Texas Automotive August 2019

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The official publication of the Auto Body Association of Texas and the Houston Auto Body Association

August 2019 $5.95

www.grecopublishing.com

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Gold Show Sponsor

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Contents

AUGUST 2019

on the

cover

Official publication of the Auto Body Association of Texas and the Houston Auto Body Association

THE BEST OF TEXAS & BEYOND, IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD Industry Gears Up for ABAT's Auto Body Trade Show

ABAT BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Vice President Brandon Dodd Lloyd's Body Shop brandon@lloydsbodyshop.com (903) 734-5175

President Burl Richards Burl's Collision Center burl@burlscollision.com (903) 657-8082

Chairman of the Board Corey Pigg S&W Expert Collision Repair coreyp@swcollision.com (936) 634-8361

Executive Director Jill Tuggle jill@abat.us (817) 899-0554

ABAT BOARD MEMBERS

20

By Joel Gausten

DEPARTMENTS

4 6 8 12 15 17 19

Treasurer David Osburn South West Collision Center dosburn@southwestautogroup.com (855) 395-2720

Kevin Ellison Westway Ford kellison@vtaig.com (972) 584-9033

Chad Neal Innovative Collision Equipment Chadwneal@yahoo.com (817) 527-2143

Chad Kiffe Berli's Body & Fine Finishes chadk@berlisbody.com (512) 251-6136

Darrell Smith McDaniel’s Quality Body Works Inc darrell-mcdaniels@sbcglobal.net (903) 753-5391

Dean Griffin Moritz Dealerships dean.griffin@moritzmail.com (817) 696-2000

Robert McDorman Auto Claim Specialists rmcdorman@autoclaimspecialists.com (817) 756-5482

PRESIDENT’S MESSAgE By Burl Richards Less Than Free EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAgE By Jill Tuggle The Place to Be This September

EDITOR’S MESSAgE By Joel Gausten Time (Off) Well Spent

Manuel Rubio Miracle Body & Paint manuelr@miraclebp.com (210) 843-9564

Mike Williams All Star Collision Center sales@allstarcollision.us (903) 589-3160

Eric McKenzie Park Place Dealerships emckenzie@parkplace.com (214) 443-8250

HABA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

LOCAL NEWS Ready! Pull! ABAT Hosts Annual Skeet Shoot LOCAL NEWS Texas Watch Files Public Information Request with TDI VENDOR SPOTLIgHT By Alana Bonillo Tasco Auto Color

President John Kopriva Kopriva Body Works jtkopriva@gmail.com (713) 923-4412

Vice President Ronnie Brush Westside Lexus Collision Center rbrush@westsidelexus.com (281) 584-2285 Chairman of the Board Greg Luther Helfman Collision Center gluther@helfman.com (713) 533-6226

PUBLISHER Thomas Greco / thomas@grecopublishing.com

ASK THE EXPERT By Robert L. McDorman What Will You Be Presenting at ABAT’s Trade Show?

SALES DIRECTOR Alicia Figurelli / alicia@grecopublishing.com ADVERTISING SALES: Jill Tuggle / jill@grecopublishing.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Lea Velocci / lea@grecopublishing.com

ASSOCIATION NEWS 24 HABA NEWS 25 HABA MEMBER APPLICATION

26 ABAT MEMBER APPLICATION

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Joel Gausten / joel@grecopublishing.com EDITORIAL/CREATIVE COORDINATOR Alana Bonillo / alana@grecopublishing.com OFFICE MANAGER Donna Greco / donna@grecopublishing.com Published by: Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc. 244 Chestnut Street, Suite 202, Nutley, NJ 07110 Corporate: (973) 667-6922 / FAX: (973) 235-1963

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX 300 Advantage ..........................................................18 AAMStraining.com ....................................................22 Axalta............................................................................IFC Beacon Equipment Resources ..............................10 CAR-O-LINER Southwest ........................................7 Charles Maund Toyota ............................................10 Classic Chevrolet Sugar Land................................16 Classic Chevrolet Grapevine..................................18 Dallas Dodge..............................................................OBC Ecotech ........................................................................IBC FindPigtails.com ........................................................18

Innovative Collision Equipment ............................11 Intrepid Direct Insurance ........................................8 J&J Paint Supply ........................................................9 Norton Saint-Gobain ................................................22 Park Place....................................................................14 Phantom Equipment & Hydraulic Repair ............5 Reliable Automotive Equipment............................23 Spanesi ........................................................................11 Tasco Auto Color ......................................................16 Wheel Technologies ................................................15 3 AUGUST 2019 Texas Automotive

www.grecopublishing.com TEXAS AUTOMOTIVE is published monthly and is sent to ABAT and HABA members free of charge. Subscriptions are $24 per year. TEXAS AUTOMOTIVE is published by Thomas Greco Publishing Inc., 244 Chestnut St., Nutley, NJ 07110. The editorial contents of TEXAS AUTOMOTIVE are copyright © 2019 by Thomas Greco Publishing Inc. and may not be reproduced in any manner, either in whole or in part, without written permission from the publisher and/or editor. Articles in this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Thomas Greco Publishing Inc. Stock Images courtesy of www.istockphoto.com.

