ST. JOHNS, Fla. – A three-person panel will discuss key issues in a one-hour session titled, "Aftermarket Access to OEM Education Resources," during the NASTF Fall 2014 General Meeting, taking place on Wednesday, Nov. 5 at the Sands Expo Center/Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. Jill Saunders of Toyota, Rob Morrell of WORLDPAC and Bill Moss of EuroService Automotive will engage with panel moderator Skip Potter, executive director of NASTF, revealing their expert insights on the availability, use and plans of OEM technical training resources for the independent aftermarket.
The panelists will discuss key issues concerning OEM education resources, including the legal requirements for automakers, why automakers may want to provide training voluntarily, the difference between OEM dealer training and what the aftermarket may need, navigating OEM websites to find training, OEM licensing of resources to independent trainers and more.
Saunders is a product engineer for Toyota Motor Sales, USA, in the Product Quality and Service Support Division. She has been with Toyota since 2007 and is currently responsible for the development and support of the Techstream Diagnostic Scan tool for all of North America and the U.S. territories. Previously, she was responsible for Toyota’s service information for the North American market. She holds a bachelor of science degree in automotive technology and technical sales from Weber State University.
Morrell has been director of training for WORLDPAC since 2001. Previously, he had been lead technician and shop foreman in a 115-bay, San Francisco area BMW-Porsche dealership. He currently serves as the independent co-chair for the NASTF Education Committee.
Moss owns a four-bay service shop, EuroService Automotive, near Warrenton, Va., which he purchased in 2009 after a 14-year partnership in a nationally acclaimed BMW reseller and service facility. He is an ASE Master, L-1 Technician and serves on the boards of directors for both NASTF and the Automotive Service Association.
“The OEMs provide a great deal of training resources to the techs in their dealer networks,” said NASTF Board Chair Allen Pennebaker. “While the resources available from some OEMs to independents is often the same, and those from others may not be as extensive, much of what is being provided is not being consumed. This panel should go a long way to fixing that disconnect and helping all to understand what is available and what is not, how to access those resources and what to do if they cannot.”
The NASTF Fall 2014 General Meeting begins at 1 p.m. (PST) on Nov. 5 in Casanova 605 of The Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, during the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week. No registration is necessary to attend the NASTF meeting, but registration is recommended for the AAPEX/SEMA trade shows.
Additional information and the agenda for the NASTF event can be found at www.nastf.org/generalmeetings/. Seating will be limited but the full event including the OEM Education Resource panel discussion will be broadcast from the NASTF website, www.nastf.org, and recorded for post-event viewing on the NASTF YouTube Channel, www.youtube.com/nastfdotorg.
