The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) has made the recently established Louisiana Collision Industry Association (LaCIA) its first Affiliate Association in the state of Louisiana.
Though recently formed, LaCIA has already captured the interest of collision repairers across the Pelican State seeking to change the collision repair industry for the better.
"Toward the end of last year, we spread the message through a grassroots word-of-mouth and email campaign that we were thinking of forming an association, and the news spread as if it had a life of its own," said LaCIA Executive Director Alysia Hanks. "Hundreds of collision repairers turned out in December for a meeting to gauge initial interest, which was far beyond what we were expecting. Repairers understood the importance of standing together for our future survival. The response has been great to see."
LaCIA says SCRS played a pivotal role in aiding it in its infancy, offering guidance and resources that helped it get up and running.
"SCRS’ leadership was very generous with their time when we were in the preliminary steps of establishing ourselves," said Hanks. "This was new territory for us, and we were hungry for information. They shared a lot that helped in our formation – examples of bylaws, sample documents and, of course, the experience of SCRS’ board and network of other affiliates. It allowed us to model ourselves after the best and get started in the right direction. SCRS provides an important national perspective for our members, and they will be a group we will proudly work closely with as we continue to grow and evolve."
LaCIA already has 70 members, consisting of collision repairers, industry suppliers and vendors.
"The growth, focus and determination we have seen from LaCIA really demonstrate the appetite that repairers have to be connected to organizations that reflect their voice on issues of importance to their businesses," said SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg. "It also stands as a great example of the value in making a connection and networking with knowledgeable professionals who have a history of experience in the association realm. This is a highly motivated group, and their passion for the industry will serve their members well. We are honored to grow our network of associations to include the great state of Louisiana, and are looking forward to seeing the industry in that state mature as professionals through this association."
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