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President’s Message

Less than

free Let me start this message by making one thing very clear: Collision repair is a for-profit business.

I

In our day-to-day work in this industry, we’re confronted by insurers that insist that we perform repairs for free. is is nothing new, but the trend of carriers refusing to compensate shops for sublet markup seems to be rising in Texas and other states. is is a frustrating development that threatens to decrease our bottom lines. Recently, a representative from a major insurer refused to tell me if they indeed paid sublet markup to other shops (including MSOs) while refusing to compensate my

facility for ours. I think that speaks volumes.

Body shops typically have four avenues to earn a profit: Labor, paint/materials, parts and sublet. When an insurer refuses to pay for a sublet markup, they are ignoring the fact that shops still have to go through a lot even if they are subletting work to another facility. As an example, my shop often sublets certain repair work to a dealership that’s four miles away. at doesn’t seem like a great distance, but

Burl Richards ABAT President consider that one of my employees has to travel 10 minutes and go through five traffic lights to get there. en, a second employee has to drive out – in a company vehicle that I insure – to get that first employee and bring them back to the facility. ose trips are repeated when the work is completed.

Suddenly, a seemingly short trip becomes nearly 90 minutes in combined travel time and fuel charges for two employees. is doesn’t even factor in the time it takes for my shop to communicate with the dealership about the specifics of the sublet job. is is a common scenario that sheds light on why it’s reasonable and necessary for my shop to charge a markup. Just because we’re subletting work to someone doesn’t mean it’s “free.” If anything, it’s less than free.

We incur costs and expenses with those sublet jobs, and we can’t be expected to absorb those fees with a smile. We deserve to be paid for our time and resources. If insurers are unwilling to see the need for this, then they should handle this sublet work themselves directly with that provider. TXA

burl@burlscollision.com

4 AUGUST 2019 Texas Automotive

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5 AUGUST 2019 Texas Automotive

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Executive Director’s Message

THE PLACE TO BE THIS SEPTEMBER

A

As I sit here writing this message, I am filled with excitement for the upcoming 2019 Texas Auto Body Trade Show!! We are finally at the point where all the major details have been ironed out and we can share them with you in this issue. If you have never attended, I highly encourage you to make the trip to Fort Worth this year. You will leave with so much information and inspiration – and probably even a few new friends. e Texas Auto Body Trade Show is THE place to be this September. It’s the largest show of its kind in the Southwest, and it’s right here in the Lone Star State! e Texas Auto Body Trade Show had humble beginnings. Its inaugural show took place in a large conference room in the Hilton Hotel in Fort Worth with just a few vendors at tables that flanked the room. I attended myself that year as a vendor. I had no idea that ABAT would eventually be my passion and my profession.

Education has always been our driving force. Unlike other trade shows that usually add education to their

lineup later down the road, our show started as an educational event and quickly morphed into a full-blown trade show. Because of this foundation, we remain committed to delivering the very best and most applicable seminars year after year. We were the first group to bring in Todd Tracy as a guest speaker to our industry. We also unveiled our association-funded crash test at the show last year before releasing any information about it to the press (or anyone for that matter). As history shows, you can count on ABAT’s Trade Show to be a place to “hear it first.”

You will be able to attend seminars and panels that you would otherwise have to travel the country to find. We have taken our experiences from SEMA, the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) and other wellrespected national events to create an educational slate that can speak on both an executive and a technician level – which is so important in our industry. I can’t think of many other businesses where it is so critical for an owner or

6 AUGUST 2019 Texas Automotive

Jill Tuggle ABAT Executive Director manager to understand both sides to operate safely and efficiently.

You will hear from a panel of shop managers from all different business structures and take in technical training and discussions on procedure reimbursement, the post-repair inspection era, SOP implementation, blueprinting, coaching and commonly missed included- and not-included operations – and that’s just on Friday.

