31 Flavors
By Linda Rollinson
The local ice cream shop is always a favorite stop of mine. As my spot in line slowly snaked its way toward the front, I contemplated all the choices before me. Should I choose safe and always sound (vanilla) or try something totally new (java cherry chip)? Or should I focus on a theme, like mint chocolate chip and peppermint stick, which form a fantastic double-scoop cone with a Christmas theme? I went over how each flavor tasted and what kind of memory it brought back. When I got to the counter the words that made up my order magically emerged without much thought. Some of the pleasure in getting that cone (PB & J swirl this time) came from memories, others from anticipating the future.
Writing about Auto Glass Week™ ’23 (AGW) is a lot like waiting in that ice-cream line. There are so many unforgettable memories to choose from, like flavors in an ice-cream case. And whichever one you select elicits incredible anticipation of the satisfaction to come.
With that said, here are my favorite flavors—er, moments rather—from this year’s international event:
The Repair Competition: Sponsored by the National Windshield Repair Division member GlasWeld, this contest brought together the best repair technicians in the world. If you had a chance to watch them, you would have seen incredible discipline combined with technique to produce near-flawless repairs. I can tell you as a judge the field was so tight that only a few hundredths of a point separated the winners. It was humbling to see the commitment to doing the job right that the contestants had.
Repair Education: The educational sessions were packed with technicians eager to learn proper windshield-repair techniques. They asked thoughtful questions and cared about the answers. Many also took the test and became certified by the National Windshield Repair Division of the Auto Glass Safety Council. As I stood in the back of the room, I got that same feeling of positive anticipation I’d get waiting in line for ice cream. Only this time, the anticipation was for the careers the newly certified had before them.
Repair Products: The show floor was full of repair products and related ones. I enjoyed seeing the new product roll-outs from the larger, established companies. And I was excited for the owner/operator/inventors who had brought their creations for others to see and try.
Repairers of the Future: If I had to put the proverbial cherry on top of my AGW sundae, it would be Career Day, held on the event’s last day. Approximately 50 high-school students from the Virginia Beach Technical and Career Center spent the day learning about windshield repair and replacement. The 11th and 12th graders were active and engaged. They asked tons of questions about what it was like to be an auto-glass technician and learned the difference between repair and replacement. They even tried a few repairs themselves. Watching them “sample” our industry gave me a sense of satisfaction—sort of like introducing them to a new flavor of ice cream.
You could attend no more vital and educational industry event than AGW. Mark your calendar for September 19-21, 2024, in Orlando. Look for me. I’ll be the one handing out ice cream.
Linda Rollinson in the chair of the executive committee of AGSC’s National Windshield Repair Division and the president of Superior Auto Glass in Florida. She is a member of the board of directors of AGSC.
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