The NARSA Annual Convention and Tradeshow is here again. In its 56th year, this show offers attendees plenty of opportunities to see what’s new and cool in mobile heat transfer. Whether it’s educational seminars, networking opportunities, or product ideas you’re looking for, it will be there.
NARSA’s convention is held in conjunction with AAPEX during the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week (AAIW) in Las Vegas and is reserved for automotive industry professionals. No other trade event or trade show offers as many qualified buyers and distributors from all segments of the automotive aftermarket.
More than 117,854 professionals from every corner of the global automotive aftermarket community attended AAIW 2007 and 2,016 exhibitors displayed their products.
Not only does AAPEX feature a bevy of products, it also hosts educational seminars targeting the latest aftermarket industry topics, which are free to NARSA attendees.
To help you take advantage of all that’s available this week we’ve put together a handy show guide. Included is a schedule you can pull out and take with you, descriptions of the events available to you, Las Vegas maps, and suggestions for what to do in your free time.
NARSA Events
Monday, Nov. 3, 2008
Registration
7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Breakfast and Town Hall Meeting, sponsored by Performance Radiator
8:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Where is the heat transfer industry headed? Where is your business heading? The industry has seen many changes and it’s imperative to know where you stand. One of the greatest intangibles of attending the NARSA Convention is having the opportunity to share ideas with your peers. Bring an open mind and some questions as well as ideas for this informal and lively discussion on the state of our industry. This is your chance to find out what works and what doesn’t, how the strong have survived, share in the concerns of your industry, and what’s being done to address those concerns.
NARSA Annual Golf Tournament and Luncheon at Silverstone Golf Course
11:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Please join your industry colleagues in the quest for the coveted Delphi Seekins Cup at the Silverstone Golf Club! This year’s Seekins Cup Golf Tournament will be held at the Silverstone Golf Club, designed by world-renowned architect Robert Cupp. With 27 holes, the three unique layouts combine great par-4 scoring opportunities with the longest par-5 in Nevada, the 653-yard Mountain #3. Silverstone is kept in tournament condition at all times, featuring lush rye grass fairways and true bent grass greens. The 34,000 square-foot Mediterranean-style clubhouse has won the honor “Best Clubhouse,” voted by Vegas Golfer Magazine.
Opening Night Welcoming and Seekins Cup Awards Reception, co-sponsored by Delphi
7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Following your day in Vegas, join with your fellow industry colleagues in a relaxing atmosphere to network and discuss your “pains” and triumphs over the past year. Also, the winners of the Seekins Cup for 2008 will be recognized.
Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008
Associate Member Liaison Committee Breakfast Meeting
7:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Open to NARSA Member Manufacturers and Suppliers Only
Pre-Gala “Meet the Vendors” Reception
7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Gala attendees will have the opportunity to meet with various heat transfer vendors prior to the Gala to discuss their latest product offerings, swap ideas on new heat transfer repair methods, and make deals, all while enjoying hors d’oeuvres and a favorite libation.
Grand Gala
8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
The Gala includes the Awards Ceremony, State of the Association Address, and swearing in of new board members, all during dinner. After dinner, enjoy dessert, drinks, and music.
Tuesday, Nov. 4 - Thursday, Nov. 6
The AAPEX/NARSA Tradeshow opens on Tuesday at 9 a.m. and lasts through Thursday. The show floor is open every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Be sure to visit the NARSA Heat Transfer Pavilion on the Lobby Level of the Sands Expo Center.
Wednesday, Nov. 5
HD Certified Reception – Invitation Only
(If interested in becoming HD Certified or learning more about the program, please contact Tom Bremble, (856) 642-4205, tbremble@ahint.com)
7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
This reception will provide a valuable opportunity to network with other HD Certified shops and share experiences.
AAPEX Educational Opportunities
Surely you’ve noticed that this year is a little different than past years as we’ve lightened the NARSA seminar and workshop schedule and focused on social events. The reason is we’re finding the regional ed/tech events are a much better venue for educational gatherings. That means you’ll have more time for networking and walking the tradeshow floor. That doesn’t mean, however, that you are without education opportunities as AAPEX offers a range of seminars free for NARSA/AAPEX attendees. Read on to see what’s offered.
