In addition to a day and a half of presentations, the event included a National Auto Body Council Recycled Rides vehicle gifting and a tour of the American Center for Mobility. This year also marked CIECA’s 30th anniversary.
“CIECA CONNEX 2024 was our largest event to date and highlighted the importance of technology in the collision industry,” said Paul Barry, CIECA’s Executive Director. “CIECA’s unique position as a neutral industry association ensures we offer a forum where companies from across all industry segments can share where they see technology going in the future and opportunities and challenges new technologies create.”
Ashley Denison, Caliber Collision’s Chief Information Officer and this year’s chairperson, welcomed attendees to the event.
“As we delve into discussions about the intersection of data and mobility, we are reminded of the ever-evolving nature of our field,” said Denison. “Data, in its myriad forms, has become the lifeblood of modern mobility, shaping how we navigate our world and interact with technology. Today, we stand on the precipice of a new era, where data and mobility converge to create unprecedented opportunities.”
Denison said the conference is a testament to the industry’s collective commitment to harnessing these opportunities, exploring new frontiers, and pushing the boundaries of what is possible.
She encouraged attendees to fully engage in the sessions, share insights and collaborate with peers.
“Together, we will continue to build on the strong foundation laid by our founders, driving innovation and progress for the next 30 years and beyond,” she noted.
Bill Garoutte, Founder and President of BDG, emceed CIECA CONNEX. Throughout the event, Garoutte thanked sponsors and introduced speakers.
“Motor City - Motown - Hockeytown was so appropriate to celebrate 30 years of CIECA as the birthplace of the modern automobile and we were there to feel that vibe,” said Garoutte. “CIECA CONNEX 2024 was the best and most informative in its history but possibly for the industry at large. We dove headfirst into many areas that are an integral part of our industry that no other event has provided.”
This year, IAA and OEC were platinum sponsors of CONNEX. Gold sponsors included CarPartPro.com, Damage Appraisers of North America, Nexsyis and URG. Silver sponsors were AkzoNobel, Allstate, Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA), Axalta, Caliber Collision, Comsearch, Enterprise, LKQ Corporation, Mitchell, an Enlyte Company, Safelite and Solera.
The keynote address was given by Greg Horn, Chief Innovation Officer at PartsTrader. Horn provided a collision industry update and explored how recent changes and future technology trends will impact the industry. In his current role at PartsTrader, Horn oversees the product portfolio and leads the data analytics and visualization department.
Following Horn’s presentation, Barry discussed the role of CIECA in the industry. He explained why CIECA was created, the evolution of CIECA Standards and how the industry uses standards.
Paulette Reed, CIECA’s technical project manager, then gave an update about CIECA API Standards (CAPIS), which included a look at the API Stages.
The first panel discussion of the day focused on AI in the customer experience. It was moderated by Gaurav (Rav) Mendiratta, CEO of SocioSquares and Chief Product Officer at Propel. Panelists include Mark Fincher, Vice President of Product Management at CCC Intelligent Solutions; Abhijeet Gulati, Head of AI, Senior Director of Engineering at Mitchell, an Enlyte Company; and Bill Brower, Senior Vice President of North America Claims & Global Industry Relations at Solera.
Kevin Tierney, Chief Cybersecurity Officer and Vice President at General Motors, then provided an OEM perspective on cybersecurity. Tierney leads enterprise, product and manufacturing cybersecurity programs, with a focus on security architecture, penetration testing, cyber risk management, incident response, vulnerability management, intelligence, awareness and training, and governance.
After lunch, Emil Nusbaum, Vice President of Strategy, Government and Regulatory Affairs for the Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA), shared insight on the “Transition to Battery Electric Vehicles: What the Automotive Recycling Industry is Doing to Ensure a Circular Economy.” In addition to his role at ARA, Nusbaum is the Co-Chair of NAATBatt’s Policy and Regulatory Committee.
Richard Mueller, DTE Energy’s Engineering Manager for New Technology, Engineering Standards and Grid Interconnections, then talked about the integration of electrified transportation into the grid. Mueller has more than 20 years of utility experience, focusing on testing and implementation of distribution automation, distributed resources and microgrid integration, transportation electrification, SCADA and Operational Technology systems deployment.
During the second panel discussion, OEM representatives participated in a panel discussion moderated by Devin Wilcox, Collision Certification Manager at Subaru of America (SOA). Panelists included Mark Allen, Manager of Collision, Equipment & EV After Sales Service at Audi of America; Jake Rodenroth, Senior Manager of the North American Body Repair Program at Lucid Motors; and Chris Wallace, Collision and Global Brand Protection Manager at Ford Motor Company.
The final presentation and panel discussion of the day focused on 3D printing in the collision industry. Harold Sears, Head of the Advisory Council from Auto Additive, provided an overview of 3D printing. Previously, Harold was the technical leader and manager of Ford’s Additive Manufacturing Technologies and retired from Ford in 2022.
After Sears’s presentation, he took part in a panel discussion about 3D printing with Mario Dimovski, Director of Circular & Repair Innovation at Boyd Group Services, and Brian Driehorst, Chief Revenue Officer at Headlights.com.
That evening, CIECA held a reception and 30th anniversary celebration of the organization.
The following day, presentations continued. Jamie Shackelford, Senior Director, B2B | Sales Enablement | Industry Insights for Caliber Collision, talked about “Navigating the New Frontier, Vehicle Complexity & Industry Evolution.” Humphries is a B2B leader with Caliber, known for leveraging research and conversations with industry experts to communicate the vehicle repair industry's complexities and their implications to all stakeholders.
Next, Pat Blech, Head of Advanced Repair Technologies at OEC, discussed “Making the Complex Simple: The Complexity of Repair Data and the Need for Industry Collaboration.” Blech has been with OEC for 11 years and currently leads the Advanced Repair Technologies division, which includes the introduction of the RepairLogic repair planning platform.
Joel Pepera, Director of Core Telematics for Arity, then talked about “Unlocking the Power of Telematics in Insurance: Transforming Risk Assessment, Claims and Customer Engagement.” In his current role, Pepera focuses on advancing telematics data and analytics across sensor platforms, sensor data processing, and developing next-gen products.
The following two presentations addressed digital claims and communication in the claims process. First, Michael Anderson, Global Advisory Lead for Claims at Guidewire Software, talked about automating claims. Anderson works with senior claim executives to help develop and refine their long-term claim strategy and vision.
Anderson then joined Michael Giarrizzo Jr., President and CEO of DCR Systems; Paul Riffel, Vice President of Material Damage Claims at GAINSCO Auto Insurance; and Michael Rortvedt, Director of Product and User Experience at Entegral, for a panel discussion about communication in the claims process.
After the last presentation, the NABC held its Recycled Rides gifting during lunch. Conference attendees then had the opportunity to tour the American Center for Mobility.
“The sponsors, the presenters and their content were at a whole new level for our industry,” said Garoutte. “This was the best event in my 22 years of involvement with CIECA, both in content and attendance.”