers said they continue to see too much “work billed but not performed” to develop the trust and self-managed DRPs they would prefer. They view the DRP liaison within a shop as a critical role, and would like to see steps taken to reduce turn-over in that role; some suggested that shops should notify the insurer – and perhaps take some sort of penalty – when turn-over in that role occurs.
- Several insurers said they would be open to the idea of making their company’s internal customer service training available to shops within its program.
- Condon said insurers share some of the same dissatisfaction and concerns regarding the industry’s estimating systems as those expressed by CIC committee and repairer groups, suggesting an area where the two sides could work more closely together.
"I would suggest the worst thing in an information providers' life is to have the insurers and repairers join together (on these issues)," Condon said.
A 66-page report on the study can be downloaded from the “News Releases” section of the BASF automotive refinish website (www.BASFrefinish.com).
For more information on CIC’s next meeting, being held January 13-15 in Palm Springs, California, check the CIC website (www.ciclink.com).
Organizers of the International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE) say that even just weeks before the 26th annual event in November they were concerned that, given the economy, attendance could be down as much as 20 percent from last year.
So it came as somewhat of a relief to the Automotive Service Association (ASA) and its event team to announce that about 20,000 attendees made the trip to Las Vegas for the trade show and classes, a more modest drop of 8 percent from last year but less of a decline, they say, than that experienced by some other trade shows.
The event kicked off with a low-key yet riveting address by Capt. Chelsey “Sully” Sullenberger, who, as he described it, went from being just a “regular guy” to an internationally-known hero in abut 208 seconds last January. Sullenberger was the pilot of U.S. Airways Flight 1549 on January 15 who safely landed the jet in the Hudson River, saving the lives of all aboard, after the plane struck a flock of birds shortly after take off, disabling its engines.
After a flying career of more than 40 years, Sullenberger said, his immediate reaction when he realized the dire situation the flight was in was remarkably human.
“In that first second-and-a-half, I had two distinct thoughts I still remember well,” he said. ‘Both were rooted in disbelief. My first thought was: This can’t be happening. And my second thought was: This doesn’t happen to me.”
Sullenberger said that although he’d only met the flight’s first officer just days prior to that day, the two relied on their training to work together and with the flight attendants to prepare the passengers and land the plane safely less than four minutes later. As with much in life, Sullenberger said, preparation was the key.
“We had the training and experience, but we also had a plan,” he said. “Having a plan and working quickly to implement it, we kept our hope alive. At every moment, we knew that we could solve the next problem. We never stopped working together as a team to solve the challenges we faced. We never gave up. We never lost faith in ourselves or each other. In a similar fashion for each of you, no matter how dire your situation is, know that further action is almost always possible. If you’re part of a well-trained team and you have the same values, the same goals, your chances of getting through a challenge are immeasurably better than if you’re not.”
This was the second year NACE was combined with ASA’s Congress of Automotive Repair & Service mechanical industry event, and as the association’s largest gathering of the year, it offers ASA a platform to share its take on industry news and trends.
Bob Redding, the association’s national lobbyist in Washington, D.C., for example, said the industry and country have reached “an unprecedented place” in terms of interest in national insurance reform.
“I think we’re the closest we’ve been to any serious insurance reform for property and casualty insurers and the insurance industry in general since at least the early 1990s,” Redding said, on a day when the U.S. House later passed health care legislation that would rescind health insurers’ antitrust exemption under the McCarran-Ferguson Act. Redding said it may be a “long shot” that other types of insurance will face a similar antitrust exemption roll-back this year, but the mood is right in Washington, he said, for more federal regulation of insurance.
“Our state regulators have let us down,” Redding said. “They’ve let consumers down, and they’ve let small business down, particularly collision repairers. So we need someplace to go.”
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