iFLEX 2016 a Resounding Success
iFLEX 2016 wrapped up on Wednesday, May 11. Thank you to everyone that attended the event and helped AOCA make the first iFLEX at The Car Wash Show a resounding success! With more than 400 exhibitors, and over 8,000 attendees, there wasn't a dull minute in The Music City. To see a snapshot of the event, visit the iFLEX album on Facebook.  

Recordings of the quick lube specific sessions will be on sale in the AOCA store soon. Keep an eye out for more information. 

Reminder: Don't forget to complete the iFLEX survey if you attended. The deadline is May 26. Help make next year an even greater success! 
Regulatory and Legislative Issues You Should Know About
By Bryan White, Executive Director AOCA 

The past few months have been very busy from a regulation and/or legislative front. We began 2016 talking about Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) regulation. Transmission fluids are not subject to a uniform licensing system like engine oils, and that's making certain Weights & Measures officials uncomfortable. At a recent Central Weights & Measures Association meeting in St. Charles, Missouri, the Vice-Chair of the National Conference of Weights & Measures Fuels and Lubricants Subcommittee suggested that fraudulent ATF installation occurs whenever an installer uses a multi-vehicle fluid that doesn't meet the latest standard available. Such fluids were referred to as "obsolete" and therefore should not be lawful.

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Approved 2016 Board Slate
AOCA sent the proposed slate for the 2016 Board of Directors to members in April. The slate was confirmed by vote at the iFLEX 2016 member meeting. Congratulations to the 2016 AOCA Board of Directors: 
  • President, David Haney - Oil & Lube Express 
  • Vice President, Dave Jensen - Pennzoil 10 Minute Oil Change Centre 
  • Secretary, Jim Grant - Fast Lube 
  • Treasurer, Bob Falter - Multi Management Inc. DBA Jiffy Lube 
  • Director, Bill Floyd - Lucas Oil Center 
  • Director, John Lindsay - Power Lube Express Auto Care 
  • Director, Greg Strawhun - Lube Specialties, Valvoline Express Care 
  • Vendor Director, Steve Barram - Integrated Services, Inc. 
  • Vendor Director, Jeff Malicote - Express Care, for the Valvoline Division of Ashland, Inc. 
  • Vendor Director, Sean Malmstrom - S&E Quick Lube Distributors Inc.
Thank You to the Outgoing Board Members
  • Amber Kossak, Solid Start / True Brand 
  • Len Minco, Kwik Kar Lube & Auto Care of Hudson Oaks and Aledo 
  • Harold Smith, HLS Express Lube Inc.
Register for the Fall Management Certification Course
The Fall Management Certification Course will be held September 27-28, in Dallas, Texas and registration is now open. 

AOCA's Management Certification Course provides the knowledge and tools needed to help you and your managers develop skills in planning, organization, staffing, leading and controlling.

Register Now
5 Common HR Mistakes
Let's face it, no one loves human resources. Very few people get excited about HR - I have yet to meet someone who went into business for the purpose of hiring and managing employees. Tackling thorny "people issues" is hard and can be frustrating. But the reality is that once you hire employees, you own a myriad of challenges that, if not handled well, can grow into significant problems

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Federated Insurance Corner
Estate Tax Plans are Not Only for the Rich and Famous
In 2012, Congress passed the American Taxpayer Relief Act, which finally provided business owners and their advisors with some needed certainty around planning for gift and estate taxes. To recap, each person currently has an exemption amount of $5.45 million (for 2016), which can be used to pass assets to heirs free from gift tax during life, or estate taxes at death. Assets can still pass tax-free between spouses, and "portability" allows a surviving spouse to use any exemption not used by his or her deceased spouse. This effectively gives a married couple the ability to pass $10.9 million to their heirs without incurring any federal transfer tax liability. Read More

That Pain in Your Wallet Might Be Caused by Insurance Fraud 
Like the scene out of a movie, an "inside job" unfolds: A jewelry store owner makes the conscious decision to defraud his insurance company. Initially, the owner's actions look legitimate: He submits a claim for a stolen ring, and supplies an invoice for the ring to his adjuster. His fatal error was substituting the ring's real invoice with one that was more than $10,000 over the ring's actual value. Read More