Brian P. Sullivan, founder and editor of Auto Insurance Report and Property Insurance Report newsletters, will deliver the Saturday, Dec. 9 keynote luncheon address on the evolution of the collision repair and insurance industries and changes to anticipate in both industries during the next 10 years.

For the third consecutive year, Kevin Caldwell (Autobody by Caldwell, Laguna Hills, California) will serve as chairman of NACE. Caldwell is a director of the show's sponsor, Automotive Service Association. His father, Jack Caldwell, served as chairman in the early years of NACE. "While it's a privilege – and a lot of fun – to serve the industry as NACE chairman, I told ASA that I would not do it again if I had to be lowered onto the stage by a hoist, which is what they did to me last year in Atlanta. I have this fear of heights...."

Caldwell wouldn't say how he'll arrive on stage this year, but it won't be from overhead.

Influential keynote speakers

"Our keynote speakers for NACE 2000 will focus on the business of collision repair and on technology trends, changes and developments in the industry. Their presentations will provide very valuable insight into the future of collision repair," said Dana Bellantone, NACE show director.

Burrus, the Friday morning speaker, has established an exceptional record of accurately predicting the future of technological change. The New York Times has referred to him as one of America's top three business "gurus" in the highest demand as a speaker. His keynote address, "FUTUREVIEW: A Look Ahead," will provide valuable insight into present and future applications of recent technological advances, empowering NACE attendees to positively influence their plans for the future. Burrus will give solid evidence supporting the view that change is opportunity as businesses learn how to integrate strategy, technology and people to gain the competitive advantage.

Bellantone

Burrus has helped hundreds of businesses develop successful competitive strategies based on the creative application of leading-edge technologies. He is the author of six books, including the highly acclaimed book, Technotrends, which has been translated into more than a dozen languages. Burrus also produces a variety of technology publications. His gold-plated client list includes GE, Lucent Technologies, Du Pont, Bell Atlantic, Toshiba, Bank One, Andersen Consulting, Exxon and Sara Lee.

On Saturday morning, Sullivan's address, "Collision Repair vs. Insurers: The Evolution of an Industry" will look at the factors that will shape the personal auto insurance market and how these factors will affect the collision repair industry. His presentation will cover market competition, the claims handling process, e-commerce, direct repair contracts and the overall impact of vehicle design changes.

Sullivan is president and founder of Risk Information, Inc., a publishing and seminar company focused on the property and casualty insurance industry. The company's newsletters, Auto Insurance Report and Property Insurance Report, are read by insurance company executives, top regulatory officials, trade and consumer groups and Wall Street analysts. Both newsletters focus on market structure, competition, regulation, legislation and judicial issues.

Concurrent independent meetings

Taking advantage of the huge NACE attendance, several industry groups have scheduled meetings just prior to the opening of the exhibition. The Collision Industry Conference (CIC) will hold a general meeting open to everyone in the industry on December 6 at the Rosen Plaza Hotel. The Coalition of Collision Repairers for Excellence (CCRE), an activist group focused on the elimination of ?steering,? will hold a ?members only? session on the morning of December 6 and an open meeting in the afternoon. The open meeting will concern specialized legal counsel for body shops (for further information, see "Latest Word" in this issue).

More management, tech courses

NACE has increased the number of Congress seminars to provide a more comprehensive educational program. This year, attendees will have the option of purchasing a Full Congress Package or individual tickets to Congress seminars, and for the first time, these seminars will begin on Thursday morning, Dec. 7. "By offering seminars on Thursday morning, we are freeing up more time for attendees to visit the NACE Exposition, which starts the following day," said Dana Bellantone, NACE show director.

More than 40 Congress seminars will be offered on a variety of management, technical, lifestyle and industry topics. The new topics for NACE 2000 include 21st Century trends, e-business, Internet resources, managing margins, successful negotiating, detailing, paint contamination, aftermarket parts, advanced electrical diagnosis and claims handling. Other topics include direct repair programs (DRPs), consolidation, adhesive bonding, successful staffing, estimating, recycled parts, air bags, cycle time, women in the industry, paint training, spraybooths and compressed air contamination.