new england automotive report june 2016

June 2016U.S.A. $5.95

MASSACHUSETTS

BUILDING THE SUCCESS OF THE AUTO REPAIR INDUSTRY

Serving the New England Collision and Mechanical

Repair Industry

www.grecopublishing.com

2 June 2016 New England Automotive Report

CONTENTSJune 2016 Volume 14, No. 6

ALSO THIS ISSUE

COVER STORY34 | AASP/MA 101: HOW BEING

A MEMBER HELPS YOU

New England Automotive Report June 2016 5

DEPARTMENTS

VICE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE by Adam Ioakim

8 | Never Be out of the Loop Again

LOCAL NEWS by Joel Gausten

22 | New England Automotive Report Publisher

Receives SCRS Regional Lifetime Achievement Award

27 | TURI Grant Applications Now Open

30 | AASP/MA, Insurer Reps Call for

Revised ADALB Regulations

39 | The Best of the Best: SkillsUSA Showcases

Students Strength

MEMBER SHOP SPOTLIGHT

46 | The Customer Comes First at Repairs Unlimited

7 | TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES: I-CAR CALENDAR OF EVENTS10 | A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR14 | AASP/MA PLANNED YEAR15 | AASP/MA SPONSORS18 | 2016 AASP/MA ANNUAL GOLF OUTING ANNOUNCEMENT21 | IN MEMORIAM50 | AASP/MA MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION54 | INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

In our May 2016 issue, weregret to inform our readersthat portions of the Tooling& Equipment feature wereprinted in error. We atGreco Publishing apologizefor this misprint.

June 8, 2016Corrosion Protection

Knights of Columbus, Pembroke, MAVehicle Technology & Trends 2016

June 14, 2016Suspension Systems

June 16, 2016Adhesive Bonding

June 22, 2016Rack & Pinion & Parallelogram Steering Systems

June 23, 2016Hazardous Materials, Personal Safety & Refinish

Safety

June 28, 2016Squeeze-Type Resistance Spot Welding

June 30, 2016Aluminum Exterior Panel Repair & Replacement

Assabet Valley Technical High School,Marlborough, MA

in Massachusetts

All classes held at Fuller Auto Body (Auburn, MA)

except where noted.

For more information, visit i-car.com

AUTAUT MM TIVETIVEN E WN E W E N G L A N DE N G L A N D

STAFF

PUBLISHED BY: Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc.244 Chestnut Street, Suite 202, Nutley, NJ 07110 Corporate: (973) 667-6922 / FAX: (973) 235-1963

www.grecopublishing.com

AASP/MA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEPRESIDENT

Molly BrodeurVICE PRESIDENT

Adam IoakimSECRETARY

Gary CloutierTREASURER

Kevin GalleraniIMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT

Paul Hendricks

AASP/MA STATEWIDE DIRECTORSCOLLISION DIRECTOR

Rick Starbard

AASP/MA DIRECTORSAlex FalzoneKevin KyesMichael PenachoDarlene AndradeTom RicciRay Belsito, Jr.Peter Langone

PUBLISHERThomas Greco ([email protected])

DIRECTOR OF SALESAlicia Figurelli ([email protected])

EDITORIAL DIRECTORJoel Gausten ([email protected])

CREATIVE DIRECTORLea Velocci ([email protected])

WWW.AASPMA.ORG

AASP/MA EXECUTIVE DIRECTORJillian M. Zywien

12 Post Office Square, 6th Floor Boston, MA 02109Phone: (617) 574-0741 Fax: (617) 695-0173

Email: [email protected]

MASSACHUSETTS


New England Automotive Report is published monthly by TGP, Inc., 244 Chestnut Street, Suite 202 Nutley, NJ 07110. Distributed free to qualified recipients; $48 to all others. Additional copies of New England Automotive Report are available at $5 per copy. Reproduction of any portions of this publication is specifically prohibited without written permission of the publisher. The opinions and ideas appearing in this magazine are not necessarily representations of TGP Inc. or of AASP/MA. Copyright 2016 by Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc. Images courtesy of www.istockphoto.com


PRODUCTION Donna Greco ([email protected])


Im worried for Massachusetts repair shops that arentmembers of AASP/MA. There has always been a lot goingon with regulations and legislation in our industry, but at noother point in history have we dealt with changes of thisscale. Between advanced materials, the ADALB, CMR, AIBand more, Im concerned that non-members dont have thesame access to facts and figures that members do, and theymay be receiving inaccurate information that could poten-tially harm their businesses. Im a member of the Board, andappraisers still come into my shop and try to pull the woolover my eyes. I cant imagine what a non-member shop whodoesnt have the same knowledge that I do does in that situ-ation. You need the right ammo to operate in this industryon a daily basis.

Last week, I talked to more than a few shop ownerswho didnt know that the Automobile Insurers Bureausstandard auto policy had been retracted.Its important to bewell-informed so that these tools cant be used against youwhen trying to do business. If you feel like youre out of theloop, AASP/MA can help.