Saturday brings an OEM panel and additional classes from Friday’s lineup and closes with a special presentation by the one-of-a-kind Todd Tracy. And all the while, this great information will be offered in conjunction with over 47,000 square feet of exhibitors on our show floor, showcasing products, technology equipment and more to our attendees! e one change you will see this year is that the Texas Auto Body Trade Show is free to attend and walk the show floor. e educational seminars will be tuition-based via full-access pass or a la carte options. Come one, come all. We have options to fit every budget.

Be sure to register for classes and book your hotel rooms today, as space is limited for seminars and accommodations will likely sell out.

Come by and see me at the ABAT booth for a chance to win exciting prizes or some free ABAT swag!

jill@abat.com

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Visit us at

Booth #518

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Editor’s Message

Time (off) well spent Joel Gausten Editor

R

Remember how excited we were as kids when school wrapped up on Friday afternoon? I bet it’s the same feeling many of you get now when your body shop closes at 5pm on Friday for the weekend. Time away from our jobs and workday responsibilities is always welcome, but sometimes it’s worth it to give up a Friday afternoon/evening and Saturday for something truly meaningful to your profession.

As you’ll see throughout this month’s issue of Texas Automotive, attending this year’s Texas Auto Body Trade Show will provide you with training, insights and information that will make you a stronger and more successful industry member when you return to your business the following Monday. Just take a look at the Schedule of Events on page – and this month’s cover story; there’s nowhere else in Texas that will give you so much value in just two days.

ABAT and HABA are committed to building a more educated collision repair community, and the Trade Show is one of many exciting initiatives they have in store for their members in the months and years to come.

As anyone who has been to the Trade Show in the past already knows, the event is often Ground Zero for some of the biggest news hitting the Lone Star State and across the country. Last year’s event brought Todd Tracy out to reveal the results of his most recent vehicle crash test, which offered further proof that only genuine OEM replacement parts perform as intended by the vehicle manufacturer in a subsequent crash. at’s the kind of stuff you will get by hitting the Trade Show instead of spending your weekend doing something else that won’t have nearly as much impact.

You owe it to yourself to visit the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth

Visit us at Booth #122

on September 20 and 21 and make your “time off” truly a time to remember.

TXA

joel@grecopublishing.com

LET US TURN THEM AROUND! Contact Texas Automotive Sales Representative Jill Tuggle (817) 899.0554

JILL@GRECOPUBLISHING.COM 8 AUGUST 2019 Texas Automotive

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Local News

Ready! Pull!

ABAT Hosts Annual Skeet Shoot ABAT is known to think outside the box when it comes to hosting memorable membership events, and its recently held ird Annual Skeet Shoot at Elm Fork Shooting Sports in Dallas was no exception. While many industry associations take to the golf course this time of year, ABAT Executive Director Jill Tuggle originally devised the Skeet Shoot as a uniquely Texas experience.

“We like to shoot guns down here. I know that golf tournaments are still a great thing to do, but I thought, ‘Let’s put ourselves out there a little bit and try to do something different in our industry.’” is year’s Skeet Shoot drew nearly 70 attendees (including 52 shooters) and featured an appearance by a professional cigar roller. e top raffle prize was an ArmaLite rifle, while the second raffle prize was a Beretta shotgun. e First Place team (Auto Tech Services) received special cooler bags, while the top three individual players each received Cabela’s gift cards.

TXA

12 AUGUST 2019 Texas Automotive

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ABAT would to thank the following sponsors for making this year’s Skeet Shoot a success: Gold Sponsors All Star Collision Center, Auto Tech Services, Car-O-Liner Southwest, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Moritz Dealerships, Park Place Dealerships and Southwest Ford Silver Sponsors 3M, AkzoNobel, Axalta, BASF, Burl’s Collision Center, Ellis County Auto Repair, English Color & Supply, FinishMaster, ICE, Jordan Towing, Keystone, Norton/Saint-Gobain and PPG Bronze Sponsor Sherwin-Williams Special thanks to this year’s Skeet Shoot Committee Dean Griffin, David Osburn, Kevin Ellison, Brandon Gillespy and Jill Tuggle

13 AUGUST 2019 Texas Automotive

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Local News

Texas watch files public information request with tdi Texas Watch, the consumer advocacy group that worked extensively with ABAT and HABA in promoting passage of House Bill 1348, has filed a public information request with the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) to provide “all documents, communications and other public information within [their] possession pertaining to private passenger and commercial automobile policies and endorsements submitted for approval, approved and /or disapproved by TDI within the last [10] years containing the terms ‘prevailing rate’ or similar

language.” In a July 17 email to TDI’s public information coordinator, Texas Watch Executive Director Ware Wendell outlined his organization’s reasons for the request: To be clear, we seek information about how insurers define the rate with which they will compensate facilities for repair work. We view adequate compensation as crucial to public safety because it supports investment in training, education, proper equipment and the necessary time to make thorough and safe repairs to damaged vehicles.

