Learning is Fundamental
Auto Glass Week™ (AGW) provided ample educational opportunities for attendees, from Gary Vaynerchuk’s rousing keynote address to a peek at the inner workings of Auto Glass Now, to a whole symposium on Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). Read the highlights from some sessions below, and join us at AGW in 2025 for more.
By Abby Bowman
Day 1 – September 19
Opening Session
Jacques Navant, the president of the Auto Glass Safety Council (AGSC), led the opening session. He introduced himself and shared his hopes for the organization’s future.
“I think I was chosen as the president because I am still in the field and understand what a technician deals with,” Navant said.
AGSC’s vice president Peter Brown, Linda Rollinson—chair of the Repair of Laminated Auto Glass Standard (ROLAGS) 2 Committee—and Debra Levy, AGSC’s chair, joined Navant on stage.
Auto Glass Now – What Are They Thinking?
Michael Macaluso sat down with Levy to answer industry questions about the national auto glass services brand. Macaluso is the executive vice president and group president of paint, collision & glass at Auto Glass Now’s (AGN) parent company, Driven Brands.
Macaluso responded to a variety of questions, including several about AGN’s acquisitions.
“Looking back, we haven’t made an acquisition since 2022 because we want to do the absolute best job with what we have,” he said. “We have opened shops organically, so that’s an option [we also pursue].”
The Glass-Collision Interface
Troy Mason, the senior vice president of auto glass at Caliber, discussed how calibration is effective in the glass-collision interface. He said the relationship between the collision repair sector and the auto glass industry is becoming more critical.
“If your business isn’t calibrating these systems today, you’re missing out on a significant opportunity [to grow] and capture that revenue,” Mason said.
Carl F. Tompkins Award and Inaugural Auto Glass Industry Lifetime Achievement Award Presented at AGW 2024
On the first day of Auto Glass Week™ 2024, the Carl F. Tompkins Award was presented to one of the industry’s most familiar faces.
During the opening session on September 19, Dave Leach, the chief operating officer of Don’s Mobile Glass in Modesto, California, joined the AGSC panel on stage. He presented the Carl F. Tompkins Award to Deb Levy, AGSC’s chair and AGRR magazine’s publisher.
“Deb’s commitment to the auto glass industry as a whole for literally decades has been a catalyst for safety,” Leach said.
The Carl F. Tompkins Award is the industry’s highest award, named after industry veteran Carl Tompkins. It recognizes an individual’s commitment and contributions to auto glass safety and was formerly known as the Auto Glass Safety Award.
Levy said she was moved and grateful to receive the award, adding that she was glad the industry had progressed so far from when she had entered it.
“When I started, people were still buying windshields from salvage yards and sometimes using their kids’ heads to take them out,” Levy said.
Leach then announced the creation of a new award, the Auto Glass Industry Lifetime Achievement Award, and said the inaugural one also went to Levy for her contributions to the industry. Leach said that, throughout her career, Levy put in the work to make auto glass something other than “the weird offshoot of the glass industry.”
Leach said Levy will be the first inductee into the Auto Glass Hall of Fame, and the award will be known as The Deb.
“I was surprised to receive this wonderful honor, and surprised the AGSC Board put this together without ever slipping and tipping me off,” said Levy. “It’s very humbling.”
“GaryVee” Schools and Entertains AGW 2024 Attendees
Gary Vaynerchuk delivered a high-energy keynote address to a packed room at Auto Glass Week™ 2024. Vaynerchuk, affectionately known as “GaryVee,” rallied attendees to tackle social media marketing.
After moving to the United States from the then-Soviet Union, his father started a liquor store business, where Vaynerchuk worked. He committed to staying on top of the latest marketing opportunities, starting with the newly accessible worldwide web.
Vaynerchuk made a website for his father’s business shortly after the internet started. As time went on, he began a YouTube channel right after the platform’s inception and then invested in Tumblr, Facebook, and Twitter in their early days.
Using his own experience as an example, Vaynerchuk explained that social media is hard and it can be difficult to learn, but that’s no excuse to avoid something that will help your business.
“Social media is hard … but everything that is actually good is hard,” he said.
According to Vaynerchuk, understanding how to market on social media is critical for all businesses, especially small ones.
“Out of all the things you do for a living, understanding how you do marketing will have the biggest impact on the paycheck you take home,” he said.
Vaynerchuk said he greatly respected the attendees, as he knew many of them were also entrepreneurs.
