Re-energized and Refocused
by Burl Richards, ABAT President
WOW! That’s the quickest way to describe the 2024 Texas Auto Body Trade Show, which just took place a couple weeks ago in Irving! It went great, as it always does, and if you couldn’t make it, you really missed out, but just keep flipping these pages for Texas Automotive’s recap.
As the president of ABAT, I attend a lot of industry events around the country, but there’s just something extra special about the Texas Auto Body Trade Show that has a way of re-energizing and refocusing me as a body shop owner. And it’s not just one thing – there are so many things that make ABAT’s show the best one around (in my humble opinion).
Obviously, the great industry leaders who share their knowledge during the training sessions play a big part in it, as does getting to visit with vendors and learn about the latest and greatest tools and equipment on the trade show floor. But it’s also the ability to speak with our industry peers openly about our struggles and our victories. That level of communication is simply invaluable, and it’s what makes the Texas Auto Body Trade Show THE place to be for shops that want to learn and truly understand what’s going on in our industry!
As a matter of fact, I’m planning to visit a shop owner I met during the show who has been in the industry just over five years but has taken things he’s learned through association events to improve his business. That seems like evidence that we’re doing something right, and I can’t wait to check out all his progress.
Speaking of progress, ABAT’s BIG SHOTS Competition just keeps growing, and I cannot tell y’all how pleased I am that this idea has taken off like it has. We had tons of fierce competitors this year, with each category’s champion walking away with $1,000 cash, but the second and third place winners also took some great prizes home, thanks to all the support we’ve gotten from the great companies that sponsor this event each year (more details on page 10). And I’m seriously jealous of the Super-Bowl-style rings winners received this year; don’t be surprised if I enter the painting contest next year, so I can win one of my own!
The BIG SHOTS weren’t the only winners around this year, though. During the Afterparty at Bar Louie, we held our first ever awards ceremony as ABAT celebrates a DECADE! Some very deserving folks finally received some of the recognition they’re due (full list of winners on page 18), but two of those awards mean an awful lot to me personally.
I was so honored to present ABAT’s inaugural Founder’s Award to Chad Neal (Paint Works; Tyler), one of our founding members who does not get nearly enough recognition for everything he’s done. If it wasn’t for Chad, there wouldn’t be an ABAT! When we were trying to get things off the ground, shops didn’t want to listen to a “competitor” like me, so Chad stepped in and hosted a training event with Tim Ronak (AkzoNobel). He used his resources to bring shops into the same room, allowing us to discuss why Texas shops needed an organization to support their businesses, and from there, we took ABAT to the next level. But it would have never existed at all if Chad hadn’t understood how important this group would be to his customers.
It was also exciting to recognize another vital part of our association: Robert McDorman (Auto Claim Specialists) received ABAT’s first President’s Award. Nobody deserves to be honored more for everything he has done for this organization, from contributing his time and money to educating shops and legislators on Right to Appraisal and diminished value. I’m proud to call him my friend.
ABAT has a lot of really great friends, which is why we’re able to convince some of the biggest names in the industry to come on down to Irving and enjoy the southern charm they’re bound to find in our neck of the woods. We’re talking about people like Mike Anderson (Collision Advice), Tony Adams (AkzoNobel), Danny Gredinberg (Database Enhancement Gateway) and so many others. (Check out the recap of the educational sessions on page 10.)
As always, there was a ton to learn for anyone who was willing to engage, but I have to admit that my favorite wound up being one that I was involved in (and I swear that’s not why I enjoyed it so much). Because one of our presenters couldn’t make it because of a plane delay, I agreed to step in and figure something out, and I’m really proud of how that impromptu session turned out. Fortunately, John Niechwiadowicz (QLC, Inc.) was on hand, and I asked attorney Travis Clardy (Clardy Law Offices) to join us as we tackled a topic that got brought up in another class related to what happens when insurance companies abandon vehicles at shops. If you were there, you definitely learned something, and if you weren’t, don’t worry – I suspect we stumbled upon something that you’ll be reading more about in a future issue of this magazine!
Running a body shop can be exhausting, so I understand how easily we can all get tired and worn down, but this show manages to reinvigorate me in unexpected ways each year. I’m always amazed by how much I learn from others and by those who learn from me. I believe that’s one of the keys that makes this show such a success; ABAT wants to share this information with every body shop in Texas and anyone else who wants to join us. That’s how we give back to our industry. We support and educate one another, and that’s really a refreshing concept.
Want more? Check out the August 2024 issue of Texas Automotive!