“We filed this open records request with the Texas Department of Insurance to see the language auto insurers are using to limit the amount they pay for repairs,” offered Texas Watch in an online statement. “Inadequate payments lead to corner cutting. Safety suffers. Insurance companies shouldn’t be able to threaten your family’s safety by writing policies that game the system.”

More information is available at texaswatch.org.

TXA

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15 AUGUST 2019 Texas Automotive

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16 AUGUST 2019 Texas Automotive

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Vendor Spotlight

By Alana Bonillo

Tasco auto color At Tasco Auto Color, providing excellent customer service and quality products to the collision repair industry starts with a simple handshake.

“It’s our whole foundation,” states Tasco Marketing Director Diane Benting. “e top of the ‘T’ in our logo is made up of two hands shaking. Our whole business model is about building trusting relationships. We operate on the handshake. Your word is your bond.” e Lone Star State-based paint distribution company has achieved continued success and growth for more than 50 years due to its consumer-first, customer-oriented way of doing business.

Tasco originated in 1953 through its founder Tom Ferguson’s father’s business, Barrington and Sons Auto Parts, which was a machine and auto supply shop. A few years later, it began to sell paint and eventually transformed into Tom’s Automotive Supply Company, or “Tasco.” e company’s focus remained exclusively on paint distribution and refinish supplies. In 1983, it began selling PPG paint and later became an exclusive PPG Platinum distributor. Tasco is the only paint distribution company to date to have been recognized as the top PPG Platinum Distributor of the Year award twice – in 2005 and 2016.

Ferguson continued at the helm until he passed away in 2008. Today, the company is run by President David Abrahams, who has been working at Tasco for more than 40 years. Serving alongside him is Lee Martinez, vice president of sales and managing partner, who has been with the company for well over two decades.

Tasco has grown substantially from its

Tasco Auto Color President David Abrahams (left) and Vice President of Sales Lee Martinez with the 2016 PPG Platinum Distributor of the Year award

first home store in Houston. e company currently boasts 31 locations over Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Nevada and Tennessee. Twenty of those locations are in Texas alone.

Training is extremely important to Tasco, and the company is quick to inform customers of training classes hosted by PPG or other suppliers.

“We help our customers stay informed and really encourage learning,” Benting notes.

As Tasco continues to achieve success, they are very proud of their roots in Texas and work to stay up to date with the

17 AUGUST 2019 Texas Automotive

industry. Many of their shops are members of ABAT, and the company is proud to actively support the association’s efforts to better the industry.

As Abrahams says, “We are blessed with the best people and some of the best clients in the industry, and we have a responsibility to strive every day to do better for both.”

TXA

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18 AUGUST 2019 Texas Automotive

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Texas Automotive_0819.qxp_Layout 1 7/30/19 1:08 PM Page 19

Ask the Expert

By Robert L. McDorman

What Will You Be Presenting at ABAT’s Trade Show?

Dear Mr. McDorman: I read in last month’s issue of Texas Automotive that you will be presenting at the 2019 Texas Auto Body Trade Show next month. I follow your articles regularly and look forward to seeing you there. What can you tell me about the seminar you will be presenting at the Trade Show? ank you for your interest in my upcoming seminar. I am excited to have been invited again to be a presenter at the Texas Auto Body Trade Show. I always look forward to seeing my colleagues and attending the various education seminars. Each year, I learn new things and leave with many new ideas. is year’s topic for my seminar is, “How to Get Paid for Your Work: Receiving Proper Compensation for Proper Repairs.” My session will show how to repair more vehicles and stop job losses resulting from actions by insurance carriers. We will identify and

show how insurers are wrongly attempting to total vehicles that can be safely and economically restored to their pre-loss OEM condition. When your customer wants their car fixed, we can help to alter the entire path of the settlement process by correctly valuing the vehicle and defending total loss statutes.

Identifying the true actual cash value of the vehicle is key in the repair process.

