AKRON (July 30, 2001)—It's been nearly three years since 14 states pulled out of the American Service Association to form the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers (AASP), and the new group is still growing its membership.
“It all started with ASA coming up with an affiliate agreement that would be too stifling as far as the states having any independence,” said Jim Bastone of Jim Bastone's Auto Service in Pittsburgh. “Different states had their attorneys look at it and you could not do anything contrary to the ASA's position on it.”
Seceding members wanted to at least have the option of a differing opinion.
The AASP currently has about 9,000 collision, transmission and mechanical shop members, including tire dealers. The 50-year-old ASA has 12,000 members.
Still in its infancy, the AASP is heading in the right direction, its members say.
“With having to set up a brand new organization from scratch, we're pretty much where we should be,” said Judell Anderson, an AASP executive director based in Minneapolis. “In Minnesota we've been pretty happy with our membership.”