Collision Repair Department Hosts 2005 I-CAR Northeast Regional Meeting

Earlier this month, the Collision Repair Department of Penn College's School of Transportation Technology hosted the 2005 I-CAR (Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair) Northeast Regional Meeting.

The northeast region is comprised of Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and West Virginia.

This annual get-together is comprised of I-CAR instructors, including body and frame technicians, painters, shop owners, insurance-company personnel, and secondary and postsecondary collision-repair instructors, as well as product representatives from companiessuch as 3M, Lord Fusor, IES, Sherwin Williams, Kent Automotive, Hunter and Wurth.

Also attending were I-CAR committee personnel, including David Coffey of Penfield, N.Y., northeast regional manager; Donna Miller of the Harrisburg area; and volunteers that help support the training and educational programs of I-CAR locally, regionally and nationally.

The two-day agenda included general sessions and committee meetings. Also offered were various technical-training sessions, including the opportunity to complete two new training programs: Wind Noise and Water Leaks (WNW01)and Introduction to Volvo Collision Repair (VLV01). These two programs are ready for introduction and use in I-CAR's collision-repair training venue.

Numerous opportunities were available to network and discuss collision repair, as well as educational issues.

Penn College's Collision Repair department was well represented by Alfred M. Thomas II, associate professor of collision repair and department head; Stephen T. Duna, instructor of collision repair; and Eric D. Pruden, instructor of automotive technology. All three are I-CAR instructors, I-CAR Platinum Individuals and Automotive Service Excellence Masters in their respective disciplines. All participated in the two days of training and will receive I-CAR Gold Points and credit for training in the two new areas.

Students in the Collision Repair certificate program and associate-degree major will be able to benefit from these new training programs, as well. Collision repair incorporates many dynamic features of I-CAR's Enhanced Delivery Curriculum, which allows students the opportunity to learn and work with state-of-the-art information and collision-repair techniques and tools. Students also are eligible to recieve I-CAR Gold Points and, upon successful completion of a specified number of Gold Points, qualify as I-CAR Platinum Individuals.

I-CAR Platinum status signifies a high degree of commitment to collision-repair training, expertise, professionalism and responsibility to the safety and well-being of consumers and the industry.

Spring 2005 I-CAR training begins at Penn Collegeat 1 p.m.Wednesday, March 23. Contact Duna at (570) 326-3761, ext. 7967, for information including cost, directions, dates and times.