We will also go over the need to educate your clients on inherent diminished value and show how important this indemnification issue is for funding necessary OEM operations to perform a safe and proper repair. Educating your client as to their policy rights will assist you in being paid for needed operations. Always keep in mind that a safe repair is a quality repair, and quality equates to value. I will point out how to navigate around the insurance claim procedure and share techniques to help each collision facility repair more vehicles, increase their bottom lines and capture their customers for life. We will close with how each collision repair facility can increase customer satisfaction and capitalize on customer referrals with the use of these techniques.

Please call me should you have any questions relating to the upcoming Trade Show. I thank you for your questions and look forward to seeing you there and to addressing any follow-up questions that may arise.

Sincerely, Robert L. McDorman TXA

Robert McDorman of Auto Claim Specialists will return to present at this year's Trade Show.

19 AUGUST 2019 Texas Automotive

Robert is a recognized Public Insurance Adjuster and Certified Vehicle Value Expert specializing in motor vehicle-related insurance claim resolution. As the general manager of Auto Claim Specialists, Robert expertly leads this National Public Insurance Adjuster Agency, which is currently licensed in 11 different states and specializes in providing automotive-related claim liquidation techniques, strategies and motor vehicle valuation services to all parties, including individual consumers, body shops, auto dealers, repair facilities, towing and storage operations, lenders, finance companies, banks, legal professionals, governmental agencies and others. The firm’s consistent success can be attributed to Robert’s 35+ years of automotive industry knowledge, practical hands-on experience and multiple certifications, including licensure by the Texas Department of Insurance as a Public Insurance Adjuster. Auto Claim Specialists clients can absolutely trust that they will be provided with analytical, sophisticated, state-of-the-art, comprehensive, accurate, unbiased and up-to-date data and information that all parties can rely upon as both factual and objective.

Robert can be reached at (800) 736-6816, (817) 7565482 or asktheexpert@ autoclaimspecialists.com.

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Cover Story

ThE BEST of TExAS & BEYoND, IN YouR owN BACkYARD Industry Gears Up for ABAT's Auto Body Trade Show

The 2019 Texas Auto Body Trade Show is brought to you by ABAT with generous support from the following sponsors: Diamond Show Sponsor: BASF Platinum Show Sponsor: Akzo Nobel Gold Show Sponsors: Axalta Coating Systems, Autel Silver Show Sponsors: Reliable Automotive Equipment, Sherwin-Williams, PPG, NCS / Single Source, Inc., English Color & Supply Refreshment Break Sponsor: Norton-Saint Gobain Education Sponsor: CARSTAR

With the 2019 Texas Auto Body Trade Show just a few weeks away, the Auto Body Association of Texas (ABAT) has added to the excitement being felt throughout the Texas repair community and beyond for this event with the recent release of this year's full educational slate. This year's educational offerings, comprised of both returning industry mainstays and several new faces, promise to offer fresh perspectives on common industry issues and the advancement of collision repair. Combined with a growing list of industryleading vendors and sponsors filling the exhibit hall AND free show admission to the for the first time in event history, the 2019 Texas Auto Body Trade Show is most definitely one you won't want to miss.

ABAT’s commitment to giving a voice to the collision repair industry will be reflected in a special Friday night Body Shop Panel Discussion. Moderated by ABAT Board member Eric McKenzie (Park Place Bodywerks), the panel will feature representatives from an independent MSO, a dealership body shop, an independent repair facility, a large dealership MSO and a large independent shop. “e idea for this panel is for it to be a ‘real-life’ discussion,” explains ABAT Executive Director Jill Tuggle. “So often, these types of panels represent only the best of the best, per say, but we were interested in hearing from shops of all walks of life. We want to represent the viewpoint of each person in the audience to make the discussion relatable and applicable no matter what structure of body shop you come from. We hope to have Texas legislators in the audience to hear all of these perspectives as well, so bring your questions and concerns; they will not fall on deaf ears!”

In addition to serving as a panelist for the OEM discussion, ABAT President Burl Richards will co-present “Collision Repair Coaching: Giving Technicians What ey Need to Do the Right ing” with Chris Ollila of VeriFacts Automotive on Friday and Saturday.

“No matter how successful a shop might be, that business could always identify areas of improvement,” says Richards of the course. “Sometimes, having an outside party come in and work with you makes all the difference. I look forward to working with Chris to help shops better understand some of the options available to them to help strengthen their teams and address some of the advanced technologies hitting our industry.”

Teambuilding and inter-shop communication will also be among the key topics of “Shop Procedure Implementation,” where Montana-based shop owner Matthew McDonnell (Big Sky Collision Center) will share how his facility implemented standard operating practices (SOPs) to create a “bulletproof file” on every job that comes through the door. is includes time-stamping every piece of OEM information the shop pulls to perform a safe and professional repair.

