Maaco, North America’s body shop, kicked off the festivities for its 2022 Maaco Convention with a reception welcoming some 400 franchise owners, valued vendors and industry partners, to the beautiful Omni La Costa Resort and Spa for a week of learning, camaraderie, and celebration.
The 2022 Maaco Convention runs from Nov. 15 – 18. The four-day event is filled with motivational speakers, a vendor trade show, leadership messages, charitable events, and educational opportunities. During the week, franchise owners will also have an opportunity to connect with one another to share ideas and best practices.
“We are ecstatic to finally be gathering together, in person, as we welcome everyone to sunny southern California,” said Chris Dawson, paint and collision president for Driven Brands. “The Maaco Convention has always been a big part of the Maaco culture, it is what makes our network a family. It’s here that the system fosters lifelong friendships and franchise owners learn from one another, ultimately helping Maaco become better than ever before.”
The festivities kicked off on the Main Plaza of the Omni La Costa Resort showcasing southern California style, with local foods and beverages on the menu. Maaco franchise owners, valued vendors and industry team members enjoyed the beautiful sunset and camaraderie for a true celebration of Maaco’s milestone 50th anniversary.
“I think some of the greatest benefits of coming to an event like this is being together as a group,” said Shane Hollas, owner of Maaco in Rockwall, Tex., and Maaco Rookie of the Year in 2020. “People were secluded during COVID, but as Maaco owners, we were all essential business and were operating as business as usual in our own small world. The value of this event is being face-to-face and seeing our brothers and sisters from other locations as well as our corporate partners to collaborate and build each other up individually and as a group together. This makes the whole network stronger, which is of immense value.
“And then, when you start to see the camaraderie and new friendships made by the new franchise owners that are attending for the first time and see them learn from the people who are senior, that is just magical,” Hollas added. “It’s what makes Maaco a great brand, and it’s what makes Maaco a great franchise. I’m excited to be here and have this benefit, and I also look forward to all the lessons I’m going to learn to improve my shop and help others improve, too.”
Day two of the Maaco Convention will include general sessions with messages from Maaco’s senior leadership team, giving insights in the areas of strategy, analytics, marketing, training, operations, a live panel, and a message from keynote speaker Mike Anderson of Collision Advice. The recipient of the Tony Martino Hall of Fame Award will also be announced.
The remainder of the week will feature a charity golf tournament, a charity fall festival and the vendor expo, all culminating with the awards gala on Friday evening.