Not only should non-member shops join the associationbecause they need to get the right information, but theyshould also join because we honestly do need their help. Weare your sounding board. If there is something that youthink needs to be changed in the field that were not ad-dressing, come to us and let us know so we can strategizeand create a plan of action. Help make the change. Plus,2016 is a voting year for us. If you want to get started byjumping headfirst into the pool, become a member of theBoard. Get on the front lines of making this industry betterfor yourself and everyone around you. There is so muchhappening right now; you should be a part of it.

To get involved, go to aaspma.org, find our scheduleand attend one of our events. Members in good standing areeven invited to attend a Board meeting. I look forward tomeeting you there.

VICE PRESIDENTS

MESSAGE

NEVER BE OUT OFTHE LOOP AGAIN

ADAM IOAKIM

MASSACHUSETTS


ADAM IOAKIM is the co-owner of Hogan & Van Auto Body in Medford,MA. He can be reached at (781) 436-0366 or [email protected].


AASP/MA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JILLIAN ZYWIEN hasbeen a senior account executive at Lynch Associates for over seven years. She

can be reached at (617) 574-0741 or via email at [email protected].

A MESSAGE FROM

THEEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

BUILD THE FUTUREWITH US

JILLIAN ZYWIEN

Dear Members,Each month, I encourage you to get more involved in

AASP/MA. There are a variety of ways to participate:You can attend an event, encourage a non-member to joinus or come to a function, contribute to AASP/MAs Polit-ical Action Committee (PAC), etc. Most importantly, youcan support the association just by being a member.

If youre interested in volunteering your time, com-mitment and industry expertise, you should considerjoining our Board of Directors. As you may be aware,2016 is an election year for AASP/MA. The Board is look-ing for members who are willing to bring their industryknowledge and unique experiences to help advance ourmission, goals and visions. The Board meets a total of 12times annually six in person and six via video confer-ence. This year, we have been visiting each area of thestate and hosting our Board of Directors meetings priorto our Statewide Meetings. All members in good standingare welcome to attend our Board meetings.

AASP/MA is also looking for individuals who wouldbe willing to serve on our six committees: Vocational As-sessment, Legislative/Legal, Communications, Member-ship, Insurer Relations and Vendor Relations. OurVocational Assessment Committee has been very activein visiting the Commonwealths vocational schools andunderstanding their needs and challenges. Our Legisla-tive/Legal Committee is constantly working with ourprofessional legislative team to pursue our priority mat-ters. They also work closely with the ADALB, DOI and the Attorney General to advance our regulatory efforts.Our Communications Committee is in charge of our on-line presence, including social media, and all of ourprinted publications. If AASP/MA is in the news, you betour Communications Committee was behind that effort.AASP/MAs Membership Committee continues to de-velop relationships with shops that are not members ofthe association. Our goal is to have all Massachusettsshops working together to make this association strongerthan ever. Our Insurer Relations Committee frequentlysurveys the membership to understand the challengesshops face every day and seek solutions once trends are

identified. Additionally, the Committee meets with insur-ers to find common ground where we can work togetheron matters of mutual interest. The Vendor RelationsCommittee works with our valued partners who helpsupport the association. Last year, this Committee was re-sponsible for our first Vendor Appreciation Night.

All of these committees meet monthly via conferencecall prior to our Board meetings. Its simple to partici-pate, and we want your input. Our committees andBoard leadership have their finger on the pulse of every-thing going on in the industry. Your elected Board of Di-rectors is driving real changes that are currently takingplace. They are building the success of the auto repair in-dustry, and we need your support in these efforts. I en-courage you to step outside your shop and offer theexpertise you have been building throughout your careerto advance our industry.

If you are interested in joining either the Board of Di-rectors or one of our committees, please contact the officetoday. We are eager to hear from you! If you are not amember of our association, why are you letting theseunique opportunities pass you by? Pick up the phoneand call AASP/MA today and get involved. Be a part ofthe changes occurring in the industry. We need you totake action today and strengthen the voice building thesuccess of the auto repair industry.

Sincerely,

Jillian ZywienMASSACHUSETTS


MASSACHUSETTS

BUILDING THE SUCCESS OF THE AUTO REPAIR INDUSTRYPLANNED YEARJANUARY MARCH

MAY JULY

For more information, visit aaspma.org

or contact Executive Director Jillian Zywien at [email protected] or (617) 574-0741.

Check New England Automotive Report for updated event information throughout the year.

January 6Board of Directors

MeetingStatewide Meeting

March 22Board of Directors


July 26

Board of DirectorsMeeting

September 23

AASP/MAClambake

November 12

AASP/MA CasinoNight & Annual Meeting

May 24Board of Directors


July 20AASP/MA Golf OutingBlackstone National

Golf Course

September 27Board of Directors


November 15

Board of DirectorsMeeting


SEPTEMBER NOVEMBER


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John F.Salemme

The Alliance of Automotive ServiceProviders of Massa-chusetts (AASP/MA)and its Board of Direc-tors would like to offerour sincerest condo-lences to the Salemme family for their lossofJohn F. Salemme. John, who was co-ownerof Autobody Solvent Recovery Corporation inNewton and former member of the Massa-chusetts Auto Body Association (MABA),passed away on April 23 at the age of 63.