“I believe the information we’re pulling is becoming more black and white – the grey is being removed in this industry. ere’s the right way to fix [the vehicle], and there’s the wrong way to fix it.”

McDonnell has a clear takeaway that he wants every attendee to have after taking in his discussion.

“Repair everything like it’s going to end up in court and you’re going to win. You don’t want to create a bad file that puts all the liability back on you.”

With the Trade Show right around the corner, now is the time to register for courses to take full advantage of what ABAT has put together for the Texas auto body community. “is will be the best and biggest Trade Show that ABAT has ever done,” Richards says. “From the support of new and returning exhibitors and sponsors to our most extensive educational offerings yet, not to mention free admission to the show floor, this year’s show will offer something for everyone. I encourage those who have been to the Trade Show in the past to come out again this year to check out the improvements, and I especially urge those new to it to see for themselves how much this two-day event can change the way they conduct and feel about their business.”

Individual seminars at the Texas Auto Body Trade Show cost $40 each, or attendees can purchase a complete educational package pass for $199. Admission to the show floor is free. To register, visit https://ibk.nyc/tab.

For more information on the show, please visit abat.us/events/2019 tradeshow/. TXA

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By Joel Gausten

SEMINARS & EVENTS 8AM: Badge Registration Opens (Entrance Lobby)

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

9AM-12PM: Association Roundtable (South Texas Room) “PRIVATE EVENT”

1PM: TRADE SHOW FLOOR OPENS

1PM: Commonly Missed, Included & Not-Included Estimating Items (Corral Room) Presented by Danny Gredinberg, Database Enhancement Gateway (DEG) This session will guide estimators and managers through various commonly missed operations and included/not-included items throughout the repair process. Attendees will learn where to find proper documentation within the DEG to help map out and build a comprehensive repair plan.

1PM: How to Get Paid for Your Work: Receiving Proper Compensation for Proper Repairs (Longhorn Room) Presented by Robert McDorman, Auto Claim Specialists Using real-world analysis and success stories, certified auto appraiser Robert McDorman will lead attendees through techniques and strategies for shops to successfully receive proper compensation for performing repairs to OEM specifications.

1PM: Corrosion Protection: Is Your Shop Prepared for the Post-Repair Inspection Era? (Cactus Room) Presented by Shawn Collins, 3M Shawn Collins with 3M Technical Service is presenting this technical segment on the critical importance of doing the right repair with the correct materials on the vehicle of today. This segment recognizes the critical, proper repair that will pass a post-repair inspection – and keep the consumer safe. Collins, a well-known SEMA presenter, brings vast technical knowledge and expertise in understandable language for repairers to “make a difference.”

3PM: Blueprinting: Not Your Grandfather’s Estimate (Corral Room) Presented by Ron Reichen, Precision Body & Paint; and Danny Gredinberg, Database Enhancement Gateway (DEG) Join an interactive dive into the new era of repair planning. Vehicles are now constructed of multi-substrate materials and loaded with a mass of electronics, both functional and safetyrelated. The OEs now provide detailed repair procedures that outline, in systematic detail, how vehicles must be remanufactured following a collision. The collision repairer of today must incorporate this information into every repair plan to protect the consumer and themselves and ensure the vehicle will function exactly as designed if a second loss occurs.

This presentation will guide you through proven processes in repair planning and profitability.

It will change the way you manage the repair process in the future.

3PM: Shop Procedure Implementation (Longhorn Room) Presented by Matthew McDonnell, Big Sky Collision Center Find your starting place with the new training and education culture. Matthew McDonnell from Big Sky Collision Centers, a three-shop MSO in Montana, brings a new and enlightened perspective of employee engagement to this class. McDonnell will share how he has successfully engaged his team to achieve maximum efficiency, quality output and uniformity of performance. His team actively participates in the development of Standard Operating Procedures and manages their implementation, being accountable to each other and to Big Sky Collision. This class is a “BIG” motivator for owners, managers and technicians.

3PM: Collision Repair Coaching: Giving Technicians What They Need to Do the Right Thing (Cactus Room) Presented by Chris Ollila, VeriFacts Automotive; and Burl Richards, Burl’s Collision Center Coaching can bring a new, efficient energy into the collision repair shop process. In light of new technologies and challenges every technician face, this hands-on individual training is a critical tool for a quality, safe repair. Learn how a third-party coach can bring an entire organization into a winning team. Closing the “training and understanding gap,” a coach will bring new repair methodology and proper and efficient new equipment usage into the right steps in the process. Consistent shop assessments develop an ongoing “real time” education for technicians.

