March 14, 2018—The Auto Care Association today announced it has opened registration for its 2018 Paint, Body and Equipment Specialists (PBES) Conference. The two-and-a-half day conference will be held on May 16-18 at the Fairmont Austin Hotel in Austin, Texas.

The PBES Conference is an annual educational event that brings together paint, body and equipment industry leaders of the automotive aftermarket. The 2018 conference will focus on the theme of “Leverage Disruption” and provide attendees with the latest educational resources and insights on how to leverage disruption to expand their businesses.

This year’s conference presenters include:

• Tim Clue, award-winning writer, educator, and comic:

  • “Comfort With Discomfort: A Funny Thing” – Clue will use a blend of laughter, thought and inspiration, to explore our aversion to discomfort and challenge us to leverage disruption.

• Dirk Beveridge, president and CEO, Beveridge Consulting Group:

  • “Innovate! How to Create Relevancy in The Age of Disruption” – Beveridge will help explore The Innovative Distributor framework, which provides practical lessons for creating transformative and innovative change.

• Tom Brown, 3M Automotive Aftermarket Division:

  • “Grow Your Customer’s Wallet… Grow Your Own!” – In this session sponsored by 3M, Brown will examine how to add substantial value to your customer’s operations while increasing sales, loyalty and growth for your business.

In addition to the general educational sessions, this year’s attendees will have the opportunity to participate in new hands-on breakout sessions, engage in panel discussions with leading industry experts, attend the Innovation Fair with premier industry partners showcasing the latest business solutions and jobbers/distributors will have a chance to win an Apple Watch Series 3 (with GPS and cellular capabilities).

To register for the 2018 PBES Conference, click here. The deadline to register is April 20, 2018.