The Louisiana Collision Industry Association (LaCIA) was established this January to provide the collision industry a statewide voice. As part of their development, the group has become the first Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) Affiliate Association in the state of Louisiana.
Though recently formed, the LaCIA has already captured the interest of collision repairers across the Pelican State seeking to change the collision repair industry for the better. "Toward the end of last year we spread the message through a grassroots word of mouth and e-mail campaign that we were thinking of forming an association, and the news spread as if it had a life of its own," said LaCIA Executive Director Alysia Hanks, who was instrumental in organizing the formation of the group. "Hundreds of collision repairers turned out in December for a meeting to gauge initial interest, which was far beyond what we were expecting. Repairers understood the importance of standing together for our future survival. The response has been great to see."
SCRS played a pivotal role in aiding the Louisiana association in its infancy, offering guidance and resources that helped it get up-and-running. "SCRS leadership was very generous with their time when we were in the preliminary steps of establishing ourselves," added Hanks. "This was new territory for us and we were hungry for information. They shared a lot that helped in our formation-examples of by-laws, sample documents, and of course, the experience of SCRS' board and network of other affiliates. It allowed us to model ourselves after the best, and get started in the right direction. SCRS provides an important national perspective for our members and they'll be a group we proudly work closely with as we continue to grow and evolve."
Conversely the LaCIA, which already boasts 70 members consisting of collision repairers and non-voting associate members made up of industry suppliers and vendors will undoubtedly prove to be another great asset to the SCRS family.
"The growth, focus and determination we have seen from LaCIA really demonstrate the appetite that repairers have to be connected to organizations that reflect their voice on issues of importance to their businesses. It also stands as a great example of the value in making a connection and networking with knowledgeable professionals who have a history of experience in the association realm," stated Schulenburg. "This is a highly motivated group and their passion for the industry will serve their members well. We are honored to grow our network of associations to include the great state of Louisiana, and are looking forward to seeing the industry in that state mature as professionals through this association."About SCRS
Through its direct members and 43 affiliate associations, SCRS is comprised of 6,000 collision repair businesses and 58,500 specialized professionals who work with consumers and insurance companies to repair collision-damaged vehicles. Additional information about SCRS including other news releases is available at the SCRS website: www.scrs.com. You can e-mail SCRS at the following address: [email protected].
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