Born in Winchester and raised inSomerville, John was a lifelong car and mo-torcycle enthusiast who also developed aninterest in hazardous waste materials andtheir disposal. After much research, he devel-oped his own company, Autobody SolventRecovery, and became an expert in this fieldwhile assisting in hazardous waste removalfor several decades.In addition to being oneof the founders of MABA, he also served onthe Board of Directors of the Woburn Rodand Gun Club.

Little did John know that one of his littlefriends in the neighborhood who he playedwith would later become his wife! He andRuthann (Taylor) Salemme were childhoodchums and became sweethearts after highschool. They married in August of 1971 andbrought two wonderful children into theworld.

John truly enjoyed life from the serenityof the New Hampshire mountains to carand motorcycle races. He and his familyloved to travel, and being with his wife andfamily was always the best part of anythingand everything he did. A very hard-working,charismatic and funny man, John had endlessboundaries and did anything he could forhis family and friends.

John was predeceased by his parents,Louis and Marjorie, and survived by hiswife, Ruthann; his son, John L. Salemme;his daughter, Corinne L. Bishop, his daughter-in-law, Cindy Salemme; his son-in-law,Richard Bishop; and several grandchildren.

James Moy

On April 24, the collision repair industry lost a dearfriend and supporter with the passing of James Moy at theage of 44.

James began his automotive career over 20 years agoas a tow truck operator for a collision repair facility. Duringthat time, he realized the importance of customer serviceand performing professional repairs. After receiving formalmechanical training at the NYS ATTP (New York StateAuto Technician Training Program), he then turned his attention to learning structural repair, refinishing anddamage analysis. He attained the prestigious I-CAR Indi-vidual Platinum status in Adjusting, Estimating, Structuraland Non-Structural Repair and Refinishing. He also passedthe I-CAR Welding Qualification Test in Steel, Aluminumand Structural Steel. He was an ASE-certified Master CollisionRepair/Refinish Technician and Damage Estimator andwas a licensed and bonded adjuster in at least 10 states. A former I-CAR instructor, he was qualified to teach 42 instructor-led classes in all categories. He specialized inRight to Appraisal negotiations, triage/blueprintingprocesses and SOPs. His extensive industry history also included work as a consultant for Precision Auto Group(among others) and a coach for VeriFacts Automotive.James also assisted in training courses and shop evaluationsoffered by P&L Consultants and New England Automotive Report Technical Writer Larry Montanez.

The James Moy Memorial Scholarship has been created toprovide students, teachers, technicians and shop ownersthe support, training and opportunities needed to advanceour industry. More information on the endeavor (and howindustry members can donate) is available at gofundme.com/jamesmoy.

AASP/MA and New England Automotive Report offerJames friends, family and colleagues our deepest condolences.

James Moy (second fromright) accepted the 2015

NABC Award of Distinction onbehalf of Mid Island Collision

(NY) at last year's SEMA.


[LOCAL] NEWS

At its 2016 Corporate MemberRecognition & Awards Luncheonin Seattle on April 20, the Societyof Collision Repair Specialists(SCRS) honored New EnglandAutomotive Report PublisherThomas Greco (Thomas GrecoPublishing, Inc.) with the associ-ations Regional LifetimeAchievement Award in recogni-tion of his efforts on behalf ofthe regional and national auto-motive repair communities.

During his introduction speech,SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schu-lenburg praised the industry veteranfor providing news and informationto repairers for decades.

This individual has spent a ca-reer giving a printed voice to states inneed of a way to communicate withtheir members [and] a way to projectwhat happens within a meeting roomor within a Board room or thingsalong those lines, he said. The indi-vidual has provided that opportunityto more than five state associations Massachusetts, Maryland, Virginia,DC, Wisconsin, Minnesota, New Jer-sey. Thats a lot of people within this

New England Automotive ReportPublisher Receives SCRS Regional Lifetime Achievement Award

industry who are touched because of the passion and the tireless dedica-tion exhibited by this individual. Their career in this field has spannedover three decades of serving the industry, putting the message of repair-ers in front of other repairers and the industry that need to see it.

In addition to his work overseeing TGP, Inc.s various publications,Greco has served as event manager for AASP/New Jerseys NORTH-EAST Automotive Services Show since 2008. Schulenburg credited Grecofor developing shows and places where professionals can come togetherand exchange ideas and thoughts and information not only informingthe industry, but helping it to grow internally and externally.

With Greco unable to attend the ceremony, New England AutomotiveReport Editor Joel Gausten accepted the award on his behalf.

Very much like SCRS, were nothing without the support of the in-dustry, he said. We happen to work with some of the finest people thisindustry produces, especially the volunteers.

Honestly, at first it was a shock, says Greco from TGP, Inc.s corpo-rate headquarters in Nutley, NJ. I had no idea that this was happening.Once Aaron informed me, I had to take a few minutes to process it. I amthe kind of person who likes to stay in the background. But to be ac-knowledged for this award, especially by an organization as influential asSCRS, is a truly amazing honor.

