G&R Body Shop

I’m attending the California Autobody Association’s 2nd Quarter Board of Directors and General Membership meeting this weekend in Oakland. I arrived Thursday evening, and attended our Executive Committee meeting on Friday.

At Friday’s meeting, we discussed many topics involving our member shops throughout the state, from the organization’s financials to our Technical Review Committee. In 2009, our CAA Technical Review Committee sent out bulletins on controversial “basecoat reduction” claims adjustments and a review of an alternative finishing method called De-Nib.

 CAA benefited this past year from increased involvement of our corporate sponsors, who are not only a valued member of this organization, but have really stepped up this past year to assist our members. The membership is pleased with our goals and achievements from 2009 and are excited about up and coming items, from bills we’re working on in the legislature to changes in state rules and laws. We have continued to develop good working relationships with insurance companies and expect additional cooperation with all of them. Insurance companies have opened the door to collaborating with CAA to help us satisfy our common customers. 

 We are working to make final changes to our new Member Benefits package, and our outside sales representatives will begin distributing them to current and prospective members soon.

I continue to be very proud to serve as CAA Vice President and proud of the work we do to raise industry standards, provide training, and bring value not only to our member shops but to our valued customers. More to come in future posts about how our benefits improve repairs and increase customer service around the state. Read more about CAA’s 2009 accomplishments.

I was honored to be elected recently to the position of vice president of the California Autobody Association (CAA). I previously served as treasurer.

CAA is a non-profit trade organization serving more than 1,000 members throughout California. The organization works to educate its members on best practices, monitors legislation and regulations affecting our industry and has done a tremendous amount of work in supporting businesses in reducing pollution and improving energy conservation the Certified Green Investor and EnergyStar programs. I’m very proud to be a CAA member and to serve as vice president.

Visit http://www.calautobody.com/ for more info.

The California Autobody Association is holding its annual Leadership Conference, quarterly board of directors and membership meeting and our annual awards luncheon this weekend (March 5-6) at Sacramento’s Citizen Hotel. I’m honored to serve as treasurer of CAA.

All of our board meetings are open to all CAA members, but we’re expecting an especially good turnout at this meeting due to the Friday afternoon Leadership Conference, which will include chapter presidents and representatives from 16 CAA chapters throughout the state.

CAA is a non-profit trade association comprised of over 1000 individual and independent businesses within the automobile collision repair industry. Formed in 1967, CAA is committed to:

• Improving the collision repair industry through education and training;
• Taking a proactive stance to protect both the consumer and the industry through legislation.
• Benefitting the members through programs and services designed to make member shops professional, successful, and profitable; and
• Working toward establishing a fair and equitable relationship with the insurance industry.

 All of my fellow board members and CAA chapter leaders are business owners who volunteer to serve and take time away from our businesses because we believe those goals are important. To learn more about CAA, visit http: http://www.calautobody.com/index.cfm.

The Capitol Chapter of the California Autobody Association is holding a workshop this evening at the Rio City Cafe in Sacramento to train body shop owners and key staff on safety and labor regulations. The event is sponsored by Enterprise Rent-A-Car.

The CAA, of which I am proud to serve as vice president, places an emphasis on employee safety and compliance with all state regulations. The workshop will cover compliance with requirements of several state agencies, including the California Employment Development Department (payroll); OSHA (worker health and safety); California Labor Commission (employee rights); and more.

Tonight’s workshop is an example of the work the California Autobody Association does within our industry to uphold the highest quality professional standards. Staying informed about employee and workplace safety regulations is an important part of being a responsible auto body and collision repair shop owner. We know that responsibility and professionalism pays off in the top-quality service our G&R Body & Paint customers want and deserve!