The HD Repair Forum conference, an exclusive meeting for leadership in the heavy-duty collision repair industry, has announced its 2017-’18 advisory board following a meeting of industry executives, educators and consultants. This year’s advisory board members include:
- Chris Sterwerf, Fairfield Auto & Truck Service, chief financial officer/chief operating officer
- Howard Elsenpeter, Hoglund Body & Equipment, body shop manager
- Dean Hancock, Bob Johnson’s Truck & Body, owner
- James Svaasand, Penske, vice president of collision repair operations and development
- John Mueller, DCI Fleet, director
- Steve Wolfe, Diversified Body & Paint, president
- Jason Shesky, Truck Zone, president
- Ed Rietman, K&R Truck Sales Inc., owner
- Rodney Rowland, Lakeside International Trucks
- Mark Polzin, Budget Truck Rental
The 2018 HD Repair Forum conference will take place Tuesday and Wednesday, April 10-11, 2018, at the Hilton Fort Worth in Fort Worth, Texas. The HD Repair Forum opens with a general session followed by presentations and panels on business/operational issues, best practices, trends and technical topics. The event includes a reception for attendees and sponsors as well as other high-level networking opportunities. This conference is open to everyone involved in heavy-duty collision repair, including shop owners, shop managers, fleet managers, dealer repair shops, insurance providers and service, equipment and technology companies.
The HD Repair Forum organizers say the event is the only program exclusive to the heavy-duty collision repair industry and the conference is the only event bringing together all segments of the market at one time in one place.
The first advisory board meeting focuses on content most relevant to the audience. Topics under review include: OE repair support; industry economics and trends; estimating; LEAN initiatives; weight reduction and the impact on repairs; insurance challenges and opportunities; hybrid and electric vehicles; cycle time; parts sourcing; staffing, tooling and operational best practices; training, retaining and hiring employees; shop and business compliance, and more.
“We heard numerous shop managers and owners request a dedicated source for heavy-duty collision repair information,” said Brian Nessen, HD Repair Group. “After visiting shops around North America, conducting research, and gathering data, the HD Collision Repair Forum launched in August with a website and the inaugural issue of a monthly e-newsletter. In addition to the conference in April, there will be training videos and webinars throughout the year. Response from the industry has been tremendous, and we are pleased to provide resources to bring the industry together.”
The conference provides insight for attendees through the sharing of knowledge, experience and information essential to understanding market conditions, growing their business and preparing for the future.
Registration for the HD Repair Forum conference will open soon at hdrepairforum.com, along with other co-located events taking place during that week in Fort Worth.
Sponsorships and advertising for the HD Repair Forum are open now. More information can be found on the HD Repair Forum sponsorship page or by contacting Brian Nessen at 713-705-1512 or [email protected].