I have been working with SCRS for almost three decades, he adds.When I first started Greco Publishing in 1989, I had already known then-SCRS Executive Director John Loftus through my work on various publi-cations. Around 1990, we began publishing a monthly publication forthem called Collision Repair Specialist. Since that time, we have workedwith SCRS continually on all of our publications.SCRS has grown incred-ibly since the early days. They are now looked upon as the standard for acollision repair industry association - not only in the United States, but in-ternationally as well.

For over 25 years, Thomas Greco Publishing has served the automo-tive repair industry with regional, trade association-specific magazinepublishing, advertising, trade show management and administrativeservices.Current TGP, Inc. titles include New England Automotive Report,New Jersey Automotive, Hammer & Dolly, AASP-MN News, Wisconsin Auto-motive News and theNORTHEAST Conference Journal.

When asked to identify the best thing about being an automotivemagazine publisher, Greco immediately pointed to the people who makethe repair trade move forward.

I would never have been able to accomplish what I have withoutthe greatest help from associations like AASP/MA, AASP/NJ, WMABA,AASP-MN, SCRS and WACTAL, he says. Just as importantly, the peo-ple I have had work for me over the years have been incredible. It may bemy name on the door, but they are the ones who are the heart and soul ofthe company. I accept this award as much for them as I do myself.

For more information on TGP, Inc., please visit grecopublishing.com.More information on SCRS is available at scrs.com.

MASSACHUSETTS



Now through June 17, TURI is accepting applicationsfrom shop owners for a Small Business Grant between$100 and $10,000 to help them upgrade to a more environ-mentally sound facility. (For example, this could mean ashop replacing solvent-based paint gun washers withwater-based alternatives.)

Toxics Use Reduction (TUR) is about preventing pollu-tion at the source rather than controlling it once generated.Examples of TUR include replacing a toxic chemical with asafer substance or changing the manufacturing process sothat the toxic substance is no longer necessary. (More ex-amples are available at tinyurl.com/jhlce2e).

Applying for a Small Business Grant is intended to bea competitive yet simple process for Massachusetts smallbusinesses. The application process begins with the sub-mission of the application form. Following receipt of theapplication, TURI will reach out to the companys primarycontact directly to gather additional information needed tomake a decision. This typically includes an on-site visit tobetter understand the proposed project and its potentialbenefits. Program funding is limited and submitting an ap-plication is no guarantee that a grant will be awarded.Should you be awarded this grant, you will be suppliedwith a contract to sign.

To read more details and download the application,visit tinyurl.com/hz5aang. For more information, pleasecontact Joy Onash at (978) 934-4343 or [email protected].

TURIGRANTApplicationsNowoPEN

If youre looking tokick-start your shops

transition to becominga green businessbut need financial

assistance along theway, the Toxics UseReduction Institute

(TURI) has the solution.

[LOCAL] NEWS

MASSACHUSETTS


For months now (and for the firsttime in eight years), the Auto Dam-age Appraiser Licensing Board(ADALB) has been considering changesto 212 CMR 2.00 - the rules and regula-tions governing the licensing, registra-tion and conduct of Massachusettsmotor vehicle damage appraisers. OnMay 4 at the Division of Insurance inBoston, it was the publics turn to chimein on this critical endeavor.

In advance of considering draftchanges and implementing the formalregulatory amendment process, theBoard welcomed interested members ofthe public to attend the special meetingto provide input with regards to topicsand possible changes they would likethe Board to consider addressing in thenext regulation review. The May 4 meet-ing drew participation from both insur-ance industry representatives andcollision repair industry advocates.

As noted by Rachel Davison, gen-eral counsel for the DOI, the Board hasalready held a number of lively discus-sions at their regular meetings regard-ing these potential changes. If the varietyof revisions proposed during the May 4session were any indication, these dis-cussions are likely to continue for sometime.

Identifying itself in its submittedstatement as the leading advocate forthe property/casualty industry in Mas-sachusetts, the Mass Insurance Federa-tion made its presence known at thehearing, with Executive Director John P.Murphy suggesting two critical changesto state regulations. The first suggestedchange would increase the threshold atwhich an appraiser must be assignedfrom $1,500 to $5,000. According to theFederation, this suggested threshold issupported by the amendment made tosection 57A of Chapter 6C of the GeneralLaws in OUTSIDE SECTION 14 of theFY 2016 Budget, which increases thethreshold for what constitutes a minor

accident (excluding deductible) to$5,000.

This would bring some consistencywithin the statute to what the definitionof a minor accident is, Murphy ar-gued.

Addressing one of the most contro-versial ADALB actions in recent mem-ory, Murphy urged the Board toreinstate their previously rescinded Ad-visory Ruling on the use of video anddigital photographs as personal inspec-tions in the appraisal process.

[The video/photo process] is veryconsumer-friendly and helps speed thetime up for the appraisal, he said. Itacknowledges that there have been tech-nological improvements over the years,and this is a valid and useful way to go.

