As collision repairers, insurers, vendors and OEMs take flight Tuesday and Wednesday for the Palm Springs, Calif., Collision Industry Conference on Thursday, we thought we’d offer a reminder of what to do and expect once you land.

The main event is obviously CIC itself, held Thursday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Palm Springs Hilton, with the welcome reception at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Gold Pin members get in to both events for free, those preregistered will only pay $65, and anyone holding out until the door will pay $75.

Though the conference is only a single day, attendees can look forward to some good information and discussion.

First off, CIC Chairman Guy Bargnes (Painters Supply and Equipment) will kick off the first meeting of his two-year term at 8 a.m. Go easy on him and show up on time for at least this 

Welcome / Housekeeping [Guy Bargnes] CIC Chairman Comments, Planning Meeting Overview

Kristen Felder (Engage Target Media) and Roger Wright (Vector Squared) of the Marketing Committee will examine the committee’s plans for the year at 8:30 a.m. Thursday. Such promotion will likely be necessary to foster membership and ensure CIC endures as the industry changes.

Following that at 9 a.m. comes the Insurer-Repairer Relations Committee, hosted by Clint Marlow (Allstate) and Doug Irish (AccuracyDriven4). The committee’s efforts made for an interesting discussion at the Las Vegas CIC in November, including the topic of how high-level policies from insurers and multi-store repairers might not trickle down properly to the staff in the field. (Which in turn can create the kind of confusion and conflicts that generate a need for Insurer-Repairer Relations Committees.)

At 9:45 a.m., the Definitions Committee led by Bob Keith (Assured Performance) and Chris Evans (State Farm) will describe their 2017 plans. The group saw its work on a “Class A” repairer fizzle out last year, but it might have better luck with what could be a 2017 CIC push to better define Opt-OE parts.

At 10:45 a.m. comes arguably the main event: The Emerging Technologies Committee‘s look at scanning. Take a closer look with our deeper coverage from last week:

Collision repair scanning on CIC Palm Springs agenda, subject of new task force

At 1 p.m., Kye Yeung (European Motor Car Works) and Toby Chess of the Technical Committee will present their take on “Kool Tools” from the 2016 SEMA. Attendees might want to check out Collision Hub and I-CAR’s take on that question and pay particular attention to the gear that makes both lists.

At 1:30 p.m., the Governmental Committee will examine what CIC describes as “Changing tone in Congress and Regulatory Agencies.” Considering that companies, pundits and officials around the world have been running in circles since Election Day trying to figure out what exactly Republican President-elect Donald Trump and the GOP-controlled Congress will do come Inauguration Day, it’ll be interesting to hear Darrell Amberson (LaMettry’s Collision), Janet Chaney (CaveCreek Business Development) and Bob Redding’s (Automotive Service Association) collision-specific take on the matter.

The issue of vague Opt-OE parts might come up again at 2:15 p.m. when Chris Caris (PCG Campbell) and Chris Northrup (G, D and C) of the Parts and Materials Committee will describe their survey findings and 2017 plans.

At 2:45 p.m. comes the open mic — and based on the conversation at the 2016 SEMA CIC, you’ll want to tune in and see what happens at this one.

At 3:30 p.m., Jeff Peevy (AMI) and Gene Lopez (Seidners Collision Centers) of the Education and Training Committee will also present their survey findings and 2017 plans. Issues related to training and engaging new technicians and old hands made for some of the most interesting forums over the past two years of CIC, and it’ll be interesting to see what the committee addresses over the coming four quarters.

And finally, Frank Terlep (eMarketing Sherpas) will at 4:15 p.m. present what the CIC agenda describes as “CIECA BMS: Industry Standard or a New Way to Control and Centralize Industry Data?” The provocative subject is likely a response to CCC’s plan to sunset the ancient CIECA EMS data standard in favor of the more efficient and secure CIECA BMS standard and serve as a switchboard for the messaging between industry software.

Those are the CIC highlights; learn more about current and past committee work here. But there’s plenty of other items packed into the next couple of days.

First off Wednesday is the National Auto Body Council golf fundraiser at 7:45 a.m., for those who registered by Dec. 29, 2016.

But if you missed that deadline, why not check out the SCRS open board meeting from 8:30-10 a.m. at the Hilton Palm Springs? All are welcome to the event, which will not only offer a special advance presentation of Yeung and Chess’ “Kool Tools” talk but also the premiere of SCRS’ new Education Committee video series.

Finally, the Collision Industry Foundation’s annual gala will be held after CIC at LuLu California Bistro (200 South Palm Canyon Drive) on 6 p.m. Thursday. The seventh annual fundraiser will help fill the coffers of the Collision Industry Relief Fund, meant to help auto body professionals whose livelihoods are affected by a catastrophe. Tickets are $75 for the cocktail party, and include the drinks. Casual attire.

More information:

January Collision Industry Conference agenda

Collision Industry Conference, Dec. 28, 2016

CIC Emerging Technologies Committee work products

Collision Industry Conference

“CIC Emerging Technologies Committee Invites All Stakeholders to Tackle Pre-Post Repair Scans & Diagnostic Repairs”

Collision Industry Conference, Dec. 30, 2016

Collision Industry Foundation gala information

Collision Industry Foundation

National Auto Body Council fundraiser

National Auto Body Council

“Upcoming SCRS January Meeting”

Society of Collision Repair Specialists, Dec. 19, 2016

Featured image: Technical Committee heads Toby Chess, left,  and Kye Yeung presented their 2016 “Kool Tools” picks to the Collision Industry Conference in January 2016. (John Huetter/Repairer Driven News)