2025 ABPA Annual Meeting and Business Conference – Automotive Body Parts Association (ABPA)

2025 ABPA Annual Meeting and Business Conference, Sarasota, FL

The 45th ABPA Annual Meeting and Business Conference was held May 19-21, 2025 at the Westin Sarasota in Sarasota, FL.

Refer to the sections below for:

The final schedule
Speaker bios
Sponsors list

Schedule of Events

Monday (5/19/2025)
8:00 am – 2:00 pm	Board of Directors Meeting
3:00 pm	Registration opens
2:00 pm – 6:00 pm	Exhibitors Tabletop Setup (Triton Ballroom)
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm	Welcome Reception (Roof Top) – Sponsored by Micro Group
Tuesday (5/20/2025)
6:30 am	Registration re-opens
7:00 am	Golfers Depart (Lobby)
	Not golfing? Take the time to explore the beautiful Sarasota waterfront! Please make sure you get back to the ballroom by 3PM for the opening session!
7:00 am – 9:00 am	Breakfast Buffet (Triton Ballroom) – Sponsored by CAPA / Intertek
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm	Business Session with Keynote Speakers (Triton Ballroom)
3:00 pm – 3:30 pm	Ed Salamy, ABPA Executive Director Welcome to Attendees and Association Update
3:30 pm – 4:30 pm	Greg Horn, PartsTrader “Collision Industry Update: What You Need to Know” – In this segment, Greg will provide the latest on general automotive trends, an update on tariffs and collision parts use trends.
4:30 pm – 5:00 pm	Justin Rzepka, CAR Coalition Legislative & DC Update from the CAR Coalition
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm	Cocktail Reception (EVOQ Terrace) – Sponsored by PartsTrader
	Take some time to grab a drink, network, and explore the various vendor tables prior to dinner. Special thank you to the PartsTrader team for sponsoring this event!
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm	Tradeshow Dinner (Triton Ballroom) – Sponsored by TYC Americas
Wednesday (5/21/2025)
6:30 am	Registration re-opens
7:00 am – 9:00 am	Breakfast (Triton Ballroom) – Sponsored by GoParts
8:00 am – 12:00 pm	Morning Session (Triton Ballroom)
8:00 am – 8:45 am	CAPA / Intertek Stacy Bartnik and Matt Philbin will provide an update on the CAPA Certification Program.
8:45 am – 9:45 am	Dr. Blaire O’Neal Dr. O’Neal will review the ABPA Consumer Research Project, “High Costs, Hard Hits” which illustrates how consumers are affected by the rising costs of auto repair.
9:45 am – 10:00 am	Break – Thank you to our sponsors!
10:00 am – 11:30 am	Panel Discussion: “Total Loss: What Does it Mean to Me?” – ABPA Chair Chris Northup will engage in a fireside chat with industry leaders Don Hermanek, Ken Rosen, Brian Fening and Greg Horn to discuss the implications of increased total losses on the repair ecosystem.
11:30 am – 12:00 pm	Sean Kennedy, ABPA Introduction to Board Candidates
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm	ABPA Awards Lunch (pre function Coral Bay) – Sponsored by Partslink
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm	Afternoon Sessions w/ Breakouts (Triton Ballroom / Tides)
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm	Bill Brower, Solera “Touchless Claims: Streamlining Auto Claims for Maximum Customer Convenience. How this will impact parts suppliers.” (Triton Ballroom)
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm	Eric Horton, CCC Intelligent Solutions “How can Aftermarket suppliers better embrace technology to meet the needs of independent shops and mega MSOs in this rapidly evolving market landscape while keeping their own identity.” (Triton Ballroom)
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm	Chris Vanderzyden, Legacy Partners “Equity to Liquidity: How to Execute a Profitable Exit Strategy” – The vast majority of businesses brought to market fail to transact. Join Chris as she presents the 6-step process that prepares a business owner for a successful exit. Her session will bring clarity, insight, and guidance on what is often perceived to be a complicated process. (Triton Ballroom)
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm	Afternoon Break – Thank you to our sponsors!
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm	NABC Vehicle Giveaway (Front Parking Lot) – Join the NABC in this wonderful event where a veteran will received a refurbished vehicle!
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm	Offsite Dinner – PopStroke Sarasota – Sponsored by Tong Yang Group
	Wrap up the ABPA Conference at our highly anticipated off-site dinner and networking event at PopStroke! Shuttle buses will be available to take attendees to and from the event. Attendees will need to wear their ABPA badge.

Speakers

	Greg Horn, PartsTrader Greg is the Chief Industry Relations Officer at PartsTrader where he advises customers on improving their outcomes using the PartsTrader marketplace platform. Greg hosts the PartsTrader Industry Trends webinars and is a sought after conference presenter, where he offers his insights on data, news and events in the automotive and insurance industries.
	Justin Rzepka, Consumer Access to Repair (CAR) Coalition Justin is a Principal at BGR Government Affairs and is Co-Chair of the Commerce practice. He performs a key role in the Group’s robust practice that includes telecommunications, technology, transportation, infrastructure and energy. Justin also serves as the Executive Director of the CAR Coalition – a collection of independent parts-makers, insurers and retailers that supports the passage of both the SMART Act and the REPAIR Act.
	Blaire O’Neal, Depth Services Dr. Blaire O’Neal is the founder and principal researcher of Depth Services. Her mastery spans geography, environmental science, urban studies, emergent technologies, and social justice. She brings a wealth of expertise honed over a decade as a seasoned researcher and writer to Depth Services. Drawing from her academic prowess, adeptness in online communications, and unwavering commitment to learning, Blaire crafts assets that transcend the usual marketing content and help clients secure the relationships and resources they need to grow their ventures. Her visionary work redefines B2B marketing, elevating it to new, rigorous standards that differentiate brands and achieve tangible results.
	Chris Vanderzyden, Legacy Partners As President and CEO of Legacy Partners Worldwide, Chris Vanderzyden is a trusted advisor to clients and peers, an industry trailblazer in exit planning, and a mentor and leader to a team of top financial and M&A professionals. Chris has a wealth of expertise in Mergers and Acquisitions. Starting her career as a CPA for Coopers & Lybrand, the company that later became PricewaterhouseCoopers. Following her positions in the corporate world, Chris became an entrepreneur and has successfully built and sold multiple businesses. She has over twenty years of experience consulting for privately held businesses as they grow and ultimately execute their exit plans, while navigating complex deals on their behalf.
	Bill Brower, Solera Bill Brower is Senior Vice President of North America Claims and Global Industry Relations at Solera. With over 30 years of experience, Bill is a highly regarded leader in the Insurance P&C Industry, having led claims teams for renowned companies such as Nationwide Insurance, Liberty Mutual Insurance, LexisNexis Risk Solutions and Solera. As VP & Head of U.S. Auto Claims Strategy for LexisNexis Risk Solutions, Bill played a pivotal role in developing data solutions for claims automation. At Liberty Mutual, he held key positions including Head of Auto Physical Damage Claims and VP of Strategic Partnerships, and notably, collaborated with Solera to create the industry’s first photo estimating app, laying the groundwork for today’s Qapter AI solution. Before his time at Liberty Mutual, Bill enjoyed a successful 18-year career at Nationwide Insurance.
	Eric Horton, CCC Intelligent Solutions Eric Horton is with CCC as Manager, Principal Business Consulting on the ELEVATE Services team. Eric began his collision industry career at a parts coordinator in a shop and has used this experience to become a trusted strategic supply chain advisor for shops and supplier partners with an emphasis on technology and process improvements.