The SEMA Show will be held October 30 – November 2, 2018, at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. All are welcome to visit Matrix at Booth #10673 for guest speakers, live demos and technical support. Click here to learn more about the 2018 SEMA Show.
Guest Speaker Schedule:
Tuesday, October 30 @ 11:00 AM
Mark Olson
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Vehicle Collision Experts, LLC (VecoExperts)
Founder & President, Future Forensics – Automotive Damage Investigations
Founder & Former Chief Operating Officer (COO), VeriFacts Automotive, LLC
Mark Olson has more than 32 years of experience in the collision repair industry, including roles as a collision repair and refinish technician, body shop management, and ownership. He has also worked as an independent physical damage appraiser, as an adjuster for Allstate Insurance Company, and as a regional trainer for Hunter Engineering. Today, Olson is a prodigious entrepreneur. His companies specialize in partnering with collision repair technicians, shop owners, managers and estimators to provide forensic evaluations for collision damaged vehicles, quality of repair issues, and valuation issues.
As a highly acclaimed industry expert, Olson has been involved in well over 8,000 individual cases as an expert witness in matters of collision repair, vehicle collisions and manufacturer defects. He has also testified in many states in well over 100 cases. He has traveled all over the United States teaching for I-CAR, VeriFacts and other companies. Olson also conducts seminars on industry challenges and remedies, and coaches individual technicians and collision repair facilities on the proper repair methods in collision repair. He has presented many times at NACE, SEMA, NE, and other collision repair industry tradeshows, often presenting on the industry’s issues and challenges.
For more information, visit www.vecoexperts.com, www.futureforensics.com, or www.verifactsauto.com.
Tuesday, October 30 @ 2:00 PM
Jason Bartanen
Director of Industry Technical Relations, I-CAR Training & Support
Jason Bartanen is the leader of I-CAR’s Repairability Technical Support Initiative, which helps to connect repair shops with OEMs and insurers (known as “the inter-industry”). He has been with I-CAR for more than 20 years, managing relationships with vehicle, tool, equipment, product and materials manufacturers nationwide.
Previously, Bartanen worked as a collision repair technician. He has a wealth of knowledge on advanced vehicle design and materials, as well as the tools, equipment and training necessary to make proper repairs. One of his key topics is: How to determine the level of collision repair technology that is needed, prior to investing in the necessary technology?
Bartanen is actively involved in collision repair education as a member of the collision repair and refinish advisory committees at Fox Valley Technical College and Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. He is a member of the SkillsUSA National Collision Repair Technology Committee, and is the committee’s segment leader for collision repair & welding.
Bartanen is recognized as an I-CAR Platinum Individual, and is ASE-certified in collision repair.
About I-CAR
The Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) is a not-for-profit training organization focused on education, knowledge and solutions for the collision repair industry. For more information, visit www.i-car.com.
Wednesday, October 31 @ 11:00 AM
Dean Fisher
Chief Operating Officer (COO), CARSTAR Franchising, Inc.
Dean Fisher has an extensive background in the collision repair industry, specializing in operation systems, production processes, and building layout and design. He has been active in business ownership, business development and commercial real estate development since 1976. He specializes in the purchase and development of commercial properties to include collision repair centers, car washes and detailing centers, as well as additional properties for investment strategies.
Fisher first accepted a position with CARSTAR in 2013 as Vice President of Service and Operations. In 2015, he transitioned into the COO position. Fisher has served two terms on CARSTAR’s National Advisory Board, and is currently on the advisory board for Meadowvale, Inc.
About CARSTAR
For nearly 30 years, CARSTAR has served as North America’s largest MSO network of independently owned collision repair facilities. The company franchises more than 500 shops in 30 U.S. states and 10 Canadian provinces. CARSTAR facilities offer auto body repair, paintless dent repair, storm damage repair and 24/7 accident assistance, among other services. On a multinational scale, CARSTAR delivers consistent, high-quality vehicle repairs and the industry’s best customer satisfaction ratings. All CARSTAR repairs are backed by a national warranty and service guarantee. For more information, visit www.carstar.com.
Wednesday, October 31 @ 2:00 PM
Mike Jones
Accomplished author, keynote speaker, master trainer & human behavior expert
Alumni of Northwestern University’s Executive Leadership Program
Mike Jones is the founder and president of Discover Leadership Training, a next level leadership development solutions company in Houston, Texas. Over the past 30 years, he has worked with business owners and employee teams to help millions of people realize their untapped potential, in order to create a better version of themselves. He primarily works with small- to medium-sized businesses, but has also worked on large, worldwide projects with companies such as Coca-Cola and ExxonMobil, and on local projects with companies such as Zions Bank and Caliber Collision. The goal of Jones’ training and development exercises is to increase business profits and decrease employee turnover.
