Dana’s John Washbish to Discuss Technology and Training at GAAS
John Washbish, president of Customer Relationship Management for the Dana Automotive Aftermarket Group, will discuss “Technology and Training in Today’s Aftermarket” on Tuesday, May 18, at the ninth annual Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS). GAAS 2004 will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 18-19, at the Hyatt Regency, Chicago.
Judge Approves $149 Million BFNAT Settlement
State District Judge Donald Floyd in Beaumont, Texas, has approved a $149 million settlement of 30 class-action lawsuits filed on behalf of Bridgestone/Firestone tire owners. The announcement comes more than three years after the 2000 recall of 14.4 million Firestone tires. Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire (BFNAT) agreed to the proposed settlement last July.
SEMA Spring Expo Reaches New Level Of Success
Organizers for the 2004 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Spring Expo, have reported that this year’s show was the biggest regional show the association has held to date. The Expo took place March 5-6 at the Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis. A day of seminars preceded the actual exhibit. Although attendance figures have not yet been audited, show organizers said preliminary reports show an increase of approximately 65 percent in buyer attendance, and 30 percent in total attendance from the SEMA Spring Expo in Nashville last February.
Technology Outpaces Would-be Technicians
Help Wanted: Automotive technician. Starting salary: $30,000. Benefits include medical insurance, plus two weeks paid vacation and two long weekends off — that’s Thursday through Sunday — a year. How difficult is it to fill a job like that in Michigan’s lackluster economy? Plenty, according to Stan Shephard, owner of Shephard’s Hi Tech Automotive in Detroit. Shephard posted his help-wanted sign 18 months ago, and today the position remains unfilled. He’s had only 15 applicants for the job.
BWD Automotive Announces Vehicle Service Professional Rewards Program
BWD Automotive has launched a new Vehicle Service Professional (VSP) Rewards program, designed to foster, preserve and enhance the relationship among automotive repair technicians, distribution customers and BWD Automotive. The goal of VSP Rewards is to provide today’s professional automotive technician with up-to-date educational and reference tools required by an increasingly complex automotive repair industry.
Executive Interview with Howard Kesten, President and Founder of Workboards
Our latest edition of “Executive Interview” features Howard Kesten, president and founder of Workboards, which launched the automotive job site, aftermarketJobs.com, in December 2003. A two-time guest speaker at AAPEX, Kesten is also founder and CEO of APA Search, Inc., an executive search and human resources consulting firm serving the automotive industry. In 18 years, he has placed more than 1,600 automotive professionals. Join us as Kesten provides an introduction to aftermarketJobs.com and shares with us his predictions for the future of the aftermarket and the job market.
Crump to Chair NACE 2004 in Las Vegas
The International Autobody Congress & Exposition (NACE) has re-appointed Vernon Crump, body shop director for John Eagle Collision Center in Dallas, Texas, as chairman for NACE 2004, which will be held Nov. 3-6, in Las Vegas, to coincide with Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week (AAIW). Crump was NACE 2003 chairman and received accolades for his leadership and experience, and for the innovative programs he introduced at NACE to spotlight new technologies and to strengthen industry and global relationships.
Car Care Council’s Women’s Board Expands Sponsorship Opportunities
The Car Care Council Women’s Board is expanding its sponsorship program to allow for support of all of the Women’s Board activities for the year, which include industry outreach, consumer education and recruiting women to the industry, as well as serving as an advisory board to the “Be Car Care Aware” campaign.
School Auto Center Revs Up Students
Alex Kosterman, Kevin Bendorf and Matt Beier hunched over the shiny red Pontiac Sunfire, carefully inspecting the car’s leaky battery before cleaning it up and replacing it. The hands-on lesson on starting systems and batteries took place Tuesday in Racine, Wis.-based Park High School’s new automotive technology center, a 5,000-square-foot dream for the school’s automotive students. The investment bucks a national trend, as more and more high school auto shops are stalling despite a huge demand for skilled auto technicians. The most common roadblocks: the hefty cost of running automotive programs and a more intense focus on college preparatory classes.
Herman Trend Alert: Competition for Recent Graduates
Employers are showing renewed interest in fresh college graduates. For years, these young people have experienced frustrating difficulty finding stimulating and rewarding jobs after graduation. Many companies that had traditionally conducted on-campus interviews have been missing; the interest in graduates has been unusually low. Things are changing. Employers are showing renewed interest in college seniors, increasing their recruiting efforts and demonstrating stronger response to inquiries from students taking the initiative to find their preferred career-starting job.