Collision repairer Robert Susi (SusiAuto Body, Dorchester), later testified insupport of revising the thresholdamount.

I think $5,000 would be a greatplace to be, just because of the price ofparts nowadays and what it takes to fixa vehicle, he said. Its very easy to getover that $1,500 threshold; I dont thinkthats helping speed up vehicle repairsas a whole.

Additionally, Susi suggested thatoverturning the rescinded Advisory Rul-ing on video and photo estimating couldhave a positive impact on shops effortsto expedite the repair process.

Theres a great amount of peoplewith very high-quality camera phonesand other sources set up that can reallyhelp with that in the future, he said.

Board member Rick Starbard, abody shop owner in Revere, disagreedwith Susis sentiments.

We just recently had a vehiclecome in our shop written off a photowith an appraisal for $600; the repairwound up at $6,000, he revealed. Thecar should never have been on the road;[it had] severe structural damageIthink that the video and photo system is

extremely flawed and unsafe.Fellow Board member and shop

owner Bill Johnson echoed these con-cerns.

If your wife or mother called youup and said, Hey, I just hit a big pothole;I went over a curb and went off theroad, would you tell her to bring the carto the shop so you could check it out, orsay, Hey, send me a photo and keep ondriving? he asked.

I feel like there are times when thephotographs will work, and there aretimes that they [wont work], Susireplied.

So you are willing to forgo publicsafety for photographs? counteredJohnson.

Im willing to listen to having theoption of a system that may work insome cases but possibly wont be neces-sary in certain situations, answeredSusi.

AASP/MA Executive Director Jil-lian Zywien appeared before the Boardto detail a variety of proposed changesoffered by the association, including re-vising the regulations pertaining to thedetermination of damage and the cost ofrepair to establish that the costs associ-ated with the shipping and handlingof parts, including cores, shall not beconsidered part of the shops overheadexpenses and shall be listed on the ap-praisal.

According to the regulations, insur-ers must recommend aftermarket partusage, she offered. If the part is deter-mined to not be fit, the burden to returnthe part is on the shopThe part was re-quired by the insurer; the shipping andhandling should be covered by the in-surer listed on the appraisal.

Another key proposed changewould add language establishing thatthe utilization of used suspension andsteering parts that contain wearablecomponents may affect the operationalsafety of the vehicle.

AASP/MA has also recommendeda revised sentence (in bold for emphasis)in the following regulation:

The registered repair shop must preparean appraisal for the purpose of negotiation.No appraiser shall modify any publishedmanual (i.e., Motors, Mitchell or any automated appraisal system) without prior

AASP/MA, Insurer RepsCall for Revised ADALBRegulations


[LOCAL] NEWSby Joel Gausten

negotiation between the parties. Manufac-turers-recommended repair procedures, I-CAR, Tec Cor and paint manufacturerprocedures shall also apply. Further, noappraiser shall use more than one manual orsystem for the sole purpose of gaining an ad-vantage in the negotiation process.

The current regulation states thatthe aforementioned procedures mayapply in determining the damage andcosts of repairs, she explained. The factremains that these procedures listed doapply [when determining damages andcosts]. To better protect consumers, thedetermination of repair procedures, forpurposes of computing the repairs neces-sary and cost [therein], should be [as]uniform as possible.

The Board will take the May 4 testi-mony into consideration when they con-tinue their discussion on the regulationsat their next regular meeting, scheduledat press time for May 25 at the Divisionof Insurance. Videos of past ADALBmeetings are posted in the MembersOnly section of the AASP/MA website

ADALB member Bill Johnson supported collision repair-focused revisions to the regulations.

Rachel Davison, attorney for the Massachusetts Division of Insurance,attended the hearing.

ADALB Executive Director Jillian Zywien (joined by executiveteam member Peter D'Agostino) testified on behalf

of the associations proposedregulatory changes.

continued on pg. 54


Membership hasits privileges.

Under the leadership of its Boardof Directors, the Alliance of Automo-tive Service Providers of Massachu-setts (AASP/MA) is committed toenhancing the experience of its mem-bers. More than just the Common-wealths only collision repair industryassociation, AASP/MA is Massachu-setts body shops liaison to the AutoDamage Appraiser Licensing Board(ADALB), the Division of Insurance,

Commonwealth Automobile Reinsur-ers (CAR), the Attorney Generals Of-fice, the Division of Standards and ahost of other state agencies.

When not working to effectchange in the legislative and regula-tory arenas, the association works dili-gently to provide useful content tomember shops throughout the state with Marchs Statewide Meeting onthe controversial AIB auto insurancepolicy just one recent example (Stop-ping the AIB: Repairers and TowersJoin Forces to Protect Consumers,NEAR, May 2016). This month, New

England Automotive Report touchesbase with AASP/MA Executive Direc-tor Jillian Zywien for an overview ofsome of the ways the association isworking on your behalf and whythere is no better time than the presentto be a member.

