The US Alliance of Collision Professionals (USACP), a collision repair association headquartered in Greater Cincinnati, is the latest affiliate to join the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS).
The USACP’s 25 charter members formed the alliance on Oct. 22, 2007, with a keen eye toward finding common ground with others.
“To operate in today’s industry is to openly communicate, cooperate and participate with other repairers and associations,” explains President Phil Mosley. “Sensibilities may differ based on where members work every day, and challenges will vary, but we can still link arms around key issues.”
In line with its philosophy, the USACP wishes not to limit itself geographically. While its administrative offices are in southern Ohio, it has members in neighboring Kentucky and Indiana.
“Although our membership is primarily based in Ohio, if someone from another state can benefit from membership, we would welcome them,” states Mosley. “The ‘US’ in our name stands in part for ‘all of us.’”
Soon after it became a formal organization, the USACP began to research possible avenues toward providing a national perspective for its members. They found one at an Automotive Service Council of Kentucky, Inc., meeting last fall. SCRS Executive Director Dan Risley was the featured speaker, and the USACP members decided to immediately pursue involvement with SCRS.
“Dan ended up coming to one of our board meetings to speak about affiliation and the subsequent vote to join was unanimous,” Mosley says. “SCRS leadership knows the importance of working with other industry segments to best serve the vehicle owner without sacrificing collision repair interests. Such valued expertise is rare, and we look forward to sharing it with our members.”
The USACP’s progressive approach to the vehicle owner appealed to SCRS.
“The US Alliance of Collision Professionals have to date demonstrated a unique and admirable focus on customer service,” says SCRS Chairman Farzam Afshar. “They aggressively educate consumers on their rights as insureds, claimants and policyholders, as well as on technical issues. Exposure to this kind of leadership and commitment will benefit all of our members, thereby reinforcing again that ‘Working Together Is the Most Important Work We Do.’”
The Nebraska Autobody Association (NABA) also became an affiliate member of the SCRS.
The unanimous decision to join SCRS was made during the last NABA board meeting at the 2008 Collision Industry Days event in Omaha, Neb.
“We see SCRS continuing to move in a positive direction, and the NABA board decided it was time to join ranks and strengthen both state and national efforts,” said NABA President Scott Meints.
Operating in today’s ever-changing marketplace requires associations to become involved in joint industry efforts, and the unanimous vote by the NABA board to join SCRS is a resolute decision that it’s time to unite. NABA believes that unifying the collision repair industry through active participation in local, state and national association initiatives will be vital to the survival of the collision repair trade.
“We can only make a difference by becoming actively involved and being part of those associations that support the objectives of organized collision repair.” Meints said. “We will continue to educate consumers, claimants and policyholders on their right to receive a quality repair, as well as educate our members of new technical issues.”
For more information, visit www.usacp.org, www.scrs.com and www.nebraskaautobody.com.