Jones served his country in the U.S. Coast Guard for six years before enjoying a 14 year career as a pilot/police officer in the Houston Police Department’s Helicopter Division. He is the proud husband of Susan Jones, and is the father of four beautiful sons. In his free time, he loves reading, writing, fishing, cycling, cooking, and running marathons. In all of his activities, Jones is committed to being a positive influence on the world.
For more information, connect with Mike Jones on LinkedIn.
Thursday, November 1 @ 11:00 AM
Roger Cada
Senior Consultant, Accountable Estimating, LLC
Roger Cada has nearly 50 years of experience in the automotive industry.
Cada’s career began as a collision repair technician and body shop manager for 15 years. Then, he enjoyed a 25 year career with State Farm Insurance Companies as an estimatics trainer and supervisor.
Cada played a pivotal role in the creation of State Farm’s estimator training policies. He authored curriculum to train the company’s estimators and leadership, launched an official Training Center in 1992, and educated State Farm employees, body shop managers and shop owners alike on the estimator processes.
Cada is also passionate about integrating the latest technologies and build structures within the automotive industry. From his forethought to provide online video training and instructional videos on the estimator processes, State Farm developed their High-Tech Toolbox platform.
About Accountable Estimating, LLC
Accountable Estimating provides live, in-shop training and consultation – as well as online, on-demand training – for collision repair estimating. Nationwide, Accountable Estimating administers training to estimators, customer service representatives and office management to promote their “Assessing without Guessing” methodology. Accountable Estimating consultants and course designers have more than 110 years of combined knowledge and experiences in the collision repair and insurance industries. Their team has trained more than 7,000 estimators and managers to build accurate and complete estimates. For more information, visit www.accountableestimating.com.
Thursday, November 1 @ 2:00 PM
Jeff Hendler
Administrator, Executive Director, Chairman
Founding Partner of the Collision Industry Conference (CIC), I-CAR, Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS), Hall of Eagles, and Collision Industry Electronic Commerce Association (CIECA)
Jeff Hendler has more than 40 years of experience providing various services to the collision repair industry. In addition to serving as administrator to CIC since its inception, Hendler has also served as chairman of CIC; executive director of the Autobody Craftsman Association; and chairman of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS).
In addition to his administrative services, Hendler travels the United States as a consultant for collision repair businesses. He also travels worldwide, as a speaker and instructor at seminars, workshops and national conventions for a multitude of industries. In 2001, the Collision Repair Specialists of Australia presented Hendler with their award for “Exemplary Achievement.” The award recognized his time spent in Australia, instructing and inspiring members of the collision repair community in that country. Hendler was also inducted into the Australian Lifetime Achievement Awards – the only non-Australian to receive this honor.
Hendler holds degrees in communications, English, philosophy and education. He is a member of the Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA), and is a Master when hosting golf clinics and outings. He is a founder of the National Auto Body Council (NABC) and Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) Golf Tournaments.
For more information, visit www.jdhendler.com.
Friday, November 2 @ 11:00 AM
Ron Reichan
President, Precision Body & Paint
Ron Reichan is an accomplished collision repair industry veteran. He founded Precision Body & Paint more than 40 years ago. Prior to, he worked as a collision repair and refinish technician for 18 years.
With a background in molecular structural engineering, Reichan specializes in aluminum alloys and aluminum stress testing. He is also certified in damage analysis, repair planning for damaged vehicles, aluminum and structural repair, and aluminum and steel welding.
Reichan has served on the board of directors for the Northwest Automotive Trades Association, and as chairman of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists. The society represents more than 3,000 collision repair professionals nationwide. This year, Reichan served as both a judge and as a technical committee member for the inaugural SkillsUSA National Collision Damage Appraisal Challenge.
About Precision Body & Paint
Precision Body & Paint is Oregon’s leading certified auto body repair center. With more than 20 factory certifications and counting, Precision Body & Paint prides itself on being on the forefront of technology and innovations in the collision industry.
Precision Body & Paint’s philosophy remains simple and unchanged: Dedication to excellence means consistent quality, fair pricing and unsurpassed customer service. For more information, visit www.precisionfirst.com.