Alive at the ADALBAs anyone who has followed

NEAR or AASP/MAs other regularcommunications over the yearsknows, the association maintains asteady and often quite participatory presence at meetings held by theADALB. If youre a body shop ownerin this state, you need to be payingvery close attention to what this Boardis up to and thats one of many rea-sons why AASP/MA membershipmatters.

The purpose of this Board is to li-cense individuals who appraise dam-age to motor vehicles, Zywienexplains. The licensed appraiserserves an important role for both theinsurer and the consumer ensuringthat the damage to a motor vehicle isfairly and accurately recorded. Cur-rently, the Board is comprised of fourindividuals selected by the Governor,plus a chairman who is appointed bythe Commissioner of the Massachu-setts Division of Insurance. Two mem-bers of the Board represent insurerappraisers, and two members of theBoard represent the auto repair ap-praisers. The Board issues AdvisoryRulings on regulations they govern,investigates complaints and potentiallaw violations, licenses appraisersand, most importantly, serves the gen-eral public. AASP/MA works with theBoard and the Division to representthe industry on matters before them.The association records each meetingand they can be reviewed by anymember on our website [aaspma.org].Additionally, the association assistsmembers on filing complaints that af-fect the industry as a whole.

by Joel Gausten


MASSACHUSETTS


Strong at the State House Away from meeting with state

agencies to address industry concerns,AASP/MA serves as a collision repairadvocate on Beacon Hill, regularly fil-ing critical legislation to strengthenthe professional lives of its members.Not surprisingly, Zywien tells NEARthat this particular member benefit re-ceives the most positive feedback fromnew and longtime association mem-bers alike.

The collision repair industry is oneof the most highly regulated industries;keeping a watch on both legislative andregulatory proposals is imperative toour members, she offers. Our repre-sentation before regulators and legisla-tors is creating significant changes inthe industry. For example, the associa-tion filed an Open Meeting Law com-plaint against the former ADALB fortheir failure to provide proper notifica-tions of meetings and properly enteringexecutive sessions. After careful reviewby the Attorney General, it was deter-mined that the ADALB must providewritten notice to individuals prior toentering into executive session to dis-cuss them relative to a complaint filedagainst those individuals, even duringpreliminary discussions. This is a winon behalf of all appraisers in the Com-monwealth. The transparency affordedby this ruling will give appraisers theopportunity to represent their interestsbefore the Board and better understandviolations of the law.

AASP/MAs dedication to focus-ing on the political side of things hasresulted in some intriguing develop-ments for the industry. For the firsttime in its history, the associationsLegislative Committee has filed fivematters before the Legislature.

For the last several sessions, theLabor Rate was our only filed matter,Zywien says. While it is still a prior-ity piece of legislation, the Committeehas diversified its efforts to addressother matters of importance to includethe ADALB, steering and aftermarket

parts. We work with a number of leg-islators on these matters, includingmembers of leadership. If any shophas a relationship with their legislatoror a member of leadership, contact theassociation and let us know. Often, webring shops to our legislative meetingsto offer their real-life experience andexpertise.

In addition to the LegislativeCommittee, the association featurescommittees devoted to Vocational As-sessment, Legislative/Legal, Commu-nications, Membership, InsurerRelations and Vendor Relations. Moreinformation on what each group does(and how members can get involved)is available in this months Messagefrom the Executive Director on page10.

Ensuring Members SuccessIf youre already a member of

AASP/MA, its very likely that youveused your membership to strengthenyour bottom line through special ven-dor discounts and other association-exclusive incentives. If youre still onthe fence about joining and are askingyourself, Whats in for me? here is alist of just some of the programs thatAASP/MA currently offers membersin good standing:

A discounted dues programthrough 1-800-Radiator purchases

A NEW discounted parts pro-gram through Sarat Ford Lincoln

Discounted uniform productneeds and services from G&KServices

Access to Mitchell Interna-tionals RepairCenter TechAdvisor

Access to AASP National bene-fits (webinar events, for example)

Search Engine Optimization,website design and social mediaassistance with Gonnello SEO

Members Only section of theAASP/MA website, with exclu-sive content including our Mem-ber Manual, monthly DamageReport newsletter

AND MUCH MORE!

Unforgettable FunWhen not pursuing its usual vari-

ety of educational and legislative ini-tiatives, AASP/MA provides membersa number of opportunities to simplyhave fun.

In order to create a strong com-munity, we have created several op-portunities for our members tonetwork and connect with fellow shopowners, offers Zywien. This July, theassociation will host its annual GolfOuting event at the Blackstone Na-tional Golf Club (Sutton). Our mostpopular event is our Casino Night,which we have hosted for the past twoyears at Gillette Stadium. Not manypeople can say they have had a pri-vate tour of the stadium and walkedon the field, visited the locker roomsand dined in the private Putnam Club,but our members can! We want ourmembers to be proud of their associa-tion, and we think our events show-case that effort. Please check out ourwebsite for a complete list of upcom-ing events.

