The VISION HiTech Training & Expo was held March 1 through 4, 2018 at the Overland Park Convention Center in Overland Park, Kansas.
VISION organizers and event host, the Automotive Service Association of the Midwest, reported another record setting year for the growing conference now in its 26th year.
The conference, brainchild of co-founder Jerry Holcom and conference director Sheri Hamilton, featured over 100 training courses adding up to over 25,500 hours of technical and management training from industry experts. Training was presented to automotive service professionals representing 44 states, seven Canadian provinces, St. Maarten British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guatemala and Zimbabwe and Africa.
With more than 3,650 automotive service professionals in attendance at the 2018 event, the VISION conference continues to expand each year. VISION welcomed a record-number of more than 500 first-time conference attendees, a statistic that keeps growing each year of the program. Exhibitor space is over 70 percent sold out for the 2019 event.
"As a first time attendee I was blown away by every aspect of VISION," Michael Reynolds from MASS in Mt. Charleston, South Carolina, said. "This event illuminates our industry and I can't wait for next year."
On March 1, the Hi-Tech Tool expo featured the latest in scan tool and diagnostic technology from industry manufacturers. The main expo opened on March 2 and 3 with a sold-out 60,000 sq. ft. show floor and included 25 first-time exhibiting companies.
"VISION is the top automotive show for independent automotive professionals," said Cecil Bullard, trainer, exhibitor and president of The Institute for Automotive Business Excellence. "Every shop owner should attend and bring his/her staff. The information and knowledge that can be gained is invaluable."
The conference again featured the Educator Think Tank providing a forum for educators to share ideas and attend training related to their specific needs as an educator. Jim Morton, an educator at Automotive Training Center, was presented with the 2018 VISION Educator of the Year award.
New to VISION this year was heavy duty technical training. Hosted at the neighboring Marriott Overland Park, attendees experienced hard-to-find training on the latest technology, including diagnostic scan tools, air brakes, SCR and more. Many sessions featured hands-on, live demonstrations that added value to the training experience.
VISION hosted its first-ever silent auction to support the ASA-Midwest Technicians of Tomorrow Educational Foundation (TTEF), a not-for-profit organization, designed to provide financial support and educational opportunities to students and professionals pursuing a career and education in the automotive service industry. Many participated in donating and bidding on items, which helped raise over $6,000 for future scholarships.
The conference concluded with its annual Celebration of Independents awards dinner, which honored the "best in the automotive service industry". Four students from across the Midwest region were recognized with scholarships towards their degree in automotive technology, two students were presented scholarships on behalf of Autoshop Solutions, and three VISION training scholarships were awarded that evening.
Awards were presented to:
- CoAuto Community Conscious Car Care, Reno, NV -- Service Facility of the Year
- CS Automotive, Brentwood, TN -- Best Website
- Heather Fitzgerald, Automotive Training Group -- Humanitarian of the Year
- James Copeland, Curt Hogan, Ron Haugen and Bob Orr -- ASA-Midwest Chairman’s Club
- DK Motors, Columbia, MO and Williamson’s Repair and Tire, Bondourant, IA -- Green Star Facility
- Snap-on Tools ZEUS Diagnostic & Information System -- Best New Product
- Chris Chesney, CARQUEST Technical Institute -- ASA-Midwest President’s Award
VISION continued its partnership with industry leaders welcoming back returning lead sponsors, CARQUEST Technical Institute, Federated Insurance, NAPA Autotech and WORLDPAC Training Institute, as well as additional partners and sponsors.
