NACE to offer tech and I-CAR classes in Spanish

Jobber, small business tracks also added to conference program

?Se habla espanol? (Do you speak Spanish?)

If you or your techs speak Spanish as your primary language, you can take classes in your mother tongue at NACE this year, slated for Dec. 5-8 in Dallas.

For the first time, NACE is offering a limited bilingual program.Two NACE technical sessions and two I-CAR classes will be offered in Spanish. After repeated requests during the past several years for classes and sessions to be taught in Spanish, the trade show's advisory committee decided to introduce a few classes to meet this need.

"I think Dallas is a good place to try this on," says Ellen Pipkin, NACE conference manager. "In the Dallas area and other parts of the country, the Spanish population is growing." Pipkin also says that because this year's conference and trade show is in Texas, conference planners are expecting to draw a large attendance from Mexico and Central America because of their geographical proximity. Last year, 9 percent of the NACE attendance was international.

"Techs may lose a little in the translation so we're trying to focus on their specific needs," Pipkin adds.

Spanish-language classes won't be the only new offerings this year at NACE. The NACE 2002 conference guide will have icon indicators listed next to each portion of a program track and some new tracks. Some of these include ones developed specifitally for jobbers and small body shops. Each track will also be designated with an icon in the conference guide to help attendees keep track of the program they are following.

Pipkin says that smaller shop owners have indicated that they would like a track specifically tailored to their needs. She says many small-shop managers and owners have said that the conference sessions seemed geared toward only the large shops.

"Many have said they felt they had to have an MBA, a certain level of experience or a certain revenue stream to keep up with the courses being offered...they felt they were only being offered for people with bigger businesses than their own," she says. "They didn't feel their specific needs were being addressed, so we wanted to get courses in the mix that address their needs and are being taught by down-to-earth, smaller shop owners.. and make it something they can take back to the shop and apply immediately."

Dana Bellantone, NACE show director, says that if you analyze body shop statistics, 85 percent to 90 percent still employ fewer than seven people per facility. "You also have a lot of small shops in smaller towns...so we decided to address this issue."

An afternoon jobber session is also being offered with a panel of shop owners, during which they will discuss "things they wish the jobbers did and ways of doing business that they would like them to do when working with them," Pipkin says. It's particularly important to include practical information to keep them part of the trade show, she says, because they are significant to the exhibition. "They are the channel between the manufacturer and the shop," Pipkin says. "But we didn't offer any education for jobbers-now we are."

Both Bellantone and Pipkin stress that although new courses have been added and some are also being taught in Spanish, nothing has been taken away. The industry, management and lifestyle classes are still available. Last year, 42 classes were offered. This year, 50 will be offered. "And every year it keeps growing," Bellantone says.

Some other highlights of this year's NACE will be the following:

* Automotive Repair Management System program (ARMS) 2000-an updated, two-part version of the former ARMS program popular in the early 1980s. Some former ARMS instructors will help teach these sessions. "We decided to offer some of these, but in an updated fashion," Bellantone says.

* Welcome party and rodeo-A live rodeo, including bull riding, that will take place at Resistol Arena, located in Mesquite, Texas, about 15 minutes from downtown Dallas. A barbeque dinner will be served prior to the rodeo. There will also be live music and dancing.

* General session/recognition session-On Friday, Dec. 6, 18 people and 27 companies who have been to all 20 NACE shows, including this year, will be honored.This year is the 20th anniversary of NACE. "We appreciate their support," Bellantone says. "It's a big commitment to be there 20 years in a row, so we want to give them some recognition." Designated shops will also receive credit from the Automotive Management Institute (AMi) for the AccreditedAutomotive Manager (AAM) program.

Harley attendee giveaway: Attendees with have 10 different opportunities to get a key that will start a Harley on the afternoon of Dec. 7. This is being done in honor of the 100th anniversary of Harley and the 20th anniversary of NACE. The Harley being given away will have a custom paint job, which is being sponsored by Valspar.

For more information on NACE visit its official Web site at www.NACEEXPO.com.

[Author Affiliation]

By Tina Grady

Senior Associate Editor