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2026 Convention Schedule |
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Thursday July 30 |
Opening Day |
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| Time |
Title |
Speaker |
Description |
| 7:30 or 8:00 am |
FADRA Second Annual Golf Outing |
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Cocoa Beach Country Club - separate fee. |
| 12:30 - 3:30 pm |
FADRA Board of Directors Meeting |
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All members welcome. |
| 3:00 - 4:30 pm |
Registration Open |
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| 5:45 - 6:00 |
Load Motorcoaches for Yard Tour |
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Buses depart at 6:00 pm. |
| 6:30 - 9:00 pm |
Yard Tour & BBQ - Cocoa Auto Salvage |
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FADRA President Shan Lathem invites everyone to her yard---just minutes from the hotel --to tour her yard and enjoy BBQ, drinks, dessert, and music. CAT Drive bidding and winner announced. |
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Friday, July 31 |
Owner/Manager-Focused Sessions |
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| Time |
Event/Session |
Speaker |
Description |
| 7:00 -8:00 am |
Breakfast on Your Own |
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| 8:00 am - 6:00 pm |
Registration Open |
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| 8:00 am - Noon |
Decorator Setup |
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Exhibit Hall booths and floor layout installed. |
| 9:00 am |
Convention Welcome |
Shan Lathem, Cocoa Auto Salvage |
FADRA President Shan Lathem greets everyone before the Keynote Address. |
| 9:05 - 10:05 am |
Keynote Address: What Does CANI Mean at Nordstrom's Automotive? |
Shannon Nordstrom, Nordstrom's Automotive, Inc. |
Shannon will discuss his company's journey, and you can compare notes with him on areas they have worked on to take it to the "next level." Just because it worked yesterday does not mean it will work today! Sometimes things they try work great and other times, they realized they were trying to be too smart. Even with a brand-new facility, Nordstrom's 2.0 in 2018, they press on with future innovation for CANI! |
| 10:15 - 11:15 am |
Scorecards, Rocks, and Results: Using EOS to Run a Tighter Yard |
Michael Misky, Butler Auto Reycling; Natalie Miller, Miller's Auto Recycling |
Running a recycling yard doesn’t have to feel chaotic. This session shows how EOS helps auto recyclers create clarity, accountability, and traction by aligning people, priorities, and processes. Learn how clear roles, scorecards, and focus replace finger-pointing and busyness with disciplined execution that actually moves the business forward. |
| 11:20 am - 12:15 pm |
Your Factory & How to Maximize Efficiency |
Jer Banta, Profit Team Consulting |
We will explore what makes sense for your facility and how to get the most bang for your buck based on size, storage, marketplace, and expenses. |
| 12:15 - 1:15 pm |
Lunch on Your Own |
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| 12:15 - 5:00 pm |
Exhibitor Set-Up |
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Exhibitors can enter Exhibit Hall and set up their booths. Gulf Coast Expo will have a desk onsite if you need to order anything. |
| 1:20 - 2:05 pm |
AI Auto Recycling and Collision Repair and Ecosphere |
James Spears, Tractable.AI |
The chief of AI at Tractable, an international company that uses AI for damage assessment and salvaging car parts, will provide a thorough overview of AI-powered damage detection and assessment and how it is transforming the industry.. The collision and recycling ecosystems will be reviewed and the latest tools and trends will be discussed. |
| 2:10 - 3:10 pm |
High-Performance Back Office: Bookkeeping Session |
Summer Kimsey, Butler Auto Recycling; Sandra Adams, Cocoa Auto Salvage; Kim Rutherford, Budget Auto Parts |
How do you manage your bookkeeping tasks, and how they interact with the overall operation? What are best practices you would recommend? |
| 3:20 - 4:35 pm |
Warranty / Insurance Session |
Bret Buike, National Reinsurance |
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| 4:40 - 5:45 pm |
Employee Retention: Hiring & Keeping the Right Employees |
Michael Misky, Butler Auto Recycling; Jer Banta, Profit Team Consulting |
In this session, we will help owners and managers understand what the expectations of today's workforce truly is. We will explore why people stay and why people go as well as ways to improve hiring the right person for the job the first time. |
| 6:00 - 8:30 pm |
Exhibit Hall Grand Opening |
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Food, Drinks, and the latest wares from our product and service providers. |
| 8:30 - 11:00 pm |
FADRA Hospitality Poolside |
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Unwind by the pool rom the long day with drinks and light snacks. |
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Saturday August 1 |
Sales-Focused Sessions |
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| 7:15 - 7:45 am |
Prayer Breakfast |
TBA |
Join fellow worshippers for an inspirational gathering to start the day. All faiths welcome. Coffee will be served. |
| 7:45 am - 5:00 pm |
Registration Open |
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| 7:50 - 8:50 am |
General Membership Meeting |
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Let's catch up on association business and hear from FADRA & ARA's Presidents. We will also announce the 2025 Scholarship recipients and install new officers for the coming year. |
| 9:00 - 9:50 am |
The 30-Second Close - Effective Strategies to Determine if the Customer is Buying or Quoting Within the First 30 Seconds |
Jer Banta, Profit Team |
A sales session based on the qualifying principles needed to determine quickly whether or not the customer is buying or shopping today. Salespeople will gain a greater understanding of which calls to spend the extra time with, and which calls to "quote and go." |
| 10:00 - 10:50 am |
U-Pull-It Session / Commodities |
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Last call for the Trade Show. Hearty breakfast and lunch options. |
| 10:50 am - 1:00 pm |
Brunch With Exhibitors |
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Last call for the Trade Show. Hearty breakfast and lunch options. |
| 1:00 - 1:50 pm |
Shipping Session: Standards and Management |
Michael Misky, Butler Auto Recycling; Beau Wroten, Recyclers Cross Dock; Shannon Nordstrom, Nordstrom's Automotive |
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| 2:00 - 2:50 pm |
Open session for Shannon Nordstrom - TBD |
Shannon Nordstron, Nordstrom Automotive, Inc. |
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| 3:00 - 3:50 pm |
From Yard to Cart: Turning Operational Discipline into Digital Sales |
Theresa Colbert, CarPart; Michael Misky, Butler Auto Recycling |
Selling parts online reveals what’s really working in your business—and what isn’t. This session covers eCommerce fundamentals, effective use of eBay tools, smarter inventory decisions, and why disciplined operations matter more than any “easy button.” |
| 3:50 - 4:00 pm |
Ice Cream Break |
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| 4:00 - 5:00 pm |
Ask the Experts |
Shannon Nordstrom, Nordstrom's Automotive; Mike Klauss, Cocoa Auto Salvage; additional speaker TBD; Jer Banta, Moderator |
High-level open forum about the big issues affecting the auto recycling industry. Questions welcome. |
| 7:00 - 10:00 pm |
Under the Boardwalk Coney Island Party |
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Fun, games, and a sumptuous dinner. Come to eat, stay for the themed games, Last Member Standing, and the Live Auction to benefit FADRA's Legislative and Scholarship funds. |
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