AASP/NJ is proud to announce exclusive NORTHEAST 2024 education!

Attendees must have a valid NORTHEAST badge ID to register for seminars. 

*RETURNING FOR 2024: Sign up for classes and bring a friend FOR FREE!*

NORTHEAST attendees who register for NORTHEAST 2024 educational offerings have the option to add a “plus one” to that same class for FREE!

To take advantage of this offer, when registering for classes please check the blue “add plus 1” box at the far right. This will add one additional attendee to the registration for each course of your choosing, at no additional cost to you.

NOTE: The “Plus one” option is only available for the same class as the primary registrant, and cannot be used on alternate classes or days. Primary registrants will receive a “plus 1” printed on their NORTHEAST 2024 badge, and will show this badge at the door to admit themselves plus one additional attendee to the classes they have indicated on their registration.

FRIDAY, MARCH 15 (show hours: 5pm-10pm)

8am
100% Disassembly
Presented by Mike Anderson (Collision Advice)

This class explores the importance of creating a culture of doing things WITH your team, not TO your team and how to gain their support for the common goal of 100% disassembly. Often shops believe they are completely disassembling vehicles, however, we find the vehicles still have components that should have been R&I’d. Therefore, this course will look at the reasons WHY components need to be R&I’d from a vehicle and provide real-world examples for each reason.

1pm
Game Changer CSR
Presented by Sheryl Driggers (Collision Advice)

Learn how to deliver an EXTRA-ordinary Customer Experience! This four-hour training program combines the powerful, experiential teachings of Mike Jones of Discover Leadership Training with the collision industry knowledge of Collision Advice. Learn to identify a customer’s DISC style and how to best communicate with each personality, positively transform every relationship by accepting Personal Responsibility and understand how to deliver an EXTRAORDINARY CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE throughout the repair process.

5:30pm
Adopt, Adapt, Advance: ADAS Dos & Don’ts
Presented by Chuck Olsen (AirPro Diagnostics)
Seminar Room A

To successfully perform ADAS calibrations in your facility, you must adopt specific practices for safety, OEM procedures and space/tool requirements; adapt as these processes are constantly changing, and advance only when you have reached a point of understanding and mastery of what’s necessary – NOT before. Join industry expert Chuck Olsen in this technical discussion of do’s and don’ts, training considerations, a look at new tests on the horizon – and already here! – and much more.

5:30pm
The Future of Certification: Finding the Best Fit For Your Shop
Presented by Dave Gruskos (Reliable Automotive Equipment)
Seminar Room B

OEM certification is no longer a guarantee for repair facilities. This session will explore exactly what certification is, and how shops can protect that status. Topics discussed will include tooling and equipment, shop culture, initial and continued education, and much more.

7:30pm
Put the Brakes on Passing Defects in the Repair Process
Presented by Jeramy Holloway & Alex Stapleton (Spanesi Americas Inc.)
Seminar Room A

During this session, attendees will gain a better understanding of:
● Customer expectations: How to set them, and meet them!
● Blueprinting the repair: How to create a process for successful not stressful repairs,
● Quality control: Inserting hard stops into your standard operating procedures to maintain quality, control WIP and ensure goals are met,
● Finalizing the repair: Sublets, QCs, and test drives

7:30pm
Being Elite in a Consolidated Market
Presented by John Shoemaker (BASF)
Seminar Room B

“As shops become more specialized through OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) certifications, they are catching criticism from third party payers who have a lack of understanding for the value of proper repairs. Independent collision centers maintaining OEM certifications should not operate under the same restrictions as a high-volume direct repair facilities. There are higher costs involved, especially with luxury models, but with mass market vehicles as well.

This presentation’s intent is to illustrate to independent vehicle repair businesses how to express their differences to reduce push back and gain reimbursement for the OEM required operations.

Being elite should not be a punishment but be recognized as a mark of excellence.

● Understand how to communicate to a customer why having their vehicle repaired at a certified repair facility is a benefit.
● Learn how to explain the different skill sets used in a repair and why labor rates are higher than a high-volume facility to a third-party payer.
● Acknowledge their position in their market to maximize visibility and prominence as an elite repair facility.”

SATURDAY, MARCH 16 (show hours: 10am-5pm)

8am
I-CAR: The Latest in Electric Vehicle Technology and Repair
Presented by Jeff Poole (I-CAR Manager, Subject Matter Expert Team)

Get an overview of safety protocols surrounding the repair of Battery Electric or Hybrid Vehicles (BEVs/HEVs) post-collision. Led by EV industry expert, Jeff Poole, this presentation sheds light on potential hazards impacting property, technicians, and customers, stressing the importance of understanding EV intake and high-voltage battery handling. In this presentation we’ll cover the EV intake process and high-voltage battery handling.