Day 2 – September 20
Past, Present, Future – Calibration in Your Business Model
Josh McFarlin, the president and COO of AirPro Diagnostics, and Stewart Peregrine, the senior executive of sales at ADAS Autel Automotive Intelligence USA, led the first session on Day 2.
Peregrine believes that, in addition to providing additional revenue for auto glass shops, adding ADAS calibrations into the mix helps the industry attract new blood. He’s seen younger people be particularly interested in becoming technicians with calibration involved.
McFarlin emphasized that calibrations are safety procedures and must be thorough. Technicians need to double-check everything, including test-driving the vehicle and making sure the targets are correctly aligned.
AGSC™ – Your ADAS Resource and Business Partner
Next, Navant led a panel of experts from AGSC member companies.
The panel included Chris Goff of Ultimate Auto Glass, Jeff Olive of the AGSC, Chuck Olsen of AirPro Diagnostics, Paul Whitman of Equalizer Auto Glass Tools, Garry Willmott of The Calibration People (NSG), and Richard Zenteno of Autel.
The panel discussed the importance and definition of a controlled environment and the many factors that could hinder a correct calibration if the environment isn’t properly controlled.
How to Build Your Calibration Business
Greg Peeters, CEO of Car ADAS Solutions LLC, and Chris Sobieski, North American ADAS special projects manager at Snap-On Equipment, led this session.
Peeters said understanding ADAS and performing calibrations is, and will become even more, critical for the automotive industry.
Sobieski said that carefully following instructions is one way shops can successfully incorporate calibration into their businesses.
Auto Glass Rates, Ratios and Pricing Trends
Nick St. Denis, director of research for AGRR’s parent company, Key Media & Research, and Josh Schwermer of Omega EDI presented together. The two shared that although the auto glass industry is in a slump right now, the cost paid per service has risen over the past few years. Both of them anticipate this increasing as more vehicles require more advanced service.
Day 3 – September 21
Technician Boot Camp: AGSC™ Certification Training
The Auto Glass Safety Council’s (AGSC) director of quality and training, Jeff Olive, led a session designed to provide technicians with the knowledge they’d need to take the AGSC technician certification exam. Around 82 technicians and shop owners attended.
Out and About at Auto Glass Week
The educational sessions weren’t the only place to learn at Auto Glass Week™. The show floor was packed with sponsor booths, live demonstrations, learning labs, and technician competitions, providing plenty of opportunities for attendees to absorb the latest in the industry.
Stopping by the Sponsors
AirPro Diagnostics
AirPro Diagnostics was an AGW 2024 Platinum sponsor, something AirPro president and chief operations officer Josh McFarlin said is important to the company.
“Glass installers and the calibration services that work with glass installers are companies that we work with day in and day out,” he said. “We think it is an important industry, and we’re proud to be a part of it. We’re excited to be able to be platinum sponsors here.”
On Day 2 of AGW, the AirPro booth was filled with people trying their hands at the Auggie and seeing who could set up the tool the fastest.
PGW Auto Glass
As a Gold sponsor, PGW Auto Glass was invested in keeping in touch with the industry at AGW.
“The auto glass industry is obviously growing, and we want to be a part of it,” said Mark Cossey, PGW’s director of business technologies. “That’s why we’ve created Everything Autoglass.”
PGW launched Everything Autoglass, a comprehensive point-of-sale and VIN decoder system, in early 2024.
Cossey said one of the most valuable parts of AGW is networking.
“I love making connections,” he said. “It’s just fun to rekindle our relationships with people that have become good friends over the years.”
Vitro Automotive Glass
Vitro Automotive Glass was an AGW 2024 Silver sponsor. The company visited Orlando with its customers in mind.
“[It’s important for us to be here to] be a presence for our customers, so the customers could all come by and know what we’re about and what services we offer,” said Vitro sales executive Teresa Pyle.
Pyle said AGW 2024 was an excellent opportunity to interact with customers from a much broader geographic area than they normally get to, including Canada and across the United States.
According to Pyle, Vitro educated attendees who visited its booth about its wholesale business and its role as a supplier for General Motors, Toyota, Nissan, and other major automakers.
Beyond Booths
Seeing is Believing
The AGW show floor hosted several live demonstrations, including auto glass prep, pre-inspection, repair, windshield removal, setting, calibration, and a complete installation.
The complete installation, led by AGSC master certified technician James Chapman and Jason Martin, the owner and operator of Wise Fly Auto Glass, took place on the final day, September 21.
Attendees gathered around as Chapman and Martin took turns educating the crowd, demonstrating, explaining proper windshield installation techniques, and offering customer service tips.
