Valspar Automotive announced it is supporting the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) 2016 Repairer Driven Education (RDE) Series at the SEMA Show this year Nov. 1-4 in Las Vegas at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Charlie Whitaker, the automotive coatings company’s Quality First technical manager, will lead the topic, “Developing New Talent in a Shrinking Workforce While Reducing Labor Costs,” from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 1st.
Courses for the series at SEMA are set by SCRS based on content that specifically relates to issues and information that is relevant to collision repair professionals operating in today’s marketplace. Topics appeal to the diverse array of marketplace perspectives that exist.
The seminar led by Whitaker will be held in classroom N237 in the Upper North Hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
“Today more than ever, body shop owners are faced with the challenges of delivering a quality product and service in a timely manner and yet remain profitable in a market of rising cost,” says Whitaker. “Owners and managers that attend this presentation can expect to learn valuable information and methods in order to battle an increasing problem within our industry. That is, finding the right people, working within the constraints of a shrinking workforce pool, attracting new talent, and the cost of turnover and ways to reduce it.”
Since 2011, Whitaker has been working with key customers at Valspar Automotive to improve productivity and profitability in the shop. Prior to Valspar Automotive, Whitaker worked at Collision Authority Spring Valley in Las Vegas as a manager. Throughout his 20-plus years in the collision industry, he has held multiple positions in the shop ranging from technician to general manager.
Whitaker holds a Master Certification in Collision Repair and Estimating from The National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) and is accredited in management and general business administration from the Automotive Management Institute.
Tickets to SCRS RDE sessions range from $75 to $400. To register, visit www.semashow.com. For more information about Valspar Automotive, visit www.valsparauto.com.