Sunday, Nov. 2
How to Sell to the Chinese Aftermarket: Getting it Right
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m., Room SEC 303/304
(SEC = Sands Expo Center)
Monday, Nov. 3
2008 – Technical Tipping Point for the Aftermarket
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m., Room SEC 303/304
This year has been a tipping point for the adoption of important data and communication standards in the Aftermarket. Scott Luckett, vice president for technology standards and solutions at AAIA, will brief the industry on the full range of AAIA technology initiatives – from ACES and PIES (Industry Data Standards) to Web service, service oriented architecture, e-commerce, PARTnership Network and more. This session will include the very latest information about the standards and technical solutions that are transforming the aftermarket industry.
AASA & NHTSA: Challenges in Importing, Outsourcing and Off-Shoring
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m., Room SEC 302
Speakers: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) – “Guidance and Recommended Importer Best Practices” and Arent Fox – “Distributor Liabilities, What You Need to Know.”
Tuesday, Nov. 4
Selling Parts for Imports: Did You Ever Consider Listening to Your Customer? The Installers’ View
7:45 a.m. - 9:00 a.m., Room SEC 303/304
Breakfast Seminar–Registration Required
A panel of import specialists who cater to the general repair market and order parts in a more traditional manner will detail specifically what they want and need from their auto parts suppliers. Questions will include: How conscious are you of the brand of parts you install on your customer’s car; and how can your parts supplier help you compete with expanding dealer service networks?
2009 Aftermarket Outlook
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m., Room SEC 303/304
This year has been one of economic challenge and unprecedented change in consumer behavior. What impact have major changes in driving patterns, consumer spending, and vehicle sales had on the U.S. automotive aftermarket, and what trends can be expected in 2009? Drawing from a wealth of economic trends, consumer research, and product sales data, NPD Industry analyst David Portalatin will share insights on today’s – and tomorrow’s – aftermarket consumer. In addition, this session will feature results from NPD’s 2009 Aftermarket Consumer Outlook study, including attitudes and anticipated behavior for 2009. The 2009 Aftermarket Consumer Outlook study is an AAPEX exclusive with results publicly released for the first time at this highly anticipated session.
Telematics: A Major Threat or an Opportunity for the Automotive Aftermarket?
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m., Room SEC 303/304
The rising use of vehicle telematics is a concern to many aftermarket manufacturers based on their assumption that original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) will use the technology to freeze aftermarket players out of the market. Vehicle designers are combining sensors, probes, and two-way communication devices to create information for vehicle owners and steer aftermarket service to their dealer organizations. Therefore, the big questions are, “Will aftermarket companies have a role in the telematics future?” and “What do they need to do to secure their future growth in the industry?” In this session, the results of the recent telematics study commissioned by AAIA will be presented.
Emerging Markets: The Indian Influence
3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., Room SEC 303/304
India is the 11th largest automotive market in the world and is poised to overtake its neighbor China as the world’s fastest growing car market. With a population exceeding 1.1 billion and a surging economy, India has become a huge attraction for both OE and aftermarket manufacturers. To better understand the opportunities that India presents, Dr. Debashish Chakraborty will speak about the trends in the Indian auto industry, growth projections, exports, imports, and the potential for mergers and acquisitions of brands external to the subcontinent.
Wednesday, Nov. 5
Secrets to Successfully Working with the Millennial Generation
10:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m., Room SEC 303/304
As each generation before them, the Millennial generation, born between 1980 and 2000, has characteristics of its own. Optimistic yet street smart, Millennials value diversity. Born into the world of the internet, cell phones, and video games, they are tech savvy with short attention spans. Raised by “Helicopter” Baby Boomer parents who pushed them to excel, Millennials are natural multi-taskers brimming with confidence. So where does this leave Millennials as up-and-coming employees? And how will employers effectively recruit and retain a group of workers predicted to drastically change how companies organize and communicate? Learn the secrets for working with and supervising Millennials that will help even the most pessimistic of managers effectively leverage this generation!
Obtaining Access to Vehicle Service Information and Tools: A Global Update
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m., Room SEC 303/304
This year has been a busy year for AAIA and its partners toward obtaining access to car company tools, software, and service information needed to work on today’s highly computerized vehicles, both in the U.S. and globally. This seminar will provide an opportunity for attendees to obtain an update on the good and the bad news regarding the global battle for access to repair information, software and tools, as well as a look at how advances in vehicle technology might impact these battles in the not to distant future.