6PM-7PM: Body Shop Panel Discussion (South Texas Room) Moderated by Eric McKenzie of Park Place Bodywerks. Panelists include Burl Richards, Burl’s Collision Center (independent MSO); David “Ozzy” Osburn, Southwest Ford Collision (dealership body shop); Brian Brunson of Auto Tech Services (independent shop); Ben Stuckert, Toyota of Richardson (large dealership MSO); and Manuel Rubio; Miracle Body and Paint (large independent shop).

Body shops come in all shapes and sizes: Independent, dealership, multi-shop independent, MSO and more! Come hear about the similarities and differences from managers of all shop sizes, their secrets to success and thoughts on how they’re navigating this changing industry.

8PM: TRADE SHOW CLOSES

10AM: TRADE SHOW FLOOR OPENS

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21

10AM: OEM Panel Discussion (South Texas Room) Panelists TBD; Moderated by Ron Reichen, Precision Body & Paint; and Mark Olson, VECO Experts A highlight of this Trade Show will be the OE Panel Discussion, moderated by Ron Reichen (past chairman of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists and owner of Precision Body and Paint’s three locations in Oregon) and Mark Olson (CEO of VECO Experts). This dynamic panel of OEM representatives and equipment manufacturers will explore the newest technology, OEM repairer recommendations, proper equipment, repairability, certification and training. This hour-and-a-half session will include a Q&A session.

11:30AM to 12:30PM: LUNCH BREAK FOR SEMINAR ATTENDEES (Seminar Hallway)

12:30PM: Blueprinting: Not Your Grandfather’s Estimate (Corral Room) Presented by Ron Reichen, Precision Body & Paint; and Danny Gredinberg, Database Enhancement Gateway (DEG) See Friday course description.

12:30PM: Shop Procedure Implementation (Longhorn Room) Presented by Matthew McDonnell, Big Sky Collision Center See Friday course description.

12:30PM: Corrosion Protection: Is Your Shop Prepared for the Post-Repair Inspection Era? (Cactus Room) Presented by Shawn Collins, 3M See Friday course description.

2:30PM: Use BillableGenie to Get Paid for More Procedures at Better Rates (Corral Room) Presented by Sam Valenzuela, National Auto Body Research As the industry’s first searchable database of actual repair data from insurer-written/paid estimates, BillableGenie is the industry’s new, disruptive technology to help level the playing field for payment of not-included procedures. NABR will demo BillableGenie to show how shops can use it to get paid for more of their work – and at better rates.

2:30PM: How to Get Paid for Your Work: Receiving Proper Compensation for Proper Repairs (Longhorn Room) Presented by Robert McDorman, Auto Claim Specialists See Friday course description.

2:30PM: Collision Repair Coaching: Giving Technicians What They Need to Do the Right Thing (Cactus Room) Presented by Chris Ollila, VeriFacts Automotive; and Burl Richards, Burl’s Collision Center See Friday course description.

5PM: Life after the Lawsuit: An Hour with Todd Tracy (South Cactus Room) Presented

by Todd Tracy, Tracy Law Firm What better way to close the 2019 Texas Auto Body Trade Show than with an invigorating presentation from the incomparable Todd Tracy? Join us as Todd shares takeaways from the Tracy Law Firm’s $42 million litigation win against John Eagle Collision and discusses shop liability, adherence to OEM repair guidelines and tons of never-before-shared information that will leave everyone in attendance motivated and engaged.

6PM: TRADE SHOW CLOSES

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Visit us at Booth #401

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For a full list of services included in the program visit aamstraining.com

Addressing safety issues in the workplace can result in: • Increased productivity • Higher quality products • Increased morale • Reduced turnover • Reduced injuries • Improved labor/management relations

22 AUGUST 2019 Texas Automotive

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Visit us at Booth #207

Silver Show Sponsor

RAE is North America’s premier supplier of OE certified repair equipment.

Our OE approved systems and products are the “preferred choice” for use in collision repair because the system or products have already been prescreened by the car manufacturer.

PHONE: 732-495-7900 FAX: 732-495-7904 E-MAIL: bill@rae1.com www.raeservice.com VISIT US ON FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/ReliableAutomotiveEquipment 23 AUGUST 2019 Texas Automotive

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HABA News OEM First: greg luther aims to strengthen the field The Texas collision repair industry has been a long and rewarding journey for Houston Auto Body Association (HABA) Chairman of the Board Greg Luther.

