2026 AASPMN Leadership Conference and Annual Meeting

Conference Schedule

April 29th: Conference & Tradeshow

 

8:00 am – 4:00 pm - Registration Open

 

9:00 am – 9:30 am - Coffee with Vendors

The day will kick off with a caffeine boost and a slightly later start, so those of you who are driving in from a distance or had too much fun the night before, will have time. Over vendors from across the state and country will be showcasing the latest they have to offer with their local experts there to meet with you. This is an opportunity to connect and network without the high-pressure speed of big trade shows. We know good suppliers make all the difference in the quality, speed, and profitability of your repairs.

 

9:30 am – 9:40 am - Opening Remarks

 

9:40 am – 10:45 am - Opening Keynote & Panel Discussion

Adaptability and Accountability

Melissa Furman, CEO, Career Potential, LLC

Panel Members: Shannon Christian, Tom Archambault

In today's fast-paced, ever-changing workplace, change isn't optional--it's constant. To survive and thrive as a business, you can't avoid challenges, you need to embrace them with adaptability and accountability. This dynamic, interactive session includes a thought-provoking presentation followed by recommendations shared by a panel of industry professionals. This session will equip you with the mindset and tools to not just survive disruption, but to turn it into opportunity.

10:45 am – 11:00 am - Morning Break

11:00 am – Noon - Breakout Session 1

Is there a talent shortage for Mid-Level Automotive Technicians in Minnesota?

Melinda Fierro, Research Strategist, RealTime Talent

This session will explore the themes of labor market supply and demand for the Automotive Technician Occupation and the challenges involved in filling entry and mid-level roles in Minnesota. MNCARS has partnered with Real Time talent to provide labor market information and develop an interview guide. RealTime Talent will present the labor market research findings related to supply and demand for the Automotive Technician Occupation with a focus on the mid-level career statistics

Grow or Go

Chris Jones, CEO, Sunbelt Business Advisors

This session is designed to help business owners determine if they are ready to Grow the business or exit it. If someone is ready to grow there are typically a couple of paths – they can grow organically or they can grow through acquisition. If it’s time to Go, what are the optional Exit Paths and how to prepare your business to exit. Chris will talk through what to do to make a business more attractive to buyers and how to increase the value.

 

Unlocking Advisor Performance: The Leadership Blueprint for Higher Sales

Doris Barnes, Director of Strategic Growth, Transformers Institute

Strong advisor performance starts with strong leadership. In this session, Doris will teach shop owners and managers how to coach service advisors to confidently present recommendations, handle objections, and close more work while maintaining trust with customers. Attendees will learn practical leadership strategies, coaching techniques, and systems that help advisors move from order takers to trusted professionals—driving higher sales and stronger shop performance.

Noon – 1:30 pm - Lunch with Annual Meeting

Enjoy a 3-course lunch while honoring departing Board Members and swearing in new ones. Updates on member benefits, legislative efforts, and upcoming events will be followed by additional networking time.

 

1:45 pm – 2:45 pm - Breakout Session 2

Information and Data Strategies to Save Time and Increase Accuracy

Donny Seyfer, Executive Director, National Automotive Service Task Force

Information availability has evolved since it became widely available in the early 2000s.

If you do not have a plan to find what you need quickly and accurately it will have a direct impact on how much of your time you convert to money.

NASTF fields more than 40,000 support questions and Tens of thousands of hits on our information systems related to information, tool applications and vehicle security. Let us show you some best practices to create the best strategy for you.

Donny Seyfer is the executive officer for the National automotive Service Task but also a technician with over 35 years of experience as a diagnostician, industry educator and finder of information in servicing over 100-year span of vehicles at his family business.

 

Adaptability and Accountability in Practice

Melissa Furman, CEO, Career Potential, LLC

This session is a continuation of the keynote session and will provide practical tools and resources to develop adaptability and accountability in your business.

 

The Evolving Technician

Bill Haas, Auto Ignite Management

Based on the Voice of the Technian survey. This session presents the perspective of over 4,700 automotive professionals across the U.S. Learn what technician’s value the most. Is your shop providing what they are seeking; compensation, training, equipment, career paths, work-life balance, etc. Is the technician shortage real or are you short on providing the leadership, environment, and culture to attract and retain the best talent. Technicians are telling us what we need to hear.

