At the close of NACE 2013, the Automotive Service Association (ASA) announced that Stone Fort Group will replace Hanley Wood Exhibitions as the company that will provide conference management, sales and marketing
for NACE and CARS 2014.
“I can’t thank the Hanley Wood
team enough for the decades of service to our industry, ASA and our
event attendees," said Dan Risley, ASA executive director. "The level of dedication they have shown to our CARS and
NACE events has been unsurpassed. They have been true partners to the
association, and we make this transition maintaining the utmost respect
and appreciation of Hanley Wood and their leadership. With exciting and
significant changes to our trade show format in 2014, we now welcome
Stone Fort Group, which will be working with Hanley Wood during the next
few months to ensure a smooth hand-off as we launch CARS and NACE in
Detroit next July.”
Added Lindsay Roberts,
show director, Hanley Wood Exhibitions, “It’s been an honor and a privilege to have such a great partner as
we’ve had in ASA, and for the opportunity to be a part of NACE and CARS and the automotive service and repair industry. We feel completely confident
Stone Fort Group’s direction of NACE and CARS in 2014 and beyond will
positively impact the show, the association and the industry.”
Stone Fort Group co-founders Sean Guerre and Brian Nessen have extensive
trade show and conference experience. For more than 20 years they have
managed, owned and consulted on events around the world, including
co-located programs.
“We are excited to be a part of the changes taking place with the NACE
and CARS events and feel the new direction of ASA will allow us to
revitalize the show as well as be innovative in delivering an enhanced
show experience for exhibitors and attendees,” said Nessen. “We look
forward to contributing to the event by using our experience with
numerous events that have the history and industry support that NACE and
CARS brings.”
Added Guerre, “We’re honored to be involved with ASA on the NACE and CARS events. We will carry on the good work that Hanley Wood performed
for many years and make the transition as seamless as possible for
partners, attendees, exhibitors and sponsors.”
As far as the 2013 NACE is concerned, ASA called it a success, with more than 100 hours of management education and technical training, the largest MSO Symposium to date with 17 sponsoring organizations, two concurrent opening general sessions featuring industry-specific content and a lively welcome party on the show floor.
The expo featured more than 170 exhibitors supporting the show; the ASRW Main Stage sponsored by BodyShop Business, which featured a different industry speaker every hour, on the hour; scan tool demonstrations; PDR certification demonstrations; Recycled Rides gifting ceremonies and the First Responder Emergency Extrication demonstration; and the ASA Marketplace and Business & Technology Pavilion.
NACE and CARS 2014 will take place July 29 through Aug. 2 at the Cobo Center in Detroit, Mich., and will be co-located with I-CAR, CIC and the Collision Repair Education Foundation.
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