HABA Chairman of the Board Greg Luther

In 1992, he started out as a recent high school graduate working at a Discount Tire business. Five years later, a childhood friend urged him to consider moving to the auto body side. It turned out to be the change Luther was looking for. After a stint with another shop, he joined the team at Helfman Collision Center in Houston as the assistant body shop manager in 2002.

Within a few months, he was promoted to body shop operations director.

Most recently, he was one of several Texas industry members who testified in support of House Bill 1348. His pro-OEM stance is felt every day at Helfman.

“On a personal level, I’m confident that people are safe to drive the cars I’m fixing. My management position puts me in contact with manufacturers, and I’ve been pushing for years for where we are today.

“We look up repair procedures on every car,” he adds. “If we fix a Dodge Charger today, we’re going to look up the same procedures for that same car if another one comes in tomorrow. Procedures can change from one day to the next.”

An active HABA member for the past decade, Luther feels the experience has added considerable strength and value to this career and industry experience.

“It’s put me in contact with people who do what I do. I know that I’m not the only one who’s trying to do it the right way.

Being able to call those guys for help when I have a question – and those guys knowing they can call me when they have a question – is incredibly helpful. We can’t know everything about every car or every situation, but developing relationships in the association gets you to a point where you’re pretty thorough thanks to your network of people. You can know a little bit about a lot of stuff, but you can take a little bit from everybody and end up knowing a whole lot about a whole lot.”

Not surprisingly, he is a strong advocate for advancing educational opportunities for shops in the Houston market and beyond.

“I really believe that the vast majority of people in this business want to do the right thing. e problem is that they don’t know what the right thing is. I’m a believer that you don’t know what you don’t know, so you better go out there and learn it.”

As HABA moves forward in its mission to improve the industry it serves, he urges his fellow repairers to make the most out of what the association has to offer.

“We need more shops to get involved and start making a difference. We understand that every member can’t be at every meeting or event, but just being involved and part of the group will greatly improve the local industry. If we have more people fighting the same fight and more warriors in the battle, we’re going to be more successful.”

24 AUGUST 2019 Texas Automotive

Looking ahead, Luther plans to continue to push the industry and lawmakers alike to embrace OEMrecommended/required repair procedures as the standard of repair.

“We really need to bring more shops into the fold of doing it correctly. I feel that’s going to come through consumer awareness and a marketing push so that the person who owns the car is asking the right questions. at will motivate more shops to do the right thing and get the right equipment, training and procedural knowledge necessary to fix these cars correctly. When you have shops that are doing it correctly, you’re getting more hours to do the same repairs, which is going to drive revenue so that they can buy more equipment, pay for more training and pay the technicians more.”

Twenty-seven years after first stepping into the automotive world, he is still proud and gratified to call this profession home despite its common ups and downs.

“I just enjoy what I do. Obviously, there are days when I don’t, but the days when I look forward to waking up, coming to work and fixing cars for people far outweigh those bad days. I truly enjoy coming to the shop and seeing these guys and gals fix cars and turn them from mangled messes into good-looking, safe vehicles again. I think this is a business of passion; when you’re passionate about what you do, you’re much more successful than when you’re not.”

TXA

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HOUSTON AUTO BODY ASSOCIATION Membership Application Please Print

Company Name:

Primary Contact:

________________________________

________________________________

Business Address, City, Zip Code

Phone:__________________________

________________________________

Years in Business: __________

Email:___________________________

Website:_________________________

____ Member Dues $450 (all body shops)

____ MSO dues $250 Per Shop

____ Af liate dues $450

____ Sponsorships - See Attached

NOTE: Please make your check payable to Houston Auto Body Association or (HABA) and submit membership dues and application to: Houston Auto Body Association 4619 Harrisburg Blvd.

Houston, Texas 77011 or sign up online @ www.HABAonline.org All new membership applications require nomination and review from the Board and a majority vote for nal approval.

(Please Sign Here) X _______________________________________ Referred By:

_______________________________________

By signing this form, I agree to abide by the Association code of ethics including all bylaws that govern the Houston Auto Body Association.

OUR MISSION The Houston Auto Body Association is comprised of collision repairers devoted to the advancement of the collision repair industry. Our mission is to create an environment of professionalism, respect, accountability, excellence, enthusiasm and the ability to collect fair and reasonable compensation for collision repairers who properly restore vehicles to their safe pre-loss condition.

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26 AUGUST 2019 Texas Automotive

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Visit us at

Booth #424

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