“What I like to say is, [no matter how much or little the customer’s car costs], it’s what the customer can afford,” Chapman told the crowd. “Treat it like it’s priceless.”
Eyes on the Prize
Throughout AGW, repair, replacement, and calibration technicians and customer service representatives demonstrated their crafts in front of a rapt audience and eagle-eyed judges, vying for each competition’s gold medal or “grand champion” title. The winners were announced on the evening of Saturday, September 21.
Auto Glass Technician Competition (AGTO) Medalists
Gold: Jorge Sandoval, KD Auto Glass, Moreno Valley, California
Silver: Raul Plascencia, Direct Quality Auto Glass, Highland, California
Bronze: Aaron Bradford, Driftwood Auto Glass, Brunswick, Georgia
GlasWeld Windshield Repair Competition (WRO) Medalists
Gold: Michael Waites, Glass Doctor Andalusia, Andalusia, Alabama
Silver: TJ Tirado, Windshield Fitters, Houston, Texas
Bronze: Raul Plascencia, Direct Quality Auto Glass, Highland, California
Auto Glass Calibration Competition Grand Champion
Sarah Seymour, Seminole Auto Glass, Tallahassee, Florida
Auto Glass Customer Service Representative Competition Grand Champion
Kenneth White, Optic-Kleer OKC Metro North, Edmond, Oklahoma
Auto Glass Week™ Will Return September 9–11, 2025
When One Door Closes, A (Car) Window Opens
Kenneth White, the Auto Glass Customer Service Representative Competition Grand Champion, ended up in the auto glass business after what might otherwise have been deemed a series of unfortunate events.
When White was laid off for the second time in his career due to the COVID-19 pandemic and couldn’t find another job, he decided to pursue his dream of owning a business. He had seven years of experience working in the oil and gas market but was open to other areas.
White submitted his information to Optic-Kleer and now owns a franchise in Oklahoma Metro North, Oklahoma. He ran the business himself for three and a half years before recently hiring two employees.
As both the owner and, for a long time, the sole operator of his shop, White knows the importance of CSRs as the “face of the company.” He chose to compete as a CSR because he values the position.
“I’ve always believed that if I take care of people, then everything else will take care of itself. As GaryVee said in his AGW Keynote Address, I intend to serve my customers and not just sell to them,” he said. “I think the success of my business so far has largely been because of my customer service and not just my skills as a technician.”
White enjoys interacting with his customers and wants to help turn an otherwise nerve-wracking situation into a positive one. “Taking a situation for [a customer] that was very stressful to one that’s enjoyable and easy is very rewarding to me.”
“We’re So Grateful”: Auto Glass Week™ Attendee Leaves with Huge Prize
One Auto Glass Week™ (AGW) 2024 attendee walked away from the event with more than just great education. Kristina Finn, co-owner of J & K Auto Glass in Pueblo, Colorado, won a brand-new calibration equipment system from Autel worth more than $20,000.
Autel donated its IA800 LDW Calibration System as a prize for one lucky AGW attendee. A finalist was drawn from the list of attendees every day of the event, and a fourth finalist was selected from a list of people who had their badges scanned at Autel’s booth. On Saturday, September 21, the finalists were each given a key to try on a box containing a certificate for the system. Finn’s had the winning fit.
Finn had already started the journey home, not expecting to win anything. Thankfully, she had a proxy present to try her key and accept the prize on her behalf.
“Autel is excited to partner with Auto Glass Week™ to present this prize,” said Richard Zenteno, Autel’s national sales manager for ADAS. “We recognize the importance of technology in the automotive glass industry as we bring much-needed tools to calibrate ADAS safety systems to increase the productivity and profitability of your shop.”
After her initial shock and gratitude, Finn had to text AGW’s Senior Events Director, Tricia Lopez, to confirm what she had won.
“I was so happy, we were so grateful,” she said. “We had never really won anything like that before.”
Zenteno, along with Autel’s senior executive of sales Stewart Peregrine and regional sales manager Kevin Oliver, presented the certificate to the winner.
“I am thrilled at how excited Kristina is,” said Lopez. “What a great way for her to remember Auto Glass Week™. We are incredibly grateful to Autel for providing such an amazing prize to one of our attendees.”
Finn is responsible for the calibration work and office management at J & K Auto Glass, which she founded in 2021 with her husband, Jeff. She hopes having an additional system will enable her to hire another calibration technician.
