37 YEARS
MIDWESTEDITION
AUTOBODY IL / IN / IA / KS / KY / MI / MN / MO / NE / ND / OH / SD / WI
At 80 Years Old, John Plowman Is Still in the Collision Game in Alpena, MI by Crystal Nelson, The Alpena News
It’s no accident that John Plowman continues to work at Plowman’s Collision, the family-owned-and-operated business he founded in 1970. John recently celebrated his 80th birthday and continues to work alongside his son, Steven, who currently owns the business, and his grandson, Brian. John said he was always repairing something growing up and that he began doing auto body repair when he was 18. He worked at Chabot Collision and then at Wash-
burn Ford before opening his own shop—then called John Plowman’s Collision—Street and Washington Avenue. His wife, Bonnie, did the books. John said the first 10 years of the business were pretty rough because they were just starting out, but that the most memorable part of his career has been watching his customer base grow. He said he started from nothing and it’s “remarkable” to see the number of jobs that go through the shop and the number of people who come to the business for repairs. See John Plowman, Page 8
2,200 Attendees Hit the City by the Bay for 2019 NADA Show by Ed Attanasio
This year, more than 2,200 industry professionals attended the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Show from Jan. 24–27 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA. U.S. and international new car dealers, commercial truck dealers, automaker executives and allied industry professionals from 37 countries converged in the City by the Bay for four days of work and fun. At the start of the show, NADA forecasted sales of 16.8 million new
AUTOBODYNEWS.COM Vol. 8 / Issue 6 / March 2019
WI Collision Repair Program Director Discusses Lack of Industry Workers, Students by Josh Spreiter, Channel 3000
The next time you need to get some work done on the family minivan, you might notice more of a wait to get it into the shop. That’s because we’re seeing a growing shortage of technicians entering the field. Experts say it could take you more than six months to get body work done on your car because there is such a lack of workers. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics says averages of 76,000 mechanics are needed this year to replace those retiring or leaving the industry and to fill some 46,000 projected new openings. The auto collision repair and refinishing program at Madison College in Madison, WI, is seeing a high demand for students. The program
has 16 students in the first year and only one in the second. Compare that to just 17 years ago when it would see around 40 students in its first year and 18 in its second. Madison College’s program director, Tim Hoege, said he wants people to know they can be very successful without attending a four-year school. “You can come for a one- or two-year program. You’re out there working in the industry and making money right away, and you can only build on your income from there,” Hoege explained. Hoege said there are numerous job opportunities in this industry, including technicians, estimators, paint reps, parts suppliers and sales reps for the products they use. Hoege said it’s hard for the inSee Lack of Workers, Page 15
New ASA Executive Director Ray Fisher Shares His Goals for the Industry by Chasidy Rae Sisk
UpdatePromise was on hand in full force to unveil new products and meet with current clients. (l to r) Owner/CEO Curtis Nixon, merchant services manager Krista Lucchino, product specialist Bridgette Amador, product specialist Taylor Su, marketing manager Jennifer Marmolejo and sales rep Adam Guizado See 2019 NADA Show, Page 24
Recently appointed Automotive Service Association (ASA) Executive Director Ray Fisher held a press conference on Thursday, Jan. 10 to provide some information on his plans and goals as he transitions into his new leadership responsibilities. “I’m excited to bring my background into this role, and I’m very grateful for the opportunity,” Fisher stated. “We definitely want to engage our membership more. We want to listen to our members and provide venues for quicker availability. All facets of the industry across the globe are caught in different demographics and attempting to reach their constituents. We plan to utilize different mediums and platforms to reach ASA’s membership. My main goal is to represent my customer; our memberships are
our customers, and it’s important that we represent them well.” Fisher emphasized the association’s focus on its mission statement: to enhance the professionalism of the industry.
“I believe our industry is made up of a bunch of professionals, and ASA represents that professional group,” he said. “That was our foundation in 1951 and continues to be today. We plan to take that into 2019 and listen to our membership, enhancing our interactions and commuSee ASA Executive Director, Page 50
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