ASRW PRESS CONTACT:
Shelby Hausler
(888) 529-1641 / (972) 536-6318
www.NACEexpo.com
www.CARSevent.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Inaugural Summit Provides Strategic Information to Association Leaders

Dallas/Oct. 29, 2010  – The first Association Leadership Summit held in conjunction with Automotive Service & Repair Week (ASRW) successfully educated various association leaders on best practices. ASRW includes the International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE) and the Congress of Automotive Repair and Service (CARS) and was held Oct. 10-13, 2010, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.

More than 100 associations were invited to participate in the complimentary Association Leadership Summit that drew 60 industry leaders who participated in the education and networking session sponsored by the Automotive Service Association (ASA). The summit, titled “Association Best Practices in a Recessionary Economy,” was presented and facilitated Oct. 9 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center by Susanne Connors Bowman, co-owner, the Haefer Group Ltd. Bowman is also the 2010-11 chair of the ASAE & The Center Consultants Section Council. Guest speakers included Mitch Schneider, AAM ,CARS chairman, and Jerry Burns, AAM, NACE chairman.

Ron Pyle, ASA president and chief staff executive, said, “As the first event of its kind, we’ve received great feedback from the Association Leadership Summit and feel it provided value to all in attendance, which paves the way for similar events in the future.”

A recording of the summit presentation is archived and available for complimentary viewing at www.NACEexpo.com or www.CARSevent.com. Additionally, materials distributed by Bowman during the session are also available for download.

ASA plans to host a second summit at its 2011 annual business meeting next May in Washington, D.C., and a third in conjunction with Automotive Service & Repair Week, scheduled for the fall of 2011.

“I encourage all association staff and volunteer leadership to take advantage of this valuable educational resource – especially the archived presentation and materials we’ve made available online at no charge,” said Pyle.

About the Events
ASRW includes the International Autobody Congress & Exposition (NACE) and the Congress of Automotive Repair & Service (CARS), which makes it the industry’s leading event for true professionals to conduct business, network and engage in industry issues.

NACE – the world’s collision repair event – represents the only B2B event of its kind specifically designed for collision repair industry professionals from around the globe. NACE features a comprehensive educational Conference and Exposition with hundreds of diverse exhibiting companies displaying the latest equipment, products, services and technology available to today’s collision repair industry. www.NACEexpo.com

CARS – the premier event for automotive service professionals – features a high-quality education lineup led by industry leaders, along with an exhibitor showcase of automotive service and repair related equipment, products and services. www.CARSevent.com

For additional information, contact Hanley Wood Exhibitions at P.O. Box 612128, Dallas, Texas 75261-2128 or call (888) 529-1641 or (972) 536-6444.

About the Sponsor
The Automotive Service Association (ASA) is the sponsor of ASRW and two of its shows, NACE and CARS. ASA is the largest international not-for-profit trade association of its kind dedicated to and governed by independent automotive service and repair professionals. ASA advances professionalism and excellence in the automotive industry through education, legislative representation and member services. Its international membership base includes numerous affiliate, state and chapter groups from all segments of the industry. For additional information about ASA, go to www.ASAshop.org. ASRW, NACE and CARS are produced by Hanley Wood Exhibitions.

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