Event News
AGSC Conducts Recalibration Education
The Auto Glass Safety Council (AGSC) hosted an Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) recalibration event recently at Sullivan Tire and Auto Service, located in North Attleborough, Mass. Approximately 35 people were in attendance from six states along the Northeast.
“It was a unique evening for those in the auto glass business. This was a great opportunity to get some of the folks who have questions on recalibration together to spread awareness not just about recalibration, but also the AGSC,” said Jeff Martineau, Clarity Sales Associates.
“It was good to see that many people come out to the event. It’s promising that this many people realize that they have to do some-thing [about recalibration],” said Chuck Dowling, Mygrant Glass Northeast region account manager.
“We had a great turnout with lots of positive feedback. The attendance was a good mix of small and large in-dependent shops, with owners and customer service representatives (CSR),” said Peter Brown, president of Tiny and Sons Auto Glass located in Pembroke, Mass., and chair of the AGSC marketing committee.
Combating Myths
“There’s a lot of myths out there, like ‘if you don’t unplug it you’re fine’. Our event shared why it’s important to have the correct knowledge,” said Martineau.
“I think those who attended were very responsive to the information we were giving, and it was nice to see so many eager to learn,” said Jon Dickerman, Sullivan Tire and Auto Service mobile diagnostic technician.
Wise Investments
The importance of performing a pre-inspection of the vehicle prior to replacing its windshield was also stressed. Dowling mentioned the need for investing in a tablet that allows technicians to perform pre-inspection scans, “especially if you’re not going to invest in all of the equipment at first.”
A pre-inspection was also demonstrated on a sedan, which resulted in 66 fault codes from the vehicle, according to Dowling. “What can happen is you replace a windshield for a customer and they come back to you saying their radio doesn’t work or something, because it al-ways comes up. But having a tablet that shows you everything that’s wrong with their vehicle is crucial. You should show the customer, too, so they’re aware of what could be wrong with their vehicle prior to their [windshield] replacement.”
Final Thoughts
“As a member of the AGSC it couldn’t be more important for the small shops to attend an event like this. I find those with one or two-man shops are wearing a lot of hats. They’re busy doing the work every day and have to be responsible for knowing industry trends. But the AGSC allows additional members who will be on their team,” said Martineau.“One of the big takeaways for me is that we need more grassroots’ open houses like this where small shops can see there’s an alternative,” said Brown.AGSC expects to hold a number of additional calibration events around the country this year.
Council News
AGSC Welcomes Legislative Director Seth Maiman
The Auto Glass Safety Council™ (AGSC) recently announced Seth Maiman as its new director of legislative affairs. Maiman is a resident of Bethesda, Md., but grew up in New York state. He has spent three decades in politics, including two stints on Capitol Hill and a decade in corporate government relations for MCI during the time of telecommunications deregulation.
One of his primary goals while working for the AGSC is to help develop and promote auto glass safety legislation. “I hope to be a valued resource for AGSC members, so if there’s ever an instance when a member isn’t sure how to approach a piece of legislation, I want them to reach out to me and I can assist them and provide a solution,” Maiman said.
Maiman received his undergraduate degree from the State University of New York at Albany and a law degree from the American University in Washington, D.C. He was sworn into the bar at age 24 and practiced law for a few years before moving on to government, political campaign and government relations roles.
“I look forward to building relationships with policymakers on the AGSC’s behalf. Government decision-makers are called upon to act on a myriad number of issues involving a multitude of industries. The information provided to them by AGSC and its members will be critical to their decision-making on matters pertaining to auto glass safety,” said Maiman.
According to Maiman, the Council’s overall message was a driving factor for him to join the AGSC.
“The AGSC has a safety mission and has continuously made strides to further education and safety in the industry. I want to expand on that and provide advocacy for those measures in the legislative arena,” Maiman stated.
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