Exceptional Customer Service: Your Key to Company Growth
3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., Room SEC 303/304
Which companies will merely survive and which will thrive in the current economy? That question will be decided by your customers and those of your competition. Your company will gain a competitive advantage by offering your customers deliverables that strengthen loyalty and insulate you from price competition. In this session, discover what your employees need to deliver an exceptional customer experience, stay ahead of the competition, and improve your bottom line.
Thursday, Nov. 6
Toyota’s Advanced Hybrid Technologies: Are You Prepared to Support Them in Your Shop?
7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m., Room SEC 301/302
Automobiles keep getting more complex every year. Driven by stringent emissions and safety standards, consumer demand for improved fuel economy and a revolution in enabling electronic technologies, the technician learning curve has gone vertical. Technicians can’t hope to begin a diagnosis or repair without a fundamental understanding of how systems work and affordable access to appropriate service information and diagnostic tools. With a collective 79 years of automotive service, training, and technology experience, Mark Saxonberg and Ed Ralbovsky team up to bring you the latest information on Toyota Motor Corp.’s hybrid vehicle technology and the service support resources Toyota Motor Sales USA has under development to empower you to support these products. Toyota strives to provide their customers with an ownership experience worthy of the product itself, for the life of the vehicle. Attend this presentation and see where your shop fits into helping Toyota become the most successful and respected car company in America.
The Current Hybrid State of Affairs
9:00 a.m. -10:00 a.m., Room SEC 301/302
This class will enable you to ask any questions you have about hybrid gas or diesel/electric motor vehicles. The topics that will be covered are: what hybrid tools and equipment are required for service and repair, when should I get into the marketplace, and some of the more misunderstood technical service issues. Craig Van Batenburg, your presenter, has been driving, servicing, repairing, and educating repair professionals for over eight years. Craig is a technical journalist, former repair shop owner, and CEO of ACDC based in Massachusetts.
The New Change in the Vehicle Market – What Does it Mean to You?
10:00 a.m. -11:00 a.m., Room SEC 303/304
High gas prices, shrinking home values, the rapidly changing global landscape—all are affecting the world’s vehicle population like never before. Hybrids and alternative fuel vehicles are starting to have an impact. In this session learn what you can expect in the next three to five years and how can you prepare for our rapidly changing industry.
For information on AAPEX Show programming, go to www.aapexshow.com, click on “Attendee” and then on “Seminar and Events Schedule 2008.
What to Do and See in Vegas
Visiting Las Vegas can’t be all work and no play so we’ve gathered information on just a smattering of all that you can see and do when in Vegas. For more information about what’s happening in Las Vegas visit www.visitlasvegas.com.
The Casinos
Bellagio
If you do anything in Las Vegas you have to watch the Fountains of Bellagio. The world-famous sprays are choreographed to move to everything from opera, classical to pop music. The Bellagio Web site says you’ll be swept away by this breathtaking union of water, music and light, and it’s true. Show times are Monday through Friday every half-hour from 3:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. and every 15 minutes from 8:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. You can catch the free show on Saturday and Sunday every half-hour from 12:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., and every 15 minutes from 8:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. After watching the fountains, venture inside to see the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. This indoor garden features row after row of exotic plants and flowers suited to each season and holiday.
Mirage
The Mirage is host to myriad sightseeing opportunities including the Secret Garden & Dolphin Habitat – a tropical environment with palm trees and lush foliage. It is home to several Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, as well as Siegfried and Roy’s Royal White Tigers, Magical White Lions, panthers, and leopards. If you get to the Mirage in evening, watch for the hotels famed volcano.
Venetian
At this Italian-themed hotel you can stroll along a cobblestone walkway, or take a relaxing ride in an authentic Italian gondola. Listen to performers serenade you while you shop along the Grand Canal and see The Venetian Living Statues perform daily in St. Mark’s Square. Performance hours in the square are Sunday through Thursday, 10 a.m. - 11 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to midnight.
Paris
See replicas of The Arc de Triomphe and The Eiffel Tower. A two-thirds replica of the original Arc de Triomphe is located right at the Paris hotel’s front entrance. The names and dates of Napoleon’s victories are inscribed on the monument. The 50-story Eiffel Tower perches above the casino. It is a half-replica of the original, which was built to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. Take the elevator all the way to the top-floor observation deck. And what would Paris be without The Louvre, The Paris Opera House, The Hotel de Ville, and the Alexander III Bridge? Replicas of all these are on-site in downtown Las Vegas Paris Hotel & Casino.