The Autel IA800 LDW Calibration System Finn won is camera-based and includes lane departure warning system calibration targets and an MS909 Tablet with ADAS software. Autel said that because the system is camera-based, it helps installers position the frame more precisely and quickly than using traditional methods. This means Finn shouldn’t have to use plumblines, mechanical measuring tape, or lasers. According to the company, the system comes with “easy step-by-step instructions,” plus it will document the frame’s position in Finn’s report.
AGW 2024 Hits Record-Breaking Number of Attendees
With the last few attendees arriving at Auto Glass Week™ (AGW) 2024 and the International Window Film Competition and Tint-Off (WFCT) on the final day, the combined event reached record-breaking numbers. More than 3,000 attendees visited the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.
“I never in a million years thought we would break all records this year,” said Deb Levy, managing director of AGW. “My personal goal for this year was 2,500, so the fact that AGW got to 3,000 is amazing and a testament to the industry we serve.”
Attendees Alejandra Ferrer Ortega and Ricardo David Roman Catari of Xpertint in Orlando, Florida, were attendee numbers 2,999 and 3,000, respectively. They were presented with a certificate for full registration at next year’s event by Holly Biller, president of KMR, the publisher of AGRR and Window Film magazines and sponsor of AGW and WFCT.
“Thank you for helping us achieve this unprecedented milestone for the event,” Biller said.
Heavy Medal: Technicians Win Gold at Auto Glass Week™
Two skilled technicians walked away from Auto Glass Week™ (AGW) 2024 as gold medalists in the Auto Glass Technician Competition (AGTO) and the Windshield Repair Competition (WRO). AGRR sat down with them after their victories to learn more about their histories and aspirations.
AGTO – Jorge Sandoval, KD Auto Glass, Moreno Valley, California
By the end of AGW 2024, Jorge Sandoval was clad in an oversized pink “winners” jacket, crying tears of joy. Sandoval is the owner of KD Auto Glass in Moreno Valley, California. Now, he’s also the proud owner of the gold medal for the 2024 AGTO, in addition to the silver medal he won in 2021.
How did you first get into the auto glass industry?
I immigrated to the U.S. in 1999. I saw my really good friend Martin Rojas doing replacements, and I just put two and two together, like, “There is a bunch of glass in a car, and maybe a bunch is going to be broken. Somebody has to replace it.” That logic is how I started back in ‘99. Then, I took a long break before I started doing this full-time in 2012.
Could you have imagined then that you’d be where you are now?
No! The first time I competed at AGW, after the second heat, I realized I could at least make fourth place. I found a spot at my hotel, put down my head and cried. I started crying because I remembered when I was doing rock chip repairs for $25 because I needed to put food on my table. This win now is such an advancement that I never imagined I could achieve.
What are some of the things you’re most proud of in your career?
Getting to know the right people and getting to Auto Glass Week. I remember the first person to ever talk to me about participating in the competition was Mike Rose. He’s the inventor of the ZipKnife. That moment changed everything because I humbled myself and started learning from people with more knowledge than me.
What would you like to see yourself grow in even more?
I’d like to grow my business. My business isn’t just about me, and it doesn’t end now. I’d like to be able to hire more people at my place so I can help them feed their families and their kids.
WRO – Michael Waites, Glass Doctor Andalusia, Andalusia, Alabama
Beyond all else, 2024 WRO gold medalist Michael Waites is two things: a dedicated auto glass technician and a family man.
How did you first get into the auto glass industry?
We have a family business, mom-and-pop style. My uncle was doing auto glass in Florida and got in a bad accident, falling off a horse. He broke every bone in his hand. My stepfather lived about an hour away. He had a swing-shift job, so when he got off work in the morning, he’d go over there and help him install windshields. Twenty years later, we have a booming little franchise.
What are some of the things you’re most proud of in your career?
The quality of work that we’ve performed. I’m the only auto glass shop in town, and there are a lot of shops that don’t really follow the AGRSS standard or pretty much any standard. Being in a small town, I run across a lot of the vehicles I do again. So, getting it installed right the first time makes it a lot easier for me the next time, and I can have peace of mind that it will be a safe installation for my customer. As the only glass shop in town, I owe it to my customers to be the best technician I can.
Do you have anything else you’d like to share?
I appreciate what this industry has done for me and for my family. I’m a single dad, and this is a mom-and-pop shop, and it’s really provided me with a lot of opportunities that I wouldn’t have had working for somebody else. I can be there for my daughter, and I get to be around my family every day. Those are things you can’t put a price tag on. Also, if you want to be the best auto glass technician you can be, compete at Auto Glass Week™.
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