January 26, 2017

Thank you to our sponsor

2016 Was Another Productive and Successful Year for CAWA From legislative advocacy to training to offering member benefits and value, CAWA had a very productive and successful year in 2016. Here are some of the major highlights of the year:  Legislation, Regulation and Legal Highlights  Waded through hundreds of legislative proposals to ascertain their relevancy to the auto care industry and members of CAWA. Worked in coalition with chambers of commerce and other business groups to speak out against unnecessary regulations and legislation that impedes the growth of business. Introduced a bill in Arizona the purpose of which was to prevent the introduction or reintroduction of stolen vehicles into interstate commerce, reducing the use of stolen vehicles for illicit purposes and protecting states and consumers from fraud. Supported a bill in Arizona that continued the State's Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program. Introduced a bill in California requiring new car dealers, at the point of sale, to inform the consumer that parts and service outside their dealership would not void their warranty. Supported the Lead Acid Battery Act in California to encourage the continuation of the successful recycling of batteries in the State (arguably above 98%) and to protect distributors, retailers and manufacturers from onerous regulations in the commerce of batteries. Worked with the Board of Equalization to assure our members were aware of the new regulatory requirements of the new Act. Introduced a bill in Arizona, which was signed into law, which removed a $15 dollar cap on battery refundable deposits to assure members would not be penalized in the commerce of batteries. Now retailers can charge a deposit on new lead acid battery sales that reflect a market based approach. Distributed Association political action funds to legislators deemed friendly to the auto care industry. Commissioned its attorneys to provide FREE legal consultation to members for a variety of legal issues. Engaged a new legal firm of Laxalt & Nomura, in Nevada, for members in the Silver State. For educational purposes, met with the Counsel of the California Senate Judiciary Committee and participated in a legislative hearing on the impact of telematics and the auto care industry. Maintained vigilance on behalf of the industry in the state capitols --- Sacramento, Carson City, Phoenix and our nation's capitol Washington D.C. in partnership with our national colleagues at the Auto Care Association. Engaged a new legislative advocacy firm in Nevada, called the Ferraro Group. CAWA was represented on the Auto Care Association's Government Affairs Committee to assess what was occurring nationally that could impact our members in California, Nevada and Arizona. Meet during the California legislative session with executives and lobbyists of other aftermarket associations to assure the industry would speak with one voice in the legislative process. Met with governmental regulatory agencies to research members' issues so that the member could remain anonymous in the discussion regarding the issue. Communicated to members regarding new laws, case law, compliance alerts and regulations that impact their business. Training and Scholarships  Awarded 12 scholarships ($12,500) to deserving students either currently employed or seeking careers in the auto care industry.  Held training programs for our members. Examples include: "Connected Aftermarket: Why Wait on the Connected Car"; "Managing Your Workers Compensation Premiums"; "Headwinds and Trends for the Auto Care Industry"; "The Impact and Implications of Telematics on the Aftermarket Industry"; "Mergers & Acquisitions in the Auto Care Industry"; "Etailing and its Impact on the Distribution of Parts", to name a few. Supported career technical training in the states we represent. Actively provided information and training on new technologies, including telematics, to educate members and others regarding its future impact. Co-sponsored an Industry Summit which brought contemporary training and information to representatives from throughout the distribution chain. Promoted "best practices" of human resource issues to the membership. Promoted an industry specific online job board for companies and individuals through the CAWA Career Center. Speakers at Association Meetings  Hosted nationally recognized guest speakers to present to our members including Bill Hanvey the President and CEO of the national Auto Care Association and Chris Gardner, Vice President of the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association. Engaged Malcolm Sissmore of Delphi Products and Service Solutions, a renowned expert on technology and telematics, as the keynote speaker for our annual dinner meeting. Participated in Member and Other Association Events  Participated in the following events: National Performance Warehouse customer show, and Levin's Auto Supply customer event. Continued to implement a plan to reach out to members of the Young Auto Care Network Group (YANG) to encourage them to participate in Association training sessions and added a YANG member to the Manufacturers Advisory Council. Participated in Arizona's "Cars, Careers & Celebrities Expo" which attracted several hundred students interested in auto care industry careers. Attended and participated in the Auto Care Association's leadership days. Our President & CEO served as the President of the national association called the Alliance of State Automotive Aftermarket Associations (ASAAA). Continued a partnership with the Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation and promoted its mission to the industry. Endorsed Programs and Services Continued to provide quality and competitive business services including FREE legal consultation, insurance programs, website development services, credit card processing, financial services consultation and business forms, as examples. Offered the deepest discounted workers compensation and general liability insurance to the membership. Engaged a new provider of insurance services, Reliable Risk Management, in Nevada and Arizona. Provided access to an electronic human resource library to answer members' questions regarding human resource-employment issues, personnel policies and practices, etc. Miscellaneous Achievements Continued to endorse the "American Jobs for American Hero's and Vets" Program which seeks to integrate veterans back into the business sector. Conducted a most successful scholarship fundraising effort at the annual dinner. meeting, exclusively sponsored by Motorcar Parts of America (MPA). Continued to promote an active presence in social media to become a clear voice for the auto care industry out west. Actively provided information and training on new technologies, including telematics. Answered many questions from the membership and directed them, as appropriate, to where their issue or questions could be resolved quickly. Our success as an automotive aftermarket trade association comes from an active and contributory leadership made up of the Board of Directors and the Manufacturers Advisory Council. The Association thanks them for their time, effort and commitment to CAWA and the industry we represent. Our general membership, too, gave the Association the capability to make the industry's voice heard throughout the west, as the industry's "first line of defense". We look forward to another productive year in 2017 and wish our members the best in business and thank them for their support.

Copyright © 2017. All Rights Reserved.

