The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers (AASP) board of directors held its spring board meeting on Saturday, March 25, 2006, in Suffern, NY. The meeting, attended by more than 20 affiliate representatives, was held in conjunction with the Northeast 2006 Regional Automotive Trade Show, sponsored by AASP-NJ.
Highlights of the meeting included:
• Announcement of a new, increased discount program, as well as a special, second quarter promotion, for AASP members participating in the Mitchell1 member benefit program.
• Report from Aaron Lowe, vice president of government affairs for the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA). Lowe updated board members on the Right to Repair Act, NASTF formalization process and association health plan legislation.
• AASP Immediate Past President Nick Kostakis, provided an update on the accomplishments and activities of the national estimating database task force, a joint effort with SCRS and ASA. The board expressed its support for a proposal to deal with ongoing, micro-level issues with the estimating systems, including streamlining and facilitating the request for review process.
• Kostakis also reported on another joint project with SCRS and ASA to address issues surrounding the quality and certification of aftermarket parts.
• AASP will sponsor two educational programs geared towards independent shops at the 2006 AAPEX show in Las Vegas. The programs, scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 2, 2006, will address competing with new car dealers and selecting the right information system.
The next meeting of the AASP board of directors will take place on Friday, Nov. 3, 2006, in Las Vegas.
The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers is a coalition of associations which serve more than 7,500 members of the automotive service industry. In a spirit of mutual cooperation and support, Alliance participants are committed to sharing information, knowledge and other resources for the benefit of the members they serve.
For additional information, visit www.autoserviceproviders.com.