Jan.. 11, 2019—In an effort to illustrate the strides his organization hopes to take in 2019 and beyond, Ray Fisher donned a headset and appeared in a live, online video chat with the media on Thursday.
Fisher, the new executive director of the Automotive Service Association, plans to utilize social platforms like Facebook Live to communicate with the organization’s membership much more in the future, too.
“We want to listen to our membership more,” Fisher, who took over his new role on Jan. 2, told the media. “The big message I have is, we’re only going to be as successful as the feedback of our membership.
“I will tell you that we’ll be delivering more content this year, moving forward. … We’re trying to hit every part of the business.”
Fisher is replacing Dan Risley, who left the ASA to pursue an opportunity in his home state of Illinois in July. Fisher took over as president and executive director of ASA-Michigan in 2010.
In Thursday’s video conference, Fisher also noted what he views as some of the most pressing issues for the ASA’s membership in 2019. The new executive director, who largely has a dealership background and is currently based out of Texas, identified the following hot-button issues:
- Bracing for autonomous vehicles
- Proper, and smooth, succession planning
- Telematics, mainly pertaining to who owns vehicle information
- ADAS training, which is likely to be addressed at future ASA gatherings
Fisher said the ASA’s board of directors recently assembled a strategic plan and, in March, that group is going to review that plan and make any adjustments it deems necessary to represent the auto industry in ideal fashion.
Overall, the new executive director of the ASA expressed a desire to help prepare the auto industry for a rather uncertain future.
“We need to look for that opportunity of what’s next,” Fisher said. “I don’t like to be a follower—I like to be a leader … I use the windshield, not the rear-view mirror—I like to be on the forefront of things.”
