What You Need to Know
 
To Elevate and Unite Automotive Professionals, and Give Them Voice

Like ASCCA on Our New Facebook Page 

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Please visit us on our new Facebook page. We look forward to your comments and shared experiences. We will be posting information, links and events as a way to continue supporting our community and advancing our industry. Please encourage your friends and colleagues to "Like" us as well! We look forward to hearing from you soon!

 

ASCEF 2013 Scholarship Program -
TODAY is the Deadline March 1, 2013

 

Our scholarship program is open to high school seniors who are planning to enroll in post high school technical/academic training or college under-graduates in the automotive service field satisfying certain criteria. Scholarships range from $500 to $1,000 which may be used toward tuition and/or books. The application deadline has been extended to March 1, 2013 so that our committee can thoroughly review applicants and make sure the awards are distributed before the end of the academic year.

 

Please click here to a scholarship application

 

 

 

 

 Do you have your Sign You Can Trust Sign?

   

 

The Sign You Can Trust contest deadline is March 31! The chapter with the highest percentage of shops with the new sign will win 1 FREE ADMISSION to the 2013 Summer Conference INCLUDING a two night stay at the Hilton Irvine.

There will also be four winners drawn from the raffle who will have a chance to win:
  • Three cases of synthetic oil from Kendall Oil
  • Made to order ASCCA jacket from G & K Services
  • $100 Visa gift card
  • Beautiful limited edition print by wildlife artist Sandra Jordan

All you have to do is get your adjunct The Sign You Can Trust sign - take a picture - and email it to us.

 

To get your sign email Heather Vigil at [email protected].

To send us a picture of your sign email it to Cindi Alvidrez at [email protected].

This is a great opportunity to introduce ASCCA shops to consumers as the quality shops in California who will meet their automotive needs.

 

 

Counterfeit AC Refrigerant Poses Serious Danger to Technicians


The Coordinating Committee for Automotive Repair (CCAR) is alerting the automotive industry about the serious dangers of counterfeit and contaminated AC refrigerant after another 3500 cylinders of counterfeit refrigerant were seized by Saudi authorities in February.

The problem is caused by counterfeiters who are manufacturing cylinders of AC refrigerant labeled as pure R-134a but in fact contain R-134a mixed with other
refrigerants such as R-40.

When R-40 is exposed to aluminum, commonly used in a/c system components, it forms a toxic, flammable and highly volatile compound known as trimethyl aluminum that is explosive upon contact with air
R-40 is a harmful and dangerous material that is not suited for use in automotive R-134a a/c systems.

CCAR invited guest blogger Bob Miller of Train Them Now, LLC to publish an article on the issue to help explain the dangers and offer some solutions for repairers that handle AC service.

According to Miller, if R40 is found in a system, the system is considered unrepairable. There is no safe and approved solution for removal of the refrigerant and neutralization of the aluminum compound that may have been formed.

Miller suggests several precautions:
  • Always identify refrigerant on every vehicle before you hook your equipment to it
  • Be wary of R-134-a being sold well below the current market price
  • Look for misspellings or poor quality on cylinder labels that might indicate a counterfeit
  • Hook a refrigerant identifier to a new cylinder of R-134a as a precaution

 

 

 

IN THIS ISSUE
ASCEF 2013 Scholarship Program Deadline March 1, 2013
Do you have your Sign You Can Trust sign?
Counterfeit AC Refrigerant Poses Serious Danger
Liability Insurance Requirement for NASTF
Nominate an ASCCA Member of the Month
 

February Member of the Month Kris Cesena

   
Kris Cesena, Auto Medics, San Mateo, CA

In her own words:

"My inspiration to become involved in the automotive repair industry came in the summer between high school and college I got a job working as a bookkeeper at a service station. It was there that I met my future husband, Dan Cesena, who was working there as a technician. Three months later we moved in together and 3 years later we opened our own shop. Although I had a full-time job at the time, I would go to the shop after work and on weekends to help Dan with the marketing and general office type work.

 

Dan had worked at many independent shops before working at the Honda Dealer and always wanted to have his own service facility. The popularity of Hondas in the eighties and people's understanding of the importance of routine maintenance was the perfect formula to get the shop going. Dan found a great location in Downtown San Mateo and after several weekends of cleaning up the building we opened in April 1987. The formula worked and the shop was profitable from the very first month. Dan had a partner the first 13 years in business, but after we bought out his partner in 2000, I quit my drafting career and went to work full-time at the shop. Dan taught me everything he knew about running a successful service and repair shop. Together we attended classes from Bob Cooper at Elite, Maylan Newton at ESI, Chubby at ATI, and many others. Our level of customer service and our understanding of business management increased and now after 25 years, we've established ourselves solidly in the community. We feel we have achieved our goal of Auto Medics becoming a well-oiled machine that will live on past us.

