CARSTAR shop owners, vendors and other industry leaders will gather Aug. 1-3, 2018, for the Momentum 2018 CARSTAR conference. The conference will be held in Calgary, Alberta, located in the eastern foothills of Canada’s Rocky Mountains.
CARSTAR has entered 2018 with establishing the proprietary operational platform known as EDGE, and has recently opened its 600th North American location just this past month. Momentum 2018 will be at the Telus Convention Center with special events hosted throughout famous Calgary landmarks such as the Stampede grounds, Olympic Plaza and the Scotiabank Saddledome. Nearly 1,000 vendor partners, corporate team members, industry leaders and CARSTAR franchise partners are expected to attend Momentum 2018.
Kicking off Momentum 2018 is the annual charity walk, this year named “Walk the Line,” in support of cystic fibrosis (CF) research, care and advocacy. Concluding at Olympic Plaza, home of the 1988 Winter Olympics medal ceremony, Walk the Line ends with awards for the top cystic fibrosis fundraisers in the CARSTAR network, presented by Cystic Fibrosis Canada and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Opening ceremonies will follow that afternoon with attendees saddling up in the evening for a Calgary Stampede-style rodeo at the Calgary Stampede grounds in the Nutrien Western Event Center.
The conference will also include two days of programs on strategic planning, financial management, operational improvements, marketing strategies, technical education, panel discussions, keynote speakers, insurance breakout sessions, vendor expo and a special panel on the automotive aftermarket. CARSTAR’s Momentum 2018 conference will close Friday night with the annual CARSTAR gala dinner and awards ceremony.
Special guests and speakers include:
- Mike Anderson, owner and operator of Collision Advice, an industry research, reference and consulting business
- Vincent Romans, founding principal and managing partner of The Romans Group LLC
- W. Brett Wilson, celebrated Canadian entrepreneur, respected philanthropist and the all-time leading deal maker on CBC’s hit TV show, Dragons’ Den
“Our CARSTAR network is bursting with energy, and our Momentum 2018 conference not only reflects this but gives thanks to our valued vendor, insurance and franchise partners for their continued commitment,” said Michael Macaluso, president of CARSTAR. “Filled with educational sessions, informative presentations, inspiring speakers, fun events and our world-class vendor trade show, this conference is packed with valuable resources. Aimed to continue the forward momentum of our franchise partner profitability, this conference proves why we are not only the largest MSO network but also the industry leader for premier collision repairs.”