As you can see, being a member ofAASP/MA provides a host of advan-tages and experiences that you simplycant get anywhere else in this indus-try. For membership information andmore insight into these and otherAASP/MA benefits, please contact theassociation offices at (617) 574-0741.Join us in building the success of theauto repair industry!


[LOCAL] NEWS

Left to right: SkillsUSA volunteers Ken Robbins,Jim Marshall, Bob Levy, Ashley Scott, Tom Ricciand Rachel Fonseca

ShowCASESSTUDENTS STRENGTh

ThE BESToF ThE BEST:

On April 29, BlackstoneValley RegionalVocational TechnicalHigh School in Uptonopened its doors tostudent competitorsthroughout Massachusettsfor the 2016 SkillsUSAState Conference.

by Joel Gausten


Frederick Teed, a student at Upper CapeCod Regional Technical High School, earned aFirst Place win in the Collision Repair Technol-ogy area, followed in that category by SecondPlace winner Devon Doiron (Westfield Voca-tional High School) and Third Place competi-tor Wayne Boone (Tri-County RegionalTechnical High School). The top spot in theAutomotive Refinishing Technology area wentto Maren Williams of Shawsheen Valley Re-gional Technical High School, followed byAmber Duby (Pathfinder Regional TechnicalHigh School) in Second Place and Brian MillerII (Upper Cape Code Regional Technical HighSchool) in Third Place. Teed and Williams willmove on to compete in the 52ndannual Na-tional Leadership and Skills Conference(NLSC), held June 20-24 in Louisville,KY.More than 16,000 people - including stu-dents, teachers and business partners - are ex-pected to participate in the weeklong event.

Chaired by AASP/MA Board memberTom Ricci (Body & Paint Center, Hudson), theCollision Repair Technology competition wasjudged by a group of volunteers including BobLevy (Don Kennett, Inc., Lawrence), Jim Mar-shall (Marshall Autobody Experts, Billerica),Mike Spaan (Thomas Waldron Auto BodyCARSTAR, Worcester), Ashley Scott (USAA In-surance Co.), George Fournier (Herb Cham-bers), Seth Elie (Acme Body & Paint, JamaicaPlain), Joe Costa (Diman RegionalVocationalTechnical High School, Fall River) and NelsonTorres (MAPFRE Insurance). Led by ChairmanKen Robbins of BASF, the Automotive Refin-ishing Technology competition was overseenby fellow BASF representatives AshleyGolden, Scott Onanian, Ben Swain and SteveVanderbeek. In addition to Robbins and Riccisponsoring their respective areas, the competi-tion thrived this year thanks to additionalsponsorship from 3M Products, Keystone andUniversal Technical Institute.

This years SkillsUSA saw the return of2008 State Champion Rachel Fonseca, who


traveled to Blackstone Valley to volunteer hertime at the event and help out any way shecould. Still a very active member of the autobody field, she has worked in the front office atCarls Collision Center in Fall River for thepast several years and recently earned a lawdegree.

Im looking for any job that will allow meto combine my law degree and my love for thisindustry, she says. Personally, I would like topursue some legislative work within the auto-motive industry.

Looking back at her experience as a SkillsUSAcompetitor, Fonseca credits the event for build-ing a foundation for her current and futurework in the automotive field.

SkillsUSA gave me most of the opportu-nities that Ive had, she shares. Participatingin the competition not only taught me disci-pline and respect, but it showed me that iftheres something out there that you want andyou put the work into it, good things can comefrom it. I really appreciate what it did for me atsuch a young age, and Ive seen what it can dofor kids currently participatingI love goingback and being able to pay it forward.

Founded in 1965, SkillsUSA is a nationwidepartnership of students, instructors and industryworking together to ensure America has a skilledworkforce. The nationwide career and technical ed-ucation student organization annually serves morethan 300,000 high school, college and postsec-ondary students and instructors in technical,skilled and service occupation instructional pro-grams. SkillsUSA has the active support of morethan 600 corporations, trade associations, businessand labor unions at the national level. SkillsUSAprograms teach leadership, citizenship and charac-ter development to complement technical skilltraining. The organization emphasizes respect forthe dignity of work, ethics, workmanship, scholar-ship and safety. For more information, go to skillsusa.org.

MASSACHUSETTS


For some, choosing a career in the colli-sion repair field is a savvy business decision.For others, its a way of life.

I guess you could say its in my blood, chucklesEdward J.R. Force, Jr., the owner of Repairs Unlimitedin Georgetown. I represent the third generation of bodymen in my family; from a young age, I was always in ashop with family members and hanging around cars as Igrew up. I never really had the desire to go to college,but I was always interested and skilled at working withmy hands. At the age of 21, I decided it was time to startout on my own in the industry.

In 1985, J.R. rented a small facility and opened Re-pairs Unlimited for business.

At first, it was just me running the place, he says.We started from nothing - just opening the doors, say-ing we did body work and mainly working for familyand friends. But it blossomed from there.

In 1990, he was able to bring his father in to help runthe business; in 1996, J.R. purchased property to buildthe shops current location.

Today, weve grown to where you can work onnine cars in the shop, he notes. I have three employees- two full time and one part-time - with my father run-ning the office and me running the shop.

