Autumn Lamb of Corona, California, has been appointed to the CAWA Manufacturers’ Advisory Council representing GSP North America. She was appointed by the Chair of the Board of Directors, Mike Mohler of the Automotive Parts Services Group. “We are pleased to have Ms. Lamb serve in a leadership role for the Association and welcome her to the Manufacturers’ Advisory Council,” stated Mohler during the appointment process. Ms. Lamb’s first meeting will be in February in Napa, California. See the next article for meeting details.

The event will be held at the Silverado Resort & Spa in Napa, California. Major focus of information to be shared will be the future impact of electrification on the automotive aftermarket. Furthermore, the Association’s eCommerce Task Force will be holding its inaugural meeting there. Committees and the Board of Directors will also meet to discuss Association and other contemporary industry issues. A political action fund wine tasting event will also be held on Wednesday evening, February 9th. All are welcomed! Watch for the registration materials. For immediate details contact programs@cawa.org.

One of CAWA’s most recent goals was to increase participation in the Association by eCommerce and technology companies. CAWA is excited to announce that through the work of Board member Curt McDowell, of NA Williams Company, that the Association has received agreement from the following companies to participate in a newly developed group in the Association, called the eCommerce Task Force:

For the complete announcement click here.

We appreciate their support and contributions to the Association’s scholarship programs. See the enclosure (here) and join the Association in thanking these individuals and companies. A special thanks goes to our exclusive annual dinner sponsor, Motorcar Parts of America and their President & CEO, Selwyn Joffe. Similarly enclosed (here) is a list of companies that provided prizes for the Association’s annual auction which proceeds also go to funding future scholarship awardees. CAWA thanks them for their generosity, as well.

The Auto Care Association and the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) together commissioned the 2021 Joint E-commerce Trends and Outlook Forecast to provide the auto care industry with the insights needed to navigate the rapidly evolving industry. The COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on retail shopping in 2020 resulted in a rapid shift to e-commerce adoption in the auto care industry, with e-commerce sales of aftermarket parts and accessories (excluding marketplaces) projected to increase by 11.7% to more than $18 billion in 2021. E-commerce adoption in the automotive aftermarket has grown from 6.5% in 2018 to 12.1% in 2021, representing nearly a 100% increase. See more details here. Source: Auto Care Association

The greatest in any field of endeavor have always been great at the basics. Vince Lombardi, the great Green Bay Packers coach, said football comes down to two things: blocking on offense and tackling on defense, and his great Packer teams spent 80% of their time on those in practice. Red Auerbach, who coached the Boston Celtics to eight consecutive championships, had his players practice free-throws and shots from very short distances over and over again. Bruce Lee, Pavarotti, Tiger Woods, and all the other greats have always known the importance of focusing on and mastering the basics in order to be successful. The same is true in selling. When it comes to sales and selling, there are certain key basics to follow that ultimately lead to sales success. See those selling basics here. Source: John Chapin

There are several new 2022 California employment laws of which employers must be aware of, as they may affect daily business operations, policies and employees. Not only have COVID-19-related laws been updated, but the governor also signed safety, wage enforcement, severance and settlement agreements, and worker classification laws, among others. See the report here. Source: Our Friends at the California Chamber of Commerce

Commercial property insurance rates are continuing to climb, as the segment faces a number of headwinds that have pushed claims costs to new heights. A number of factors are affecting rates, including the frequency and severity of extreme weather claims, the cost of rebuilding, rates for commercial properties not keeping pace with claims costs, and more. Here's what's going on and which lines are seeing the largest rate hikes and which one is holding steady. For more information, contact Glen Dailey at 916.690.6425 or gdailey@armstrongprofessional.com. Source: Armstrong & Associates

The Association created a Political Action Committee (PAC). A PAC allows CAWA to: sponsor legislative bills to promote and protect its members and the industry it serves, as well as, award political contributions to increase the visibility and understanding of the Association and its members' issues. In short, a PAC allows an individual or business to make a greater impact in the public policy arena than if they acted alone.

The PAC also educates members of the legislatures on issues and situations that matter most to the Association and its membership. Absent these efforts, elected officials might not realize the importance of our industry to their constituency or how issues they are deciding might impact both auto care businesses and their customers, the motoring public.

Thus, the CAWA PAC helps strengthen our Association's voice by supporting key decision-makers who truly understand our industry and the work we do. The political climate is constantly changing and it is important that we have resources to help look out for the best interests of our industry and member companies.

Every member company and individuals within those companies has the opportunity to contribute to the PAC in support of industry and business issues. For more information on the PAC contact admin@cawa.org or 800.332.2292.

Interested in receiving a scholarship from the Association for your employees, children, family members and others who would be welcomed into the auto care industry?

Applying is easy! The online application process allows students interested in aftermarket careers to submit one application each year online at www.automotivescholarships.com and receive consideration for several scholarships. Funds for scholarships come from generous CAWA members and the University of the Aftermarket Foundation.

For more information, see www.cawa.org or contact CAWA Member Services at programs@cawa.org. Another member benefit.

CAWA has partnered with Prominence Health Plan to bring high-quality, affordable health insurance to our Nevada membership. All seven health insurance plan options are open access, which means there are no referrals required to see a specialist. Plus, the Prominence comprehensive statewide network includes access to all Valley Health System hospitals in southern Nevada and the growing Northern Nevada Health System that will include the new Sierra Medical Center opening Spring 2022.

Out of state employees and dependents? No problem. The following health plans offer out-of-state coverage for employees and dependents who live, work or travel outside of Nevada:

Through a collaboration with Cigna, Prominence is pleased to offer national network access to an expansive national network that includes more than 6,300 hospitals, more than 1 million physicians and multiple ancillary providers across the country.

Contact your broker and ask for an Association Health Plan quote from Prominence.

You can also email PHP-salesteam@uhsinc.com and a friendly member of our sales team can assist. Learn more on our website here. Another member benefit.