The Florida Autobody Collision Alliance (FACA), a new statewide association, is now a Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) affiliate association.

There have always been successful regional associations in Florida, but until recently, no large-scale attempt had been made to coordinate their efforts or facilitate communication between them, FACA says. That began to change in the latter part of 2005.
 
“There was a lot of existing apathy and distrust among shop owners. In an effort to counteract this trend, a handful of industry professionals from different groups and associations began to meet informally in the Jacksonville area,” said FACA President Dave McBroom.

Word spread about the group, and an increasing number of people attended the meetings. Eventually, talk turned to the creation of a formal statewide network under which local associations could retain their autonomy, according to FACA. Members wanted the advantages of a larger group without sacrificing regional focus. SCRS suggested the group create chapters in locations where association participation was already healthy, giving rise to FACA.
 
“We don’t want to operate in a vacuum regarding national issues, and we expect SCRS to provide broad and valuable perspective in that area,” McBroom said of becoming an SCRS affiliate. “Additionally, we desire to cooperate with insurers without sacrificing the best interests of the consumer or our members. SCRS is sure to offer useful insight there.”

FACA has more than 150 members in five chapters centered around Jacksonville, Lakeland, Tampa, Orlando and Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Resources are being set aside for the hiring of an executive director, planned for Jan. 1, 2009.

For more information, visit www.scrs.com.