PROSSER, Wash. -- The Tennessee Collision Repairers Association (TCRA) headquartered in Jackson, Tenn. is now an affiliate of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS).
The TCRA is one of the newest state repairer associations and fill an industry representation void in Tenn. TCRA President Bob Mitchell said interested repairers met for over a year to discuss the importance of being in an association.
Mitchell noted, "Our state's repairers have found their profits eroding, and some feel they are losing control over the way they run their businesses. We thought that by coming together as a group, we could study the situation from different viewpoints and strategize effectively as a result. In addition, we knew being in an association would give us the opportunity to discuss proper repair procedures, and we were eager to institute a strong lobbying presence at the state capital."
Those interested repairers also included shop owners Steve Hardee and David Wayne. Once word got out about their efforts (spread in part through a string of advertisements in trade publications), the group discovered a large groundswell of interest. Inquiries came from all over the state. The association quickly formed and affiliated itself with SCRS.
"I was an SCRS member already, so I knew what they brought to the table," stated Jackson.
"We welcome the TCRA aboard and applaud the solid foundation they are building as a leadership presence in the state," said SCRS Executive Director Dan Risley. "The repairers in Tennessee needed a voice, and the TCRA is giving it to them."