You’ll hear about the importance of personal and environmental safety equipment, how to interpret an EV’s battery scanner data, and the knowledge and skills required to reduce the potential for harmful or fatal errors. With the increasing popularity of EVs on the road, it is important to have a specific understanding of how to ensure safety risks are addressed prior, during, and following an EV repair. Learn more about courses and resources at I-CAR.com/EV.

10am
PANEL DISCUSSION
Getting More ADAS in Your Shop: What Does It Take?
Panelists: Nick Barbera (Union Collision), Josh McFarlin (AirPro Diagnostics), Ken Miller (821 Collision),  Paul Sgro (Lee’s Garage); Moderated by Joel Gausten

Becoming an ADAS calibrations center can quite literally transform one’s business, but it doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing endeavor. Join ADAS experts as well as shops who have successfully taken the ADAS plunge as they describe their experiences and takeaways, from tools, equipment and training to prerequisites to perform ADAS operations, successes and challenges along the way, and much more.

12pm
Thriving in Chaos
Presented by David Luehr (Elite Body Shop Solutions)

Collision industry expert, author, and business coach Dave Luehr believes that, for some businesses, right now is the greatest time in history to be in the collision repair business. History has proven again and again that during times of change and chaos, some businesses fail while others succeed wildly. During “Thriving in Chaos”, Dave will entertain and inspire the audience as he shares the attitudes, cultures, and practices of those who have fostered a change-driven organization and risen to the top.

The audience will learn:
• How to embrace change instead of fighting it.
• How to become an influential leader during times of chaos.
• How to build a team and culture capable of adapting quickly.
• Practical tips on navigating through the noise to find your best direction.

2pm
I-CAR: Ford Collision Repair Workshop
Gerry Bonanni (Ford Paint and Technology Center)

Ford Senior Body & Paint Service Engineer, Gerry Bonanni, will share information on the “How” and “Why” Ford has created the Body Repair Procedures with the collision repair technician in mind. This presentation, created in collaboration with I-CAR, includes very helpful information and identifies additional Ford resources for a complete, safe, and quality repair.

4pm
PANEL DISCUSSION
Survivor: Exploring Trends That Will Shape the Next Decade & Beyond!
Panelists: Mike Anderson (Collision Advice); Michael Bonsanto (Passaic County Technical Institute); Dave Gruskos (Reliable Automotive Equipment); Ken Miller (821 Collision); Evangelos “Lucky” Papageorg (AASP/MA); Frank Terlep (Opus IVS); Moderated by Joel Gausten

What trends should repairers be paying attention to in order to be successful not only now, but in the future? This panel discussion of industry experts will cover topics including, but not limited to:
• EV repair
• ADAS
• Specialization
• Certification
• AI in the shop
• Training & education
• Staying connected through associations & industry events

SUNDAY, MARCH 17 (show hours: 10am-3pm)

9am
Success Today, Success Tomorrow  
Presented by Mike Anderson (Collision Advice)

What does success look like today, and what will it look like tomorrow? Mike Anderson shares insights gleaned from traveling over 300 days a year working with hundreds of shops, OEMs, software companies and his own personal experiences. He’ll discuss moving to a four-day work week, trends with OEM insurance, OEM certifications, and DRP versus non-DRP. Find out what ESG is and how it may impact our industry, trends on customer pay repair orders and why it is CRITICAL to build a relationship with the vehicle owner. Speculate on what the future holds for Innovation in scheduling and how AI may impact that. In addition, Mike will share his latest state-by-state Average labor hours per RO and per labor category and the consequences of “Being GREEDY!”

11am
Picking the Right Lane to Pass Along Your Automotive Repair Business
Presented by Jason E. Marx, Esq., Mandelbaum Barrett PC 

The operational demands of running a business can be all-consuming, but it’s essential that owners take the time to assess their organization’s business succession plan. A solid succession plan can drive the growth of the business, reduce taxes and set the stage for retirement, not to mention preserve family harmony and wealth. This presentation will address a broad range of topics to facilitate the transition of management and ownership, including:

i. Strategic long-term approaches to business succession planning and their impact on personal and business goals;
ii. How the impact on business formation structure, valuation methods and financing can impact succession planning;
iii. How management talent assessment, development and compensation planning can promote the next generation of leadership;
iv. The importance of planning for gift and estate tax, as well as income tax planning, to address family and business needs and retirement goals; and
v. The importance of balancing business needs with family concerns.

*Schedule subject to change.