At the April Collision Industry Conference (CIC) in Phoenix, Ariz., Chairman George Avery provided an overview of the issues and need for clarification associated with CIC’s work on standards, including the future direction the CIC and Standards Committee would take for the remainder of 2013.
Avery clarified the role of the conference and provided direction to both the Definitions and Standards Committees.
"The mission statement of CIC is clear: that it is a forum where collision industry stakeholders come together to discuss issues, build broad understanding, find common ground, and communicate to the industry at-large findings and possible solutions; nothing more," said Avery.
In 2010, the Standards Committee had originally voted to separate itself from CIC and form a standards setting organization to build upon the work of the committee that began in 2007. During 2011 and 2012, the committee stepped back from this initial proposal and conducted meetings and research with industry stakeholders to determine what form a standards effort should take and what value, if any, it could bring to the industry.
According to Avery, key issues for the committee during 2013 will be examining equipment and capabilities requirements, OEM repair procedures and recommendations, and any inspection/verification process.
Both committees received direction from Avery on behalf of the CIC body to report on equipment and capabilities and to clarify the issues surrounding OEM repair procedures at the upcoming July CIC meeting in Boston. The Standards Committee was then asked to finalize the standards work at CIC in November by providing findings on all of the work that has been completed and suggest possible solutions for the future.
"After November, the committee’s work will conclude," said Avery. "We’re not going to saw sawdust any more with the topic because, as the CIC mission states, ‘The forum [communicates] findings and possible solutions,’ and when it comes up to that point, it stops."
Past CIC Chairman Michael Quinn, senior vice president, business development of uParts Inc., has been named Standards Committee chairman along with vice chairs Mike LeVasseur, president and CEO of Keenan Auto Body, and Paul Krauss, president and CEO of Craftsman Autobody. Brett Bailey, owner of A & B CARSTAR, has also been asked to play a role on the committee.
Although Avery was direct in his vision to conclude the Standards Committee in November, he recognized the importance of standards in the industry and the solid work done to date.
"The Standards Committee members have worked hard over the past few years, and I don’t want that good work to go to waste,” he said. “I would like to thank those who worked hard to get us this far and encourage anyone who has a passion for the subject to join the committee. I especially want to thank past CIC chairman Russell Thrall III for his work over the last two years facilitating the continued conversation on standards that began nearly seven years ago. Having past CIC chair Michael Quinn step in as committee chair, as well as Mike LeVasseur and Paul Krauss as vice chairs, is exciting. They bring the repairer’s perspective and overall understanding of all stakeholders in the auto body repair industry."
More information:
People interested in participating on the Standards Committee should contact Mike Quinn at [email protected].
The next Collision Industry Conference will be held July 23-24 at the Westin Boston Waterfront hotel in conjunction with the I-CAR Industry Conference. For more information, visit CIC’s website.
