PPG’s MVP Business Solutions team will host a conference for North American collision center owners and managers Sept. 13 to 15 at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tenn. The conference will center on the theme of accelerating performance and will focus on helping owners and managers develop and utilize their leadership skills to implement change and maximize their business performance.

“Past MVP conferences have focused on the challenges brought forth by the current business climate and the changes that are needed in order to stay competitive,” says Randy Dewing, senior manager, PPG Business Solutions. “At this conference, we’ve put together an exceptional combination of speakers and seminars to address leadership and execution skills that are so vital to future shop success.”

The conference will consist of management training, keynote speakers, breakout seminars and peer-to-peer discussion groups.

Conference keynote speakers include:
• Jim Murphy, founder of Afterburner Inc. Murphy, a seasoned combat jet pilot, will discuss “Flawless Execution – A Fighter Pilot’s Secret to Business Success.”
• Patrick Graupp, senior master trainer, TWI Institute. Graupp will present “To Japan and Back, Insights on my Lean Journey,” an exploration of the techniques used to train and improve some of the best companies in the world.
• Scott Shriber, publisher of BodyShop Business magazine, who will discuss shop marketing.

This conference reflects the commitment that PPG MVP Business Solutions has “to utilize every minute that we get with a customer in a way that will help them enhance their business performance,” says Jim Berkey, director, PPG Business Solutions.

“Every event on the conference agenda is geared toward taking the leadership skills of key collision shop personnel to the highest level,” says Norm Angrove, senior manager, PPG Value Added Programs.

Seminar, breakout session and discussion group topics include leader talk, increasing sales through strategic sales and marketing systems, introduction to situational leadership, leadership workers of the next generation, bridging the communications gap, marketing best practices, goal-setting and execution, understanding and meeting the expectations of your work force, and employee communication techniques and best practices.

Attendance at the conference is open to owners and managers of collision centers using PPG Refinish products. For more information and to register for the conference, visit www.mvpconference.com. For more information about PPG MVP Business Solutions, e-mail MVPmailbox@ppg.com.