Collision Group Targets New Focus as Key Initiative

The Collision Industry Action Group is focused on communicating with its members in a new initiative to rejuvenate the association.
"As the voice of Ontario’s collision repair industry, we’ve got to become louder", says Bill Finan, President of the Collision Industry Action Group (CIAG). "But first we need to listen to our members, reach out to non-members and ensure that we are truly focusing our resources on representing their needs," adds Finan.
Leading this initiative to communicate with collision repairers will be new CIAG executive vice-president, Mike Bryan. Experienced in trade association activities and working with the collision repair industry throughout his entire career, Bryan is familiar with the issues it faces. "Our industry provides an essential service", says Bryan. "but we must secure a brighter future for it by making it more customer friendly, profitable and a great place to work."
Bryan will report to CIAG’s board of directors and will be responsible for the development and implementation of the association’s strategic plan. Shop accreditation, profitability, industry relations and staff recruitment are all key issues, but Bryan will be holding meetings across the province to learn directly from collision repairers what matters most to them. "When CIAG communicates with governments, other industry stakeholders and the media, it will do so with the strength and conviction that comes from knowing it truly represents the industry’s interests", adds Bryan.
Ontario’s 2,800 collision repairers are mostly individual independent businesses with limited power and resource to wield much influence on their own. However, when they express their needs collectively through their industry association, the impact is enormous. Bill Finan is confident that as CIAG shows a new sense of purpose and direction, more collision repairers will become members. This will not only provide the funding for CIAG’s member-driven activities, but will help make that industry voice stronger, consistent and indeed, louder.
All enquiries and correspondence regarding CIAG should be addressed to the association’s new location at: Collision Industry Action Group, 66 Guided Court, Toronto, ON M9V 4K6, Tel: 416 741 8481, 1 800 318 DENT (3368), Fax 416 741 8906, E-mail: ciag@bellnet.ca, Web site: www.ciag.ca.