New York New York
Who needs shows and casinos when there are roller coasters to be ridden? Only in New York New York will you be lifted 203 feet and dropped 144 feet at 67 mph. And that’s only the half of it. The Roller Coaster at New York New York runs Sunday through Thursday from 11a.m.-11p.m. and on Friday and Saturday from 10:30 a.m.-midnight.
Fremont Street Experience
Go old school in Las Vegas at least once, and that means making your way down to Fremont Street Experience, the site of Old Vegas. This is where it all began and where it’s still going on. Ten legendary casinos line Fremont Street Experience and there are often free concerts, special events, and roaming street performers to entertain you.
Concerts
Bette Midler – Caesars Palace
$95 - $250
For more info call (800) 634-6661
Elton John -
The Red Piano – Caesars Palace
$100 - $250
For more info call (800) 634-6661
Tom Jones – MGM Grand
Hotel and Casino
$92.40
For more info call (800) 929-1111
Rodney Carrington – MGM Grand Hotel and Casino
$69.50
For more info call (800) 929-1111
Sports
2008 PBR World Finals
Thomas & Mack Center
$30 - $40
For more info call (702) 739-3267
Seven rounds of competition, 45 of the world’s bravest professional bull riders, 300 of the toughest, rankest bucking bulls on the planet, The PBR’s 2008 Built Ford Tough World Finals presented by Wrangler will happen here in the Entertainment Capital of the World.
Comedy
Anthony Cools – Paris Las Vegas
$52.75 - $74.75
For more info call (888) 266-5687
Noted for his bawdy comedy, comedic hypnotist Anthony Cools extracts the carnal desires from his audience through hypnosis, leaving the skeptics longing for more. His signature stunts include inducing an orally eager and sexually uninhibited state while entertaining onlookers with flawless comedic delivery. In addition, Cools offers handshakes that result in a climactic exhibition for both the guest on stage and the audience. However, Cools keeps a strong emphasis on the comedy, careful not to embarrass his subjects; a courtesy that has rallied a cult-like following.
Exhibitions and Museums
Bodies...The Exhibition
Luxor Hotel and Casino
$31
For more info call (800) 288-1000
Bodies ...The Exhibition, which showcases real full-bodies and organs, provides a detailed, three-dimensional vision of the human form rarely seen outside of an anatomy lab or a morgue. The Exhibition showcases 13 whole-body specimens and more than 260 organs and partial body specimens. These real human bodies have been meticulously dissected, preserved through an innovative process and respectfully presented, giving visitors the opportunity to view the beauty and complexity of their own organs and systems.
MGM Grand – Lion Habitat
MGM Grand Hotel and Casino’s one-of-a-kind Lion Habitat as a showcase for public education and appreciation for this regal animal. The lions live on an 8.5-acre ranch 12 miles from the MGM Grand and are owned and cared for by feline expert Keith Evans. Admission is free and the habitat is open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Ethel M Chocolates Factory & Cactus Garden
Henderson, NV
(About 10 miles from the Strip)
For more info call (702) 433-2500
Got a sweet tooth? Visit the Ethel M Chocolate Factory and Botanical Cactus Gardens. Watch chocolates being made, sample treats, and wander through the Botanical Cactus Gardens, which feature more than 300 different kinds of plants. The factory and gardens are open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and admission is free.
Atomic Testing Museum
For more info call (702) 794-5151
The Atomic Testing Museum provides multiple viewpoints on the work conducted at the Nevada Test Site and its impact on the nation. The 8,000 square-foot permanent exhibit hall includes artifacts on loan from personal collections, the Smithsonian Institution, Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, and pieces of the Berlin wall and World Trade Centers. The museum is open to the public Monday-Saturday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and on Sunday from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Outdoors Adventures
Adventure Balloons
For more info call (702) 247-6905
or
DR Balloons
For more info call (702) 221-9192
See Nevada at new heights from a hot air balloon.
American Alpine Institute
For more info call (800) 424-2249
Rock Climb in Red Rock Canyon! A guide service that provides trained and certified guides to all students. Half-day to multi-day courses available.
Annie Bananies Wild West Tours
For more info call (702) 804-9755
Offers guided tours to Valley of Fire and lunch at Lake Mead.
