The Database Enhancement Gateway (DEG) joint operating committee contracted with Aaron Schulenburg as the group’s first full-time administrator.

The committee is comprised of members of the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers (AASP), the Automotive Service Association (ASA) and the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS). Schulenburg, treasurer of the Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association (WMABA) and on the board of directors of the National Auto Body Council (NABC), said he will report directly to the joint operating committee.

Schulenburg was hired as an independent contractor to administer the DEG project and the operations of its Web site for its first year. That will include the review and correspondence of all inquiries submitted to the Web site (www.degweb.org), which launched Dec. 1. The announcement was made at the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) meeting in Las Vegas Oct. 30.

“While I am still actively involved in other industry projects and organizations, the value that is held in the DEG concept is that the Web site and the administration of it will be a dedicated full-time endeavor,” Schulenburg says. “The entire project really was a logical extension developed from the volunteer force that was fronted by (the late) March Taylor on the CIC Web site (www.ciclink.com). As the volume of inquiries grew, it became obvious that a volunteer effort needed to be redirected to a site committed to this issue.”

The joint operating committee and Taylor worked closely in conceptualizing and developing DEG. Taylor, an industry activist and owner of Auto Body Hawaii in Kailua-Kona, died Aug. 26 while scuba diving off the north shore of Hawaii.

“I think it is really an honor for all of us to be able to pick up where his efforts left off and be able to offer this initiative to the industry,” Schulenburg says.

Lou DiLisio, a member of the CIC Database Task Force, said Schulenburg’s position formalizes what Taylor was doing.

“March did voluntary work that he received via word of mouth,” DiLisio says. “Aaron is contracted and will be dedicated to address database issues. There is now a more in-depth process, more tracking tools and Aaron’s services will be marketed to the industry at large.”

The DEG project is designed to provide an easy-to-use, centralized point of contact for any estimating system end user to collectively provide proactive feedback to the information providers that supply collision estimating databases.

“My responsibility is to take submissions from those end users and ensure that they are accounted for in the DEG database and follow the inquiry through to the point of resolution with the information providers,” Schulenburg says. “Ultimately, the interest is in processing inquiries that foster data that accurately reflects the real-world requirements faced on the shop floor.”

A short-term goal is to raise awareness of DEG within the industry, Schulenburg adds. A long-term goal is to work on behalf of the estimating system end users to assist in providing feedback and continued correspondence that results in accurate collision data.

“There is no substitute for first-hand experience in performing repair operations on vehicles,” he says. “The single largest ally we will have to work toward our goal will be the input and feedback from those who are utilizing the data. Our success will be directly attributed to how the industry takes advantage of this resource.”

One of the largest obstacles the DEG is likely to face is going to be overcoming preconceived notions about the organization’s intent, according to Schulenburg.

“We are not interested in making labor values higher or lower,” Schulenburg says. “Our expectation is that we will work with those who submit inquiries and with the information providers toward the common goal of the highest degree of accuracy that is practically possible given supporting data, such as that which might come from first-hand experience or an original equipment manufacturer.”

Another concern is motivating the end user of the estimating product to take the initiative to submit inquiries to the site.

“The feedback and motivation to take advantage of this service needs to be there from the industry to be effective,” he says.

Schulenburg began estimating repairs in 2000 working as a field appraiser for GEICO insurance company in San Diego.

“I always felt a very strong affinity with the shops I worked with and relatively shortly after transferring to Tucson, Ariz., in 2002, I went to work for Dan’s Paint & Body, a collision repair facility, as their lead estimator.”

In 2005, he moved to the Mid-Atlantic region and worked as an estimator for Bill Denny’s Body Repair in Havre de Grace, Md., where he worked until recently.

“My career and passion has really always revolved around estimating and making sure that the efforts of those who pick up the tools and fix the cars the right way are accounted for,” Schulenburg says.

“Aaron is a tremendous asset and he will do a great job,” DiLisio says. “We are lucky to have him in this position. It is a difficult task and he has his work cut out for him. I hope the shops feel comfortable sending inquiries to him because we want issues addressed.”