Participants at last week's Collision Industry Conference (CIC) voted by a slim margin to hold CIC's November meeting in Las Vegas the week it had been scheduled rather than move it to October in conjunction with the rescheduled International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE).
CIC, which meets quarterly, has for decades held one of its meetings the day before NACE, in whatever location that show has been held. The Automotive Service Association (ASA), which sponsors NACE, has provided a room for CIC for that meeting, but has prohibited the meeting from taking place on any of the days of the actual NACE event.
NACE organizers last month announced that the NACE and CARS shows this year were moving from November in Las Vegas – the same week the larger Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show takes place there as well – to October 10-13 in Las Vegas.
Since NACE will run from a Sunday through Wednesday this year, a CIC meeting held during NACE week would have had to be on Thursday. That in turn could force other groups that hold meetings in conjunction with CIC, such as the National Auto Body Council, to meet on Friday.
Some CIC participants last week voiced concern that such a schedule could require participants to spend a week or more in Las Vegas to attend all the meetings. Others said Friday meetings are not ideal because many people want to travel home that day before the weekend.
Proponents of holding the CIC meeting in November also pointed out that SEMA organizers – looking to expand the paint, body and equipment section of its show – had offered CIC meeting space and greater flexibility as to when during the week CIC was held.
The final vote on the decision, following more than 30 minutes of discussion, was 71-65 in favor of the November meeting. CIC has not yet announced which day or days the week of November 1 its meeting will be held, but the location will be the Las Vegas Hilton, next door to the Las Vegas Convention Center where the SEMA show takes place.
The decision does not preclude CIC from again holding its fall meeting in conjunction with NACE in 2011. ASA has said NACE will likely return to an end-of-week schedule next year, which could allay some of the scheduling concerns for other meetings that were voiced by some CIC participants at last week’s meeting.
CIC (www.ciclink.com) is a quarterly gathering that brings together representatives from shops, insurers and industry vendors to discuss industry issues. Its mission is to help “build broad understanding, find common ground and communicate findings and possible solutions to the industry at-large.” The meetings typically attract 150 to 300 attendees.
