The take-aways from the recent ARA Convention have far-reaching implications.
By D.J. Harrington
Now that I have your attention, here are two pictures from the recent ARA Convention in Kansas City. As you know, ARA just recently celebrated their 80th Annual Convention and Expo. One of the pictures with this article has three good-looking guys sporting some special hats. Left to right: D.J. Harrington, The Car-diologist; middle, J.C. Cahill from Vin Match Pro, and right, Bo Wroten from Recycler’s Cross Dock.
Now, look at the hats all of us are wearing. My hat and Bo’s hats are copies of J.C.’s real hat. Vin Match Pro was giving them away for free at their booth. I’m in Baltimore, Maryland at the largest tow show in the world with a total amount of 10,000 in attendance. I was at a special dinner for the scholarship fundraiser while wearing my hat and minding my own business. The auctioneer asked me, “Doc, would you sell that hat on your head, and let the proceeds go to the towing association scholarship fund?”
My response, “It depends on how much.”
One-man yells, “$50,” and from the back of the room, another swiftly yells, “$100.” Then the first man responded with, “$150.” Amazed at the price, I agreed to let it be sold. The hat sold for $400. The auctioning of my hat wasn’t over either. INA Towing Company that tows for Amazon, Home Depot, Lowe’s, American Red Cross and for all the big food stores nationwide, graciously shouted, “I will double whatever you get for D.J.’s hat.” So, the scholarship fund received a total of $800 from my hat that J.C.’s people had given me to wear at the convention. Amazing, huh? Now, I am hoping that Vin Match Pro will send me another hat to replace the one I gave up for this good cause.
Hearing him was like going to college for the recycling industry, learning how to be successful in a family-owned business.
The other picture, which is also from the recent ARA Convention & Expo, is of Shannon Nordstrom and me. Shannon is from Nordstrom’s Automotive in Garretson, SD. Shannon was the keynote speaker Saturday morning. He did a wonderful job and is a very gifted speaker, a great husband, wonderful dad, and a special son to Art and Marie. As you might know, Art and Marie started Nordstrom’s on a dairy farm, and today Nordstrom’s is a world-class, state-of-the-art recycling facility. Do yourself a favor this New Year, start listening to Shannon’s Road Show, “Under the Hood Show.” It is America’s favorite and largest car talk-radio show that’s airing on over 240 stations. Make it a New Year’s resolution. Listen to the radio or go directly to the podcast. You will garner a lot from Shannon and his two sidekicks, Russ, “The Super Tech” Evans and Chris Carter, a 20-year broadcasting veteran who keeps the show real because Chris is the only one that is not a “gear head.”
I believe ARA had three great speakers at this convention. Shannon on Saturday, Ryan Mandell, who is the Director of Claims Performance at Mitchell spoke Thursday at the opening keynote. He’s a very smart guy that knows our industry. The third speaker knocked the cover off the ball and out of the park. Some of us heard him speak a year or so ago at PRP in New York. At this ARA Convention, he was the keynote speaker on Friday – the one and only Mark Brown of Brown Auto Salvage from Bomoseen, Vermont. Mark did such a wonderful job that I wish we had filmed it because we could have sold many copies of him speaking. Mark spoke of his wife, Joanie, and how the two of them started in business. For over 40 years, they worked side by side, providing used parts to New England and the U.S. Today, because of their hard work, they are the largest and most technologically advanced auto salvage facility in the U.S. Mark is one hell of a speaker because he captivated the whole room. If he was speaking again somewhere, I would be there. Hearing him was like going to college for the recycling industry, learning how to be successful in a family-owned business.
Mark Brown and Shannon Nordstrom could teach all of us how to be better people in life and in the auto recycling industry. What we need to do now is just follow their example. They have created a pathway to how they did it, so let’s just follow what they did. You may feel that you “know” the business, but these two men will help you “grow” your business.
Have a great New Year! See you on the podcast.
D.J. Harrington is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Phone Logic, Inc., an international training company based in Atlanta, GA. He serves as a consultant and trainer to over 1,000 privately-owned businesses throughout the country, training personnel at all levels of the company, from the dispatcher to the customer service and sales staff. Please visit his website for more information at www.djsays.com.
