Convention Agenda 2025
| Convention at a Glance | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday March 27 | |||
| Thorold Auto Solutions | 9:00 am - 1:00 pm | Open House and Tours at Thorold Auto Solutions, 1108 Beaverdams Road Thorold. | On your way in to Niagara Falls, stop in at Thorold Auto Solutions and visit with owner Frank Serravalle and his team to see what a modern, professional auto recycler looks like. His staff of 50+ employees process 2,200 vehicles per year on 23 acres with 1,500 parts cars onsite. |
| Boardroom | 10:45 am - 12:30 pm | OARA Board Meeting | |
| Maple Room | 1:00 - 5:00 pm | Recycled Auto Parts Stakeholder Roundtable with invited Industry. (Invitation only) | It’s back - the OARA Roundtable kicks off Canada's largest auto recycling event. The Recycled Auto Parts Stakeholder Roundtable 2.0 continues digging deeper and bringing together a wealth of knowledge and experience in the industry. Steve Fletcher will be holding the reins and trying to moderate a passionate and diverse group as we look into where the recycled parts industry is, and where it is headed. Building on its past success, this roundtable will be hitting the tough talking points, looking for answers and inspiring conversation. |
| Grand Hall Foyer | 5:00 - 7:00 pm | Recycled Auto Part-Y and Reception | Enjoy a refreshing beverage and appetizers after the Roundtable and continue the conversations at the industry's only Recycled Auto Part-Y. You've earned it. |
| Friday March 28 | |||
| Grand Hall Foyer | 7:30 am - 7:00 pm | Registration Open | Name badges are required for all events. |
| Grand Ballroom DE | 7:30 - 9:15 am | OARA Annual General Meeting | Direct Members only please |
| Grand Hall Foyer | 9:15 - 9:30 am | Coffee Break sponsored by IAA |  |
| Grand Ballroom DE | 9:30 - 9:45 am | Welcoming remarks. Greg Woodbeck, OARA | The Convention kicks off with welcming remarks from Greg Woodebck and the introduction of incoming Executive Dirctor Matheiu Dagonas. |
| 9:45 - 10:15 am | Recycled Part Trends for Recyclers, Repairers and Insurers. Ryan Mandell, Mitchell International | Do you have a crystal ball for the future of auto recycling? Do you want one? Join Ryan Mandell as he explores the current and future parts trends of the industry. With insights and information you won’t find anywhere else you don’t need a psychic to tell you this is where you need to be. | |
| 10:15 - 11:00 am | Young Leaders Panel. Tom Charlton, Pro Auto Recyclers; Adam Budden, Auto Parts Network; Max Winkler, J&B Auto Recyclers | Looking around the convention and seeing some fresh faces? Come to an engaging conversation with up and coming young auto recyclers. If you are looking for new ideas or reassurance for the future of the industry you can’t miss this insight into the new generation of auto recyclers. | |
| 11:00 - 11:30 am | Quality Control and Recycled Parts Discussion. Frank Serravalle, Thorold Auto Solutions and Natalie Miller, Miller's Auto Recycling | Sending lefts for rights? Alternators instead of starters? Stop pulling your hair out and start fixing problems. Quality control is a vital portion of the modern auto recycler and we have strategies to help you improve your process. If you want to reduce returns and improve customer satisfaction you are going to want to pull up a chair and take some notes with invaluable information you can’t afford to miss out on. | |
| 11:30 am - 12:15 pm | Succession Planning 2.0. Becky Turcotte, Millar Private | Last year we heard some interesting tales of various succession plans in our industry. Dive back in for a nitty, grittier chat that gets into the gears of the process from a firm that has overseen the changing of the guard for multiple yards. | |
| 12:15 - 1:00 pm | Lunch sponsored by Progi Group | Enjoy a buffet lunch before our Keynote Industry Speaker |
|
1:00 - 2:00 pm | Keynote Industry Address: Eric Wilbert, Wilbert Family Enterprises and ARA President | We are delighted to have Eric Wilbert deliver our Keynote Industry Address. The Wilbert Family has a distinguished record in the New York automotive recycling industry. As ARA President, Eric continues the legacy of enhancing the industry’s overall well-being. | |
| Grand Ballroom ABC | 1:30 - 7:00 pm | Trade Show Opens | Come explore Canada's largest auto recycling trade show with 40+ vendors, and the Passport Contest to win some prizes. Lots of draws, information, demos, and information to propell your business forward. |
| 2:00 - 7:00 pm | Fundraisers and Auctions in the Trade Show | Riaisng funds for the OARA Employee Scholarship Program with Silent, Live and Draw Auctions. Bring your bidding to help a great cause. | |
