Resources

NGA Auto Glass Division Progress Report

This report was delivered by Tom Lee III, incoming Chairman of the NGA Board of Directors, to the NGA Auto Glass Conference in Minneapolis on May 23, 2005.

"When the NGA Board of Directors established the Auto Glass Division a little less than two years ago, our priorities fell into two general categories.

First, auto glass ADVOCACY. By that I mean proactive representation of the auto glass industry to the government, other related trade associations, and, most especially, to the consumer. Our second goal was to create greater membership value for the auto glass members of the National Glass Association.

Our first "advocacy" target was government….both State and Federal.

When Connecticut passed the nation's first state law to license auto glass businesses and technicians, we were not prepared to represent ourselves. The NGA has responded by writing a Model Act for the Licensure of Auto Glass Technicians & Glaziers. The NGA also formed a State Government Committee and did present the Model Act to our NGA Chapters for their review.

I am proud to say the NGA's Model Act has already been introduced this year in Texas, Maryland, Ohio and North Carolina. And, preparations for 2006 are well underway in Florida and Louisiana.

On April 26th, the Texas Senate became the first legislative body in the United States to pass legislation modeled after NGA's Model Licensure Act. The credit goes to the Texas Glass Association and specifically to Vickie Stewart, Donald Day, Jerry Wright and Virginia Lee.

In Maryland, Brian Novak and Don Miller of the Mid-Atlantic Glass Association and the NGA's Leo Cyr testified in favor of House Bill 1232. In Ohio and North Carolina, our legislation is still in committee but neither Ohio House Bill 198 or North Carolina's HB-1274 would even exist without the determination of Mike O'Hara in Ohio and Mike Causey in North Carolina.

In Louisiana, Wayne Turner has been a tireless advocate for our industry. In New York, Scott Owens was responsible for Senate Bill 3429 which, if passed, will amend New York insurance law to prohibit insurance companies from recommending or suggesting repairs be made by a specific place, shop or concern unless requested by the insured.

Legislation such as we have proposed rarely succeeds the first time it is introduced into a state legislature. We are prepared to be patient.

The NGA has been active at the Federal level too. We have a liaison with the U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The bottom line is the NGA Auto Glass Division is actively pursuing the "advocacy" we set out to provide for our industry.

Our "advocacy" to the insurance industry continues. Recently, we were advised that our dialogue will result in an opportunity for auto glass businesses to disclose their professional affiliations; memberships; awards; training accomplishments; technician certification; endorsement of AGRSS; and, anything else we believe illustrates our company's professionalism. It will be an opportunity to differentiate ourselves based on our professionalism, and, the information will be available to insurance companies and consumers.

NGA' Coalition for Auto Glass Safety & Public Awareness (CASPA) has made real progress in making consumers Auto Glass Safety Aware. Our future cannot be separated from the six words that define CASPA. They are: Safety - Quality - Professionalism - Service - Reliability and Integrity. These are the characteristics America's silent majority looks for when selecting any service provider, including auto glass.

Consumer business is becoming more important to us every day. I am convinced that the future of the AGR independent rests with the success CASPA achieves in making the American consumer aware of the importance of proper, safe windshield replacement. I contribute to CASPA precisely because I see CASPA as the future of my business.

I would like to thank PPG Industries, Glass Doctor and Old Dominion Glass for joining me in financial support of CASPA. I want to thank the American Automobile Association and its 48 million members for serving on CASPA's Advisory Council. I am grateful to the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association for their service to CASPA and for bringing auto glass safety into their national "Car Care Month" program. And, my sincere thanks to 21st Century Media; to Clear Channel; and to Frost & Sullivan Research for their presence here today and for their willingness to advise and consult with CASPA.

All these companies and associations endorsed CASPA because they recognize the American consumer needs to be "Auto Glass Safety Aware". They have loyally supported CASPA even before the list of accomplishments I am about to present to you was a reality. These achievements include:

• 5 Major AGR Research Studies including "Vehicle Occupant Ejection Analysis".
• Established A Consumer Website at www.myautoglass.org where consumers may locate companies in their area that employ NGA Certified Technicians. Find-A-Tech is a return on our investment in NGA technician training and certification
• Created an Auto Glass Safety "Hot-Line" at 1-800-myautoglass and job referral service for participating shops that employ NGA Certified Technicians.
• Consumer Brochure
• AGR Safety Marketing Kit that includes: Consumer Brochures; CASPA Door Decal; CASPA Certificate of Membership; Tabletop Poster; Telephone On-Hold Script; Press Releases; Radio Commercials and more.
• CASPA Consumer Outreach Program that in the last 45 days has placed CASPA's press release "What You Should Know Before Replacing Your Damaged Windshield" in 99 Newspapers and 120 Websites.
• Interviews with the Boston Globe and Newsweek Magazine

I am pleased with the progress our Auto Glass Division and CASPA have made in the 8 months since our last Conference. I am very encouraged by the cooperation that is evident between NGA and its chapters. Most of all, I am thrilled with the positive attitude I see from NGA members. In fact, I think NGA member Mark Pinkstaff of Autoglass Express in Belleview, Florida, summarized exactly how I feel when he wrote…

"I too am dealing with consumer awareness when it comes to safe auto glass installs. Seems to me that most (people) are cost driven and few know or care about the difference. But there are a few, and my shop clients are finally catching on so.........hooray for CASPA, AGRSS, A.G.T.I. and the many other programs that educate ME...so that I MAY educate my customers.

Well said, Mark. I would like to conclude with an appeal to each of you. There is an application on your chair to join CASPA. Please fill out the application now and hand it to an NGA staff person before you leave. There will never be a more positive or productive way to invest in our industry's future and…CASPA is already producing dividends."