January 3, 2017

Thank You to Our Sponsor of This Edition of CAWA Connections    CAWA Leadership Meeting Presentations in Napa, California - Consider Attending CAWA's leadership meeting general training session will be held in Napa, California on February 3, 2017. Consider attending ( see enclosed registration form). Presentations will include:   "Another Look at Telematics" - Presented by: Peter Yorke, CEO Voyomotive, LLC "Recent and Future Acquisitions & Mergers-Case Studies" - Presented by: Tom Marx, MAAP and Devin Hart, Hart Marx Advisors "Contemporary Legal Issues Facing Business Owners, Executives and Managers" - Presented by: Steve Marmaduke, Attorney, Wilke Fleury Law Firm CEU units will be available to attendees, as well. For more information on this training contact programs@cawa.org. Another member benefit. Anthony Wallerich of ZF Services and Michael Rukov of Continental Corporation are Appointed to the Manufacturers' Advisory Council (MAC) Outgoing Chair of the Board, Greg Livingston of All Trade Tools, has appointed both Wallerich and Rukov to the Association's MAC. Currently, Mr. Wallerich serves as the National Sales Manager for ZF Services and has held many sales and business manager positions within the automotive aftermarket including time with Wells Vehicles Electronics, United Components and the BWD Automotive Corporation. He started his career in the industry as a Napa Auto Parts counterman in 1978 and also opened his own business as a manufacturer representative called CAN-AM Automotive Marketing Company. Mr. Wallerich graduated from Northwood University with a bachelor's degree in business administration. Mr. Rukov serves as the Western Regional Sales Manager for Continental Corporation and before that held key management positions with One Stop Parts Source in southern California. He is an active participant with the Auto Care Association and the YANG Group. Mr. Rukov has received recognition for his commitment to the industry by receiving the Impact Award: Four for the Future and is currently pursuing his Executive MBA through the DeVos School of Business after having received his bachelor's degree in Economics and Organizational Studies from the Claremont Pitzer College. The Lead-Acid Battery Recycling Act of 2016 (Act) Became Law on September 26, 2016 - Be Informed The Act imposes two separate fees on the sale and purchase of lead-acid batteries[1] and affects manufacturers and retailers (dealers) who sell these batteries. The Board of Equalization (BOE) is responsible for the administration of these new lead-acid battery fees. The enclosed notice ( here) includes a brief overview of the new fees, fee notification requirements, and requests contact information for your dealers, wholesalers, and distributors of lead-acid batteries. CAWA is committed to assuring that our battery manufacturer members and auto stores that sell batteries are informed about these new compliance issues. Should you have any specific questions regarding these new requirements on batteries sold in California, contact CAWA's legislative advocate, Gary Conover, at gary@garyconover.com or 916.233.9655. [1] A lead-acid battery is a battery weighing over five kilograms, primarily composed of both lead and sulfuric acid (liquid, solid, or gel), with a capacity of six volts or more, used as a starting battery for delivering a high burst of energy to an internal combustion engine until it starts, as a motive power battery to provide the power for propulsion of a vehicle, including watercraft, as stationary storage or standby energy to be used in a system where the battery acts as electrical storage or a source of emergency/backup power, or as a source of auxiliary power to support the electrical systems in a vehicle (defined in Vehicle Codes § 670 and 36000) or an aircraft.  DIFM Outlet Changes in Last 5 Years The Service (DIFM) Market climbed an estimated $11.2 billion at user-price between 2011 and 2016 in the U.S. However, not all car and light truck repair outlet groups contributed equally to this market expansion. Four of the seven major groups of DIFM outlets increased their car and light truck DIFM product volume over this five-year span, while three outlet groups fell or were flat in share strength. Boosted by overall DIFM market expansion, six of the seven major groups of repair outlets recorded DIFM product growth at user- price between 2011 and 2016. This according to the iReport by Jim Lang. See here for a complete report.   Minimum Wage - Increase in California this Year - A Reminder Effective January 1, 2017, the minimum wage for employers with 26 or more employees will increase to $10.50 per hour. The minimum wage for employers with 25 or fewer employees will increase to $10.50 in January of 2018. Should you have any questions regarding minimum wage issues or other issues affecting your business, contact the CAWA attorney in your state. Recall, as a member you receive up to ½ hour a month of FREE legal consultation. Another member benefit. Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) Brake Pad Law Extension Application Survey DTSC is trying to ascertain the number of manufacturers who will not meet the California Brake Pad Law's mandated requirements by the deadline of January 1, 2025. Collecting this information will allow DTSC to gauge the number of extension applications to be submitted beginning January 1, 2019. The California Brake Pad law allows manufacturers, defined under Health and Safety Code section 25250.50(e), to apply for extensions to the January 1, 2025 requirements starting on January 1, 2019. The extension applies to brake pads and brake drums based on the vehicle model, class, platform, or other vehicle-based category. The extension is not based on the brake friction material formulation per Health and Safety Code section 25250.54(a)(2). DTSC is aware of the lengthy timeline for research, design, and development in manufacturing and is confident manufacturers are already aware of their ability to meet the future regulatory deadlines. Therefore, DTSC is asking manufacturers to complete the survey (linked below) to provide an estimate of the number of extension applications to be submitted, along with the anticipated timeframe for submittal. DTSC will use this information in preparation of mapping the extension application review process and identifying resource requirements. Brake Pad Law Extension Application Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/77QVF5K Let One of Our Job Postings Work for You and Your Company in 2017 The truth is that some job postings stand out from the rest and it often has a lot to do with how an employer presents themselves to candidates. With the CAWA Career Center, you can increase visibility and reinforce your brand by putting our job posting to work for you. See here for more information or visit the Association's website at www.cawa.org. "CAWA - Representing the Automotive Parts Industry" Copyright 2017, All Rights Reserved