PRESIDENTIAL PERSPECTIVE Automotive Work: ALOA Can Help seems as if the older I get, the faster it moves. The Greater Philadelphia Locksmith Association (GPLA) has recently held their annual tradeshow and banquet, where the industry’s most prestigious award (The Philadelphia Award) is presented to one particular individual who has made a significant contribution to the industry. The GPLA has always had a special place in my heart, as my grandfather was a founding father. One thing in particular that I learned from him is that you should always strive to give back to the industry and — as he frequently said — “leave the industry better than you found it.” I can honestly say that this year’s recipient perfectly fits the mold of the industry’s finest traditions of giving back by sharing knowledge and experience. Congratulations to Jerome Andrews! This was an honor well deserved, and I cannot think of anyone more deserving. This month, we’ll be focusing on the I automotive locksmith. Over the years, technology has made great strides on the automotive front, and it’s become somewhat of a specialized field. It has advanced to the point that it’s almost impossible for the general locksmith to keep up. Not only does the automotive locksmith have to continually obtain the knowledge needed to service his customers properly, but there is also a WWW.ALOA.ORG cannot believe it will soon be Thanksgiving! Time seems to be moving at a record speed, and it significant investment in specialized equipment, transponder blanks, soft- ware/updates, etc. As with all areas of a locksmith business, or any business for that matter, it’s very important to be able to get a return on your invest- ment. I personally would rather stay home than break even! So if you’d like to get that return on investment and make a profit doing automotive work, ALOA can help! We have some of the best instructors and classes in the country. Not to mention, our classes enable so many networking possibilities with other successful ALOA members. As a member, you have access to an abundance of resources, such as this Keynotes magazine, including back issues. ALOA also offers numerous business classes during our annual convention, as well as at the Security “So if you’d like to get that return on investment and make a profit doing automotive work, ALOA can help!” Leaders Business Conference where you can learn how to run your business more effectively — and maybe even get some tips on how to market it toward automotive work. I will wrap this up now, but I’d like to take this moment to personally thank everyone for all the prayers, cards, flow- ers and general acts of kindness during my recent hospital stay and surgery. Everything went well, and while the recovery time is a little too long for my liking, it will be a piece of cake with all the love and support I’ve received from you all. Best regards, Jim Wiedman, CML President ALOA Security Professionals Association, Inc. [email protected] NOVEMBER 2017 KEYNOTES 5
