I’d like to welcome everyone who made it to ATRA’s Expo 2016. This is our first time at the Paris Hotel and Casino, on the beautiful Vegas Strip. Its prime location offers easy access to everything on the Strip.
This is an exciting year at Expo, with a number of all-new, first-time events:
This year introduces our very first Transmissions 101 program. What is Transmissions 101? It’s a new tech program, designed exclusively for instructors, students, and technicians who are new to the industry.
Anyone who follows the ATRA What’s Working program and Fixit forums knows how hard it’s become to find new, qualified technicians. It used to be you could lure them away from your competitors, find kids that grew up around farm equipment, or, if you were lucky, take your pick as they graduated from nearby vocational schools. There aren’t a lot of those people around anymore.
I had the opportunity to speak with GEARS Managing Editor Rodger Bland about the Transmissions 101 program; I could see how excited he was. Here’s how he explained it: “Transmissions 101 is the perfect way to help ‘grow your own’ for the future.”
But that’s not all: You can help influence the future of the transmission industry by attending the Education to Industry Summit, where you can offer your thoughts or ideas to automotive instructors who are doing their part to develop the educational path for tomorrow’s techs. When it comes to shaping your future, ATRA’s got you covered. For more, check your Expo brochure.
ATRA Powertrain Expo golf program kicks off at eight o’clock Thursday morning, and will end in plenty of time for you to get back to the Paris for the kickoff seminars. The event is sponsored by Slauson Transmission Parts, and will be held at the Angel’s Park Mountain Course.
The Transtar Cocktail Reception will be out at the pool under the Eiffel Tower. Transtar goes all out to make this an exceptional event, where you can rub elbows with like-minded folks from every corner of the globe. There’s no charge and everyone attending Expo is welcome.
This year’s trade show will have ATRA and ReMaTec in the same exhibit hall. There will be almost 150 vendors under the same roof, filling up 85,000 square feet of exhibit area.
The popular ATRA Luncheon, which kicks off the trade show on Friday afternoon, is once again sponsored by Raybestos and features Jeff Havens as the keynote speaker. His theme? Us vs Them: a hilarious presentation about the industry’s generational gap.
The ATRA Chapter President’s meeting takes place on Friday morning and the ATRA Long-Timers will meet on Saturday afternoon. ATRA has chapters all over the United States; these chapters are the foundation of ATRA.
Of course, you won’t want to miss the ATRA Member Meeting on Friday morning. This meeting is open to everyone attending Expo; not just ATRA Members. This is where you’ll get to hear from other ATRA Members, meet the ATRA staff and Board of Directors, and make your voice heard regarding a variety of situations you’re facing. I urge you to attend.
This is your industry, and ATRA is the only association dedicated exclusively to transmission repair. Expo is the one place where you can share your views and make a real difference in the direction this industry is heading. It’s an opportunity you won’t want to miss.
Once again, welcome to Expo: I’m looking forward to getting to know you and hearing what you have to say.
