"It's great being able to see people like Colin Powell (1996) or G. Gordon Liddy (1990) - that guy ran a chill up your spine," Peers said. "I'm not big on movie stars or singers or stuff like that, but anytime you get to see any of those people live, it's impressive. If [Ret. Gen. Norman] Schwarzkopf (1995) announced that day he needed 1,000 volunteers right now to go into combat, I would have followed him out the door."

The chairman's address

But while most of these entertainers and keynote speakers offered little or no comments specifically about the collision repair industry, the NACE chairmen have. For the first three years, NACE was co- chaired by two industry leaders, one from each of the two associations that established the event. But by 1986, when the show was being sponsored solely by the Automotive Service Association (ASA), responsibility for welcoming NACE attendees and offering a "state of the industry" address was placed in the hands of a single NACE chairman, generally chosen from among ASA's Collision Operations Committee.

California shop owner Caldwell said he still occasionally has someone he doesn't know at an industry event come up to him and comment on his 1989 chairman's address in which he called for an end to "funny time and funny rates."

"I've always been one who likes to tell it the way it is," Caldwell said. "I wrote that speech, although I hadn't written the one I gave as chairman the year before. I'd needed help with that one, and it was kind of blah as far I'm concerned. But that one in 1989 I wrote myself."

Other NACE chairman have voiced similar strong positions on industry issues. In 1995, Illinois shop owner Russ Verona called for the elimination of non-OEM parts in the estimating databases if such parts were not CAPA-certified. In 2001, NACE Chairman Chris Dameron criticized Allstate's purchase of Sterling Collision Centers, calling it a conflict of interest and saying repairers don't sell insurance and insurers shouldn't repair cars.

More recently, ASA and NACE organizers have reined in the chairman's address, focusing it more on the show itself and on general themes rather than commenting on industry issues. It's part of an effort to make the event more "all-inclusive" and to avoid making insurers feel unwelcome, show organizers say.

Caldwell, for one, said it's a change that he doesn't agree with.

"I'd rather see the guys tell it like it is," he said.

What's the draw?

Peers says it's still the trade show that attracts many people hoping to see what's new and to possibly save some money thanks to show specials.

"Almost every year, there's that one booth that astounds everybody," Peers said. "I remember the year 3M had a live demonstration of their spray masking system. They actually had a car there and they'd spray it and rinse it off in the trade show. Man, talk about a crowd-drawer. That was really something, to think you could spray something on the car to keep overspray off it."

Others come back year after year for the seminars and panel discussions that have grown both in number and diversity.

Shop owner Steinman said that in addition to the training and the exhibit hall - which now includes a live demonstration area - he attends NACE every year for the opportunity it offers to network with top shops around the country.

And Massachusetts shop owner Chuck Sulkala, another of those who will attend his 24th NACE this year, said he goes every year because NACE has become the industry's annual meeting place, with virtually every other industry organization holding meetings or conferences in conjunction with NACE.

NACE has continued to evolve and change. Not everyone sees all the changes as positive. But most of those who have seen the show grow and develop over 23 years say the event's core mission is still the same.

"It's all about education and communication," Peers says. "I think that's really the bottom line on it. Every year there's just something that excites me about NACE. I just get excited talking about it. I can't believe a young shop owner wouldn't want to go to that. Man, so much to see and learn…"

John Yoswick is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon, who has been writing about the automotive industry since 1988.