| Grand Ballroom ABC | 4:00 - 7:00 pm | Reception and Appetizers in the Trade Show sponsored by Wholesale Auto Parts Warehouses and eBay Motors Canada | Fun, food and friends - always the highlight of the OARA Convention.  |
| Saturday March 29 | |||
| Grand Ballroom DE | 8:00 - 8:45 am | Breakfast sponsored by Car-Part.com |  |
| 8:45 - 8:55 am | Recap of the Recycled Auto Parts Stakeholder Roundtable | Thursday's Stakeholder Roundtable brought Insurers, Recyclers, Repairs and Data Providers togther for a no-holds barred discussion on the use of recycled auto parts in Ontario. Hear the highlights and next steps. | |
| 8:55 - 9:15 am | Marketing, Branding, Social Media for Auto Recyclers. Carly Masters, Dom's Auto Parts | Instagram? Facebook?, What even is a TikTok? Bewildered, lost and confused on the best ways to reach your customers in our digital world? Never fear, the answers are here! Don’t miss this definitive guide to the do’s and don’ts of social media. By the end of this presentation you’ll know how to build your online presence and engage with both your current, and future customers. | |
| 9:15 - 10:00 am | Recycled Parts Quality Control Panel. Moderator: Natalie Miller Panelists: Trevor Nissen, Hanks Auto Wreckers; Jeff McGregor, McGregor Auto Parts; Sean McCooey, Miller's Auto Recycling | Quality control is a crucial aspect of our industry. Whether supplying parts to other yards, retail customers, or body and mechanical shops, it’s essential to ensure that every part leaving your yard meets customer expectations. Different yards have their own approaches to quality control. Today, our panelists will share how they maintain high standards in their operations. | |
| Grand Hall Foyer | 10:00 - 10:20 am | Coffee Break sponsored by Team PRP |  |
| Grand Ballroom DE | 10:20 - 11:00 am | Profitable EVs and Dismantling Panel. Moderator: Corey Earl. Panelists: Ramsey Safieh, Elite Auto Recycling; Tom Charlton, Pro Auto Recycling; Dave Langille, Langille's Truck Parts | Unsure on EV’s? Worried about how they will impact the profitability of your business? Join this electrifying panel on EV’s with information on both how to keep your dismantlers safe, and profit from the parts at the same time. We aim to shock you, and not your staff. |
| 11:00 - 11:20 am | EV Handling – Safety First, Profit Always. Adrian Le Coyte and Greg Aguilera, International Auto Consultants | This session will provide automotive recyclers with a thought-provoking look at the challenges and opportunities in electric vehicle (EV) handling. The presentation will emphasize why proper vehicle receiving is a critical first step and how training leads to safer, more profitable operations. | |
| 11:20 am - 12:00 pm | Hiring & Retention Panel. With Shannon Nordstrom, Nordstrom's Automotive; Denis Desjardins, S&S Auto Parts; Jeff Lanoue, A&L Auto Recyclers | It’s 2025, the Pandemic is long gone, but staffing challenges remain. How do you hire good employees and more importantly, how do you keep them once you’ve got them? This panel is digging deep to find the best practices to find those keystone employees, and properly motivate them. In a world where salary isn’t everything and work-life balance is increasingly valued, you’ll want to be sure to stop by and see what works, and what doesn’t. A conversation sure to leave you with helpful tips, and solid starting points. | |
12:15 - 3:00 pm  | Luncheon and Steve Fletcher Tribute | You’ve met the man, now hear the stories. After over 3 decades of exquisite service to the automotive recycling industry, Steve has decided to pass the torch. Join us to hear from many of notable industry figures who have worked with him as he has tirelessly promoted and guided OARA over the years! | |
| Miller's Auto Recycling | 3:00 - 6:00 pm | Yard Tour and EV Safety Demonstrations at Miller’s Auto Recycling, 1557 Bowen Road Fort Erie | Chris and Natalie Miller invite you stop by their 45 acre location on Saturday afternoon to see the transformation this innovative business has undertaken. Guided tours will be available with staff at each major station to answer any questions. We have also organized two Electric Vehicle Safety Awareness demonstrations (1:00 pm and 4:00 pm) with Adrian Le Coyte and Greg Aguilera from International Auto Consultants. Have a drink and some snacks, finish off the OARA Convention and see a real world auto recycling operation up close and friendly. |
| Sunday March 30 | |||
| Boardroom | 8:00 am - noon | ARC Board of Directors Meeting | The annual Board of Directors meeting of the Automotive Recyclers of Canada (ARC). Direct Members are welcome to attend but need to RSVP |