On the Horizon By ARA Executive Director Sandy Blalock
Get Inspired in 2019
Anniversary Convention & Expo now be- hind us, we are evaluating all the surveys and input to help us plan this year’s Annu- al Convention & Expo in Charlotte, Oct. 10-12. We are also busy preparing for the 2019 Hill Days & Legislative Summit that will be held in affiliation with The Wash- ington Auto Show, April 3-4, 2019. This is a huge opportunity for recyclers, to not only visit their legislators and get updated on legislative issues around the country, but also to have a unique opportunity to be a part of the invitation-only preview night of the Auto Show on April 4th. The Washington Auto Show, one of the top five auto shows in the world, will fea- ture 600 exotic, luxury, concept and show- room cars from 35 domestic and foreign manufacturers. You can experience au- tomotive Ride ‘N Drives, including an all new electric vehicle exhibit with indoor ride opportunities, along with Camp Jeep and the Jaguar Land Rover experience. It features a Family Fun Zone, the Art- of-Motion exhibit, appearances by local sports stars, and much more. We hope that you will mark your calendars and plan to join us in D.C.
A
All ARA Committees are heavily en- gaged in their current missions under the guidance of ARA President Jonathan Morrow. To highlight a few, we are mov- ing forward with a new streamlined cer- tification program that will encompass Gold Seal along with the CAR program. This is necessary to better prepare recy- clers for increased demands of quality and improved processes that will only get more challenging. There is no better time to embrace and engage in the de- mands of our future than now. A brand new committee, the Interna- tional Committee, will promote engage- ment and understanding of the pro- fessional automotive recycling industry
6
RA and your staff have been very busy the last couple months. With the 75th
worldwide. It will support learning op- portunities, dialogue and collaborative projects to share industry best practices and innovative approaches to automotive recycling operations and organizations. The International Committee will: • Identify and advise ARA on how to address the issues relevant to professional automotive recyclers around the globe. • Offer a forum for all automotive re- cyclers, especially those without a local and/or national trade association. • Identify, research, discuss, and report on global matters which complement the efforts of the ARA.
The revamped Annual Convention Ed- ucational Programming Committee will determine the needs of the industry and develop a comprehensive program to be presented during the Convention. Their focus is to:
• Review and suggest topics for consid- eration in the education sessions, assist to identify speakers, and serve as a sounding board for the event coordinator. • Be present during sessions to intro- duce speakers, make announcements, and assess the session.
The Government Affairs committee, as usual, is highly engaged on issues within our states and on the national level, as well. The always important state legisla- tive conference calls held weekly during the state legislative sessions will resume in January and continue through the end of most state legislative sessions. This com- mittee will continue to focus on ensuring recycled parts remain a viable and inte- gral option for all vehicle repairs. Education will be at the forefront of ev-
erything we do. The restructuring of ARA University in 2019 will allow us to bring more educational programs directly to all members. Our Technical Advisory Com- mittee is reviewing the many aspects of our industry to prepare training webinars they will present throughout the year.
Most exciting is the new mentor pro- gram – inspired by ARA Past President RD Hopper. It is an effort to engage our most successful recyclers – many of whom have already agreed – to assist fellow recy- clers with the industry’s complexities and help them find solutions for success. Mentoring is an important and easy way to give back, and to share knowledge and experiences that I believe will far outweigh the effort it takes. Mentoring cultivates learning opportunities for both mentor and mentee.
I always found when I have the chance to help others, I honed my skills and found a new sense of direction. Mentor- ing will help mentors effectively commu- nicate concepts and knowledge to the mentees, so they can comprehend and use them in their businesses and pass on that knowledge and skills as future men- tors.
With change comes a new sense of excitement and direction. ARA is dedi- cated and refocused to assure the con- tinued success of our members and auto recyclers. Our goal is that auto recyclers have access to information they need in a timely manner to guide their business de- cisions. Understanding the changes and challenges ahead for the recycling indus- try isn’t just important, it’s a fundamental requirement of our Association. We will constantly review our programs to ensure they are meeting the needs of recyclers today and in the future. You will be seeing many changes ahead at ARA as we continue to grow and evolve to meet these challenges facing the future of au- tomotive recyclers.
Stay tuned and stay in touch!
Email Sandy Blalock at
sandy@a-r-a.org with your thoughts on this topic and other ideas pertaining to the advancement of professional automotive recycling. Your letter could be published in an upcoming Industry Letters column.
January-February 2019 • AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLING
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68