ASA Training, Business Event Postponed
Noting the seriousness of the Coronavirus, the Automotive Service Association (ASA) Board of Directors decided Friday to postpone the association’s joint CARS (Congress of Automotive Repair & Service), TTF (Technology & Telematics Forum) and annual business meeting until late August or early September.
The board made the decision after some key business partners indicated they might not be able to attend because of company travel bans resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The event had originally been scheduled for May 4-5 in the Dallas-Fort Worth community of Hurst. The new date for the ASA training event and meeting will be announced early next week, ASA President/Executive Director Ray Fisher said.
“While we’re disappointed to have to postpone the event because we have such an excellent venue, we understand the need for the delay because of health concerns,” Fisher said.
Fisher said ASA leaders realize the seriousness of the Coronavirus (COVID19) and are, as a result, doing everything possible to keep its employees and members safe while continuing to provide top-notch member experiences.
SCRS April Meetings in Florida Cancelled
Events that were planned to be hosted by the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) in April in Jacksonville, Fla., such as its Open Board Meeting, Annual Election, Repairer Roundtable and the Awards and Corporate Member Recognition Luncheon, have been cancelled.
According to the association, it will be working to re-book these events in conjunction with the July industry meetings taking place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, prior to the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) scheduled for July 22 and 23.
In accordance with the SCRS bylaws, all members will be notified of the new date of the annual election thirty (30) days in advance of the meeting. This election will fill three open board seats, and the candidates will remain as previously announced to its membership:
AASP-MN Cancels All Events Until Further Notice
With the number of Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases escalating locally and across the U.S., the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Minnesota (AASP-MN) announced that all currently scheduled meetings and events will be canceled until further notice.
The AASP-MN staff is set up to work virtually, so association business will continue as usual and will not be affected by social distancing. The association will continue to serve its members and conduct business on a remote basis at least through the end of March. Regular office hours are 8 am to 4:30 pm, Monday – Friday.
AASP-MN is also taking measures to ensure that the health of its members is not compromised. Therefore, all scheduled committee meetings and events, including the Annual Meeting & Leadership Conference on April 23 are canceled until further notice.
“We cannot in good conscience proceed with a large gathering that could potentially put our members at risk of exposure,” said Judell Anderson, Executive Director of AASP-MN.
“Any registration fees that been received will be applied to the rescheduled event and hotel rooms can be canceled without penalty. Hopefully, this crisis will be behind us quickly and we can resume normal operations and reschedule all events.”
For reliable information and updates about the virus and best practices to follow, AASP-MN partner, Complete Health Environmental & Safety Services (CHESS), has put together a bulletin that includes links to OSHA resources and other useful information.
CHESS also developed information specific to those working on vehicles.
As the situation is constantly changing, AASP-MN appreciates the patience and understanding of the members and industry that it serves. AASP-MN is here to help and can be reached at 612-623-1110 or aasp@aaspmn.org.