 

2:45 pm – 3:00 pm - Afternoon Break

 

3:00 – 5:00 pm - Round Tables

• How to Prepare for an OSHA Inspection
• The Multi Shop Business
• Customer Communications & Relationships
• AI Training in Auto Shops
• Tech School Partnerships & Internships
• ADAS Repairs: OEM versus Aftermarket
• Blacklist Steering
• Repair Planning & OEM Resources
• Retention Marketing
• Online Scheduling for Increase Sales

 

5:00 pm – 6:30 pm - Happy Hour & Vendor Showcase

Continue the conversations you started during the round tables while enjoying happy hour refreshments.

 

Evening ends with closing thank you & Prize giveaway

Day 2: Workshops & Committee Meetings

 

8:00 am – 11:00 am - Registration Open

 

8:30 am – 9:00 am - Coffee & Networking

 

9:00 am – 11:30 am - Workshops

Unlocking Growth with Custom ChatGPT Agents in Your Auto Shop

Seth Thorson, Owner, Eurotech Auto

Ready to put AI to work in your shop? This hands-on course will show you how custom ChatGPT agents can automate tasks, streamline operations, and improve both employee and customer experiences in your automotive repair business. You’ll explore real-world applications—from service writer tools that handle customer communication to internal bots trained on your own SOPs and HR policies. Learn how one shop, Eurotech, built and deployed their own GPT agents to save time, reduce errors, and improve shop efficiency.

You’ll walk away knowing how to create and train your own AI assistant to help with day-to-day operations, get hands-on experience uploading your own documents, and develop a roadmap to integrate these tools with platforms like Tekmetric, Google Drive, and more. If you’re looking for a smarter, faster, and more consistent way to run your shop, this is the class that puts AI in your toolbox.

Profitable Expansion: The Systems, Strategy, and Mindset Required to Scale

Greg Bunch, CEO & Founder, Transformers Institute

Expanding beyond a single location can create tremendous opportunity, but many shop owners discover that growth simply multiplies chaos instead of profit. True expansion requires more than adding locations. It requires the right systems, financial strategy, and leadership mindset.

In this session, Greg Bunch explains what it actually takes to scale an independent auto repair business successfully. You will learn how to remove yourself as the operational bottleneck, build repeatable systems, understand the financial upside of acquisitions, and create a business that grows in revenue, profitability, consistency, and control.

Speed of Service – Time is Crucial!

Bill Haas, Auto Ignite Management

Time isn’t just a metric. It’s the make-or-break factor in how your shop is judged. Today’s guests expect quick callbacks, same-day updates, and a workflow that doesn’t keep them waiting. They aren’t comparing you to the shop down the street. They’re comparing you to Amazon, DoorDash, and every other service that runs like clockwork. If your processes aren’t keeping up, your reputation and revenue are taking the hit.

 

This course dives into the systems and habits that slow shops down. From scheduling and workflow to parts, communication, and leadership, you'll uncover what’s stealing your time and how to take it back. You’ll explore where breakdowns happen, how to prevent them, and what it takes to build momentum that lasts. Learn how to tighten up operations without sacrificing quality or culture. These are real strategies you can take back and implement immediately, changes your team will feel and your customers will notice.

Body Shop Communication to Improve Your Bottom Line

Scott Miller, Estimating Manager, Collision Specialists Inc

Aaron Rolfsrud, Owner, Elevated Luxury Services

Linden Wicklund, Executive Director, AASPMN

The communication strategies shops need to win go well beyond a strong estimate. This class will cover three main areas of focus:

- Scott Miller will talk about estimating from the perspective of a high performing DRP shop that produces estimates that look more like a non-DRP with well-organized documentation and shop processes to guide what to prioritize.

- Aaron’s presentation will focus on the changing landscape of strong customer communications, which are increasingly critical for happy return customers and not being left with a short-pay.

- Linden will share how to reference Minnesota’s statutes for improved outcomes and to know when to stand your ground with strong back-up.

Event ends with time for you to grab lunch in the casino with new friends or get back to the shop. Consider staying a couple extra days to unwind and process all you learned!

There will be afternoon committee meetings.