Both Dan and I have gained so much from our ASCCA membership! The access to discounted programs and services is a no-brainer. And we're glad to know we have a voice in legislative matters through our association, which is the main reason we joined. But to our surprise, the biggest gains have come from networking with other shop owners. We've learned so much from other's successes, and mistakes. And we've been happy to share our experiences to help others out as well. At first I was concerned about attending meetings with our local competitors, but we soon realized that when we help each other out, we elevate the level of our industry for the better of all shop owners AND consumers.

 

Advice I would offer to new ASCCA members is to really take advantage of the discounts as much as possible by contacting all of the benefit providers and asking what they can offer you as an ASCCA member! The savings you'll receive will more than pay for the cost of membership. But the real value is getting involved. Go to the meetings. Talk to your fellow shop owners. Share information. And then once you've realized all those benefits, become more involved. Join your Chapter's Board of Directors. Become a Chapter Representative. Join the ASCCA Board of Directors. Remember, this association is only as good as its members and volunteers. We have to keep passing the torch to keep it alive, and that's a very worthwhile endeavor."

 

ASCCA members like Kris are shining examples of how
One Member CAN Make a Difference!
Calendar of Events

Legislative Day

Tuesday April 16, 2013

Eureka Room (Basement Level)

California State Capitol

Click here for full agenda.

Click here for Fly-In information

 

Summer Conference 

June 21-23 

Irvine, CA

Hotel Rate: $99 

Hotel Reservation: 1-800-445-8667

 

Team Weekend

September 27-29

Embassy Suites Sacramento

Sacramento, CA 

 

 

Liability Insurance Requirement for NASTF Vehicle Security Professional (VSP) Registry
 

During a recent ASCCA meeting, NASTF Executive Director Skip Potter was asked a question regarding the insurance requirement to obtain an LSID from the NASTF Vehicle Security Registry. The following is a detailed explanation of the insurance requirement that should answer that question.

 

NASTF requires applicants to the VSP Registry to provide a "Certificate of Insurance" naming NASTF as a certificate holder and indicating commercial liability coverage of at least $1 million for the business of the applicant.

 

For businesses where the LSID holder is not the owner and where the business is applying for multiple LSID accounts under the business' primary account, an additional Employee Fidelity or Vicarious Liability insurance (or Surety Bond) of $100,000 (per business, not per employee) is required.

 

Most established businesses will already have liability insurance through their own local agent so application to the NASTF VSP Registry is a simple request to their agent asking to name NASTF as a certificate holder and provide NASTF that certificate. Local agents usually also sell the employee surety bonds, as well.

 

NASTF has no requirement that a VSP Registry applicant be a member of any locksmith or aftermarket automotive trade association. However, it is wise for businesses to regularly obtain competitive insurance rate quotes from the agencies that may be endorsed by your local or national trade association.

 

Click here for the NASTF LSID Registration Application

 

  

Nominate an ASCCA Member for Member of the Month!

 

The ASCCA Member of the Month is a new program developed by ASCCA leadership to recognize our members who go above and beyond to support our core purpose: To Elevate and Unite Automotive Professionals and Give Them Voice.

 

Each Member of the Month will receive a certificate and a $50 Visa gift card. Additionally, the member will be recognized on the ASCCA website homepage for one month, announced on Team Talk, featured in the WYNTK and in the California Independent.

 

YOU can nominate a Member of the Month by sending your recommendation to Heather Vigil at [email protected]. All nominations should include a summary of why your nominee should be considered for ASCCA's Member of the Month.

 

When making a recommendation, please use the following criteria:

  • Faithfully adheres to ASCCA code of ethics
  • Active proponent of ASCCA (both State and Chapter); talks up ASCCA to non-members
  • Actively helps oter shops succeed (both member and non-member shops)
  • Utilizes member benefits (ASCCA Advantage) and mentors new members utilizing benefits
  • Active in local Chapter (where applicable) and state events
  • Adds his/her voice to legislative issues; contacting representatives on key issues
  • Pays dues on time
  • Participates in/monitors Team Talk

 

Each nomination will be carefully reviewed and considered by the ASCCA Membership Committee. The pool of Members of the Month winners will be voted on by the Chapter Representatives Committee for Member of the Year to be honored at ASCCA's Summer Conference, June 21-23, 2013 at the Hilton Irvine Orange County.

 

For more information on the Member of the Month program, please contact Heather Vigil at [email protected].

 

 

 

Special Thank You to ASCCA's Diamond Sponsors!
 
www.iatn.net 
 

One Capitol Mall, Suite 320
Sacramento, CA 95814
(800) 810-4272