CAPA elects two board memebers, pushes legislation

The Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) elected two new members Jan. 19 to its board of directors:Jerry Kottschade, owner of jerry's Body Shop in Mankato, Minn., and Robert Lockwood, senior vice president of claims for Harleysville Insurance Group in Harleysville, Pa. They are the latest additions in the organization's year-long effort to expand and restaff the board.

With seven slots each for non-insurers and insurers, the shift to more equal representation for all sides of the industry is almost complete, save for one more board member (See the sidebar, "Board Members").

Accompanying the restructuring of the board is the regained support of the Automotive Service Association (ASA). ASA publicly withdrew its support of CAPA in 1997 but recently announced renewed support for CAPA and its efforts to create legislation at the state and federal levels to raise the quality of aftermarket parts by establishing minimum standards (See "CAPAs Model Law Seeks Certfication for All Non-OEM Parts," News, December 2000).

"ASA has never been opposed to the idea of CAPA," says Bob Redding, Washington representative for ASA. "We were frustrated with how things were going. CAPA has made substantial changes.Their attitude and goals seem to be right on target." Redding says ASA also supports notifying consumers when aftermarket parts are used and obtaining their consent before they are installed.

While Karen Fierst, president of KerenOr Consultants and liaison for the Taiwan Auto Body Parts Association (TABPA), supports the two groups working together, she has a mixed opinion of what they are trying to accomplish legislatively.

She says the industry needs to communicate instead of legislate and that requiring certification for all non-OEM parts restricts and confuses the marketplace. "CAPA certifies a certain percentage of parts, but they don't have the resources to certify all parts," she explains. "CAPA is on a tight budget with a limited staff. We would prefer they maximize those resources [on certifying parts] rather than out there lobbying."

On the issue of consumer consent, she says, "We agree with consumer disclosure. This isn't a debate about whether or not consumers should be made aware."

Jack Gillis, executive director of CAPA, and his staff continue to work to implement minimum quality standards for the after-- market parts it certifies. "We're protecting consumers from poor quality parts in the marketplace," he says.

In response to Fierst's assertion that some aftermarket companies would be negatively affected by such standards, Gillis says, "The only people who would be cut out would be those who chose not to meet the standards. There aren't market barriers at all. Any efforts we would make would do just the opposite."

Board Members

Those serving on the board of directors for the Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) are:

* Kirk Hansen, adviser, Alliance of American Insurers (AAI);

* Robert Hurns, adviser, National Association of Independent Insurers (NAIl);

* Jackie Gillan, consumer, Advocates for Highway Auto Safety;

* Kim Wood, distributor, North Star Plating;

* Bill Smeal, distributor, Smeal's Enterprises Inc.;

* Henry Viccellio, insurer, USAA;

* Tom L'Hote, insurer, State Farm Insurance Co.;

* Nick Note, insurer, Allstate Insurance Co.;

* Tom Willson, insurer, Liberty Mutual Insurance Co.;

* Robert Lockwood, insurer, Harleysville Insurance;

* Bob Anderson, repairer, Anderson's Automotive Services;

* Don Keenan, repairer, Keenan Auto Body;

* Jerry Kottschade, repairer, Jerry's Body Shop Inc.