Take a look at the schedule and industry contemporary issues to be discussed at the general session (here). You won’t want to miss this one! CAWA is pleased to present its Winter Forum at the beautiful Silverado Resort & Spa (www.silveradoresort.com) in Napa, CA. The Leadership & Educational Forum is scheduled for February 22-24, 2023. We hope you and your colleagues can join us in the beautiful Napa Valley! To register for the event, click here. With questions, contact programs@cawa.org.

“I would like to thank CAWA for the generous award of the scholarship. The money has been a huge help in paying the cost of tuition at Wyotech, where I am attending. I began at Wyotech on July 5th and anticipate completing the basic program at the end of March 2023. I intend to add-on additional courses, (applied service management and street rod) which will help me in my future career plans. Again, thank you for your support of my education!”

Joel Harvey

Automotive Technician

Wyotech Automotive Technology

It is with great sadness for us to report that Michael G. Weaver, President of Walker Products, and member of the Automotive Sales Council, passed away peacefully on November 23rd, 2022, after his long battle with prostate cancer. Mike, 69, was born and raised in St. Louis, MO, and graduated from the University of Missouri. See the complete press release here.

On May 5, 2021, the Phoenix City Council approved adding 11 electric vehicle charging station at city libraries and parks. Arizona is set to get more than $76.5 million over the next five years as part of a national electric vehicle infrastructure program. While the Arizona Department of Transportation plans to add public charging stations along interstate highways, utility companies are preparing for more cars that rely on the power grid. In the past five years, the number of Arizona Public Service customers with electric vehicles has increased from about 5,000 to 25,000. 

Bobby Olsen, senior director for Salt River Project, said they’re also seeing growth, “We expect that we’ll have nearly 70,000 electric vehicles in our service territory by 2025 and what I would say is we’re well on our way and actually ahead of our goals.” With more electric vehicles, utility providers are focused on ensuring a reliable power grid. During a recent webinar hosted by the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, Judson Tillinghast, APS product development leader, said timing is key. “It’s not that we don’t have enough energy to charge a car but when you charge it makes a really big difference on the cost to you when you’re charging it and how to help manage the overall cost to the grid,” he said. “If we can keep that peak down through managed charging solutions, through battery consumptions, through the right, proper rate design, then we’ll make energy costs lower for everybody.” 

Arizona was among 35 plans submitted by states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to be approved under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program, known as NEVI. The $5 billion nationwide program was created and funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill. Arizona’s NEVI Deployment Plan includes upgrades to existing charging stations and installing new ones. Source: Christina Estes

“CAWA is the tip of the spear when it comes to identifying and fighting egregious legislation directed at our industry before it spreads across to the rest of the country. If you believe in our industry and its goals, being a member of CAWA is a must”!

~Steve Hughes, HCS International

I’ll begin by saying my answer to this question is an emphatic YES! A week before Thanksgiving it happened again; as it does every year since I began in sales in 1987. I overheard a salesperson say, “Yeah, well, we only have a couple days next week and then of course everyone pretty much takes off the rest of the year, with the holidays coming, so I’ll probably wrap up my prospecting for the year this week.” This, along with salespeople ducking out at noon on Fridays, are my biggest triggers; they get me on my soapbox immediately. For me, it’s worse than fingernails down a chalkboard. There are a number of reasons why; here they are. See reasons here. Source: John Chapin

The mission and purpose of collaboration is to build consensus. The challenge we all face is to enhance collaboration and to move it to a larger scale of influence and impact. A broad circle of collaboration increases our sphere of influence and ability to create positive change. Reflect on your past experience and success in developing effective collaboration, and the lessons learned. Collaboration takes professional courage to create improvements, a strong dose of patience, trust, and a willingness to share control of the process and results, as well as controlling one’s ego and the ability to share success as well as challenges. See more here. Source: Dr. John A Passante

The U.S. Department of Labor is aiming to crack down on businesses that misclassify independent contractors with a new proposed rule. The rule, the Labor Department says, would align the government’s rule to the court’s current interpretation of the Fair Labor Standards Act and the so-called “economic reality” test that includes how much control the worker has over their schedule and their employment, how permanent their employment is and how integral their work is to the work of the company, among other items. “While independent contractors have an important role in our economy, we have seen in many cases that employers misclassify their employees as independent contractors, particularly among our nation’s most vulnerable workers,” said Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh in a press release. “Misclassification deprives workers of their federal labor protections, including their right to be paid their full, legally earned wages." See more details here. Source: Sacramento Business Journal

We are a multi-state manufacturing company with facilities throughout the United States. Like many companies, we have experienced a great deal of employee turnover in the last few years. Many of our employees are immigrants. As we are advertising for and hiring new employees, can we require proof of permanent residence so we can be assured employees will stick around? And can we refuse to hire those whose employment authorization documents are set to expire within a year? Learn More. Source: Littler

This scholarship program supports educational opportunities for you, your family, employees and those interested in a career in the auto care industry. Applying is easy! The online application process allows students interested in auto care industry careers to submit one application each year online at automotivescholarships.com and receive consideration for several scholarships. Preference will be given to those seeking a college level, vocational or technical program pursuing a degree, accreditation or certificate in the auto care industry. A candidate’s permanent residence must be located in the states of California, Nevada or Arizona. Scholarships will be awarded in June, 2023. The applicant with the highest ranking each year will receive the Mort Schwartz Scholarship Award. DEADLINE: March 31, 2023. APPLY HERE!

Good employees are hard to find and even harder to keep. Maximize your CAWA membership with a discounted health insurance plan and keep your employees happy! Visit www.prominencehealthplan.com/cawa to request more information. CAWA Nevada business members with 2 – 50 employees can benefit from collective buying power, accessing the benefits and rates typically offered to large companies.

With Association Health Insurance Plans businesses can:

• OFFER comprehensive health benefits for enrolled members & dependents
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Located in Nevada and ready to request a quote or learn more?

Visit www.prominencehealthplan.com/cawa or call Prominence at 877-737-0184 today!