As J.R. explains, Repairs Unlimited specializes inanything related to collision repair, with a specificfocus on customer service.

In over 30 years, our main source of marketing hasbeen word of mouth, he says. We stay very busy allyear round, and Id like to think its because of the qual-ity of work we do, as well as the way we work with ourcustomers. I was always brought up that you shouldtreat people the way youd like to be treated. That phi-losophy has definitely carried over into our business.Nobodys walking in my door happy that they got intoan accident. But when they leave, theyre extremelyhappy with the repair they got, and how they weretreated.

At Repairs Unlimited, a large part of providing top-notch customer service involves staying up to date onconstantly changing technology.

This industry is still a hands-on craft, but theprocesses have changed dramatically in the 30 years Ivebeen in business, and the cars are becoming more andmore complex every day, he says. You need to tap intoas many resources as possible to stay ahead. We are an I-CAR-certified shop, and we regularly attend training tomake sure were getting all the information we need.

The most recent tool J.R. has utilized to stay con-nected to the industry is AASP/MA membership.

Weve only been a member for a couple ofmonths, he explains. Its one of those things that I al-ways considered, but Im just so busy that I really hadnthad the chance to [do it]. And I sat back one day andsaid, Well, why havent I? There are shops in this area

[MEMBER SHOP] SPOTLIGHT


Repairs Unlimited looksforward to building a strong

future with AASP/MA.


who are members, who are very re-spected business people and who runtheir shops the same way I doIthought of my peers in the area, and re-alized that I needed to be involved aswell.

Someone I talk to quite frequentlyis [former AASP/MA President] TomRicci, J.R. adds. Any questions, I givehim a call and pick his brain. Hes donewell for himself in the association andthe industry, and I respect him and hisopinions.

After more than three decades inthe collision repair field, J.R. notes thathis facilitys success and the successof any shop should all boil down tothe people who walk in the door.

Repairing cars, as difficult as it canbe, can almost become somewhat easy ifyou follow the proper manufacturerspecifications and processes, he says.But its dealing with the customers,making sure they understand what theyget at the end of the day and how theircar has been repaired, that can set ashop apart from the rest. I try to takeaway that stigma that the cars nevergoing to be the same after an accident,and offer the same level of support tothe customer with the $200 bumper jobas we do the customer with the $10,000overhaul. We make sure that every cus-tomer knows how important they are tous, and put that same focus into the jobswe do. I tell my employees that if wegive people nothing to complain about,they will come back and bring others.Its worked out very well.

For more information on Repairs Un-limited, please visit repairsunlimited.net.

MASSACHUSETTS


As a member of the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Massachusetts (AASP/MA), I will abide by the associations bylaws and code ofethics. I understand that membership in AASP of Massachusetts is non-transferable, and I must remain current with my dues in order to be a member in good standing. I understand that if I discontinue my membership that I must immediately cease using any association promotions,logos or materials. Additionally, I understand that as part of my AASP of Massachusetts membership, I will receive New England Automotive Report, the official publication of AASP of Massachusetts, faxes, emails and other mailings.

2016 MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

*** PLEASE TYPE oR PRINT LEGIBLY ***

12 Post office Square, 6th Floor Boston, MA 02109Phone: (617) 574-0741 | Fax: (617) 695-0173|[email protected]

Primary Contact Name: ________________________________________________________________________________________________

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As required by the U.S. Tax Code, AASP of Massachusetts, Inc. informs its members that 75% of the dues paid to the associationare tax deductible. The remaining 25% is allocated to legislative activities and is not tax deductible.

MASSACHUSETTS


(3#s on back for Visa, 4 on front for AMEX)

MEMBERSHIP TYPE (check one)

Collision Repair ShopMechanical Repair ShopBoth, Collision & Mechanical Repair ShopsVendorRS Number (if applicable) ________________________________

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ADDITIONAL CONTACT FOR NEWSLETTERS AND LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

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ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP DUES (The AASP membership year is from January 1 to December 31, 2016)

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NEW! Political Action Committee (PAC)Donation ...............$_____

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AD INDEX

AUTAUT MM TIVETIVEN E WN E W E N G L A N DE N G L A N D

continued from pg. 31

(aaspma.org). The current version of212 CMR 2.00 is available attinyurl.com/p7g6klz.

In other ADALB news, the Boardsregular session on April 26 addressedthe concept of a Board member filinghis or her own complaint against an ap-praiser. Starbard introduced the topicafter recently discovering that an insur-ance appraiser who was writing at hisshop was unlicensed (after failing thestate exam twice) and using his supervi-sors license number on appraisals.

After much discussion, the ADALB de-termined that a complaint in this mattercould only be filed against the supervi-sor, as the Board currently does nothave jurisdiction over unlicensed ap-praisers. Additionally, Starbard (or anyother Board member who files a com-plaint) would need to recuse himselffrom the Boards subsequent work onthe issue.

MASSACHUSETTS


[LOCAL] NEWS

new england automotive report june 2016

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