About SSA

Service Specialists Association (SSA) was founded in 1981 as a trade association serving specialists in the truck repair industry. The original members consisted of spring (suspension) specialists and their small group of suspension suppliers. As the group grew, the members diversified into other aspects of truck service such as brake repair, alignment and frame service and parts distribution. With member diversification came a change in the supplier membership.

The association provides a forum for the exchange of technical and business information in order that our members may understand them better.

SSA holds an annual convention in a different location every year for members; which includes training, business, booth vendor and roundtable discussion sessions. SSA sponsors educational programs at HDAW. SSA is a supporting member of NTEA and an associate member of ACOFAS. The association is a member of the National Association of Wholesalers-Distributors (NAW) with a voice in Washington, D.C.

2012 SSA Convention2012 San Antonio

October 11-14, 2012
Marriott Riverwalk
San Antonio, Texas

The SSA 2012 Convention will be held October 11-14 at the Marriott Riverwalk in the heart of downtown San Antonio, Texas.

Click here for more details on the 2012 SSA Convention.

 

Succession Planning

For Family Businesses in The Aftermarket


In 2011, a special program was offered on Wednesday, the day before the regular SSA convention was scheduled to begin. It was devoted to the subject of succession planning for family owned business in the aftermarket.

The family-owned business is the oldest form of business organization known. Today, they are recognized as important and distinct participants in the world economy, generating about half of the nation’s GNP.


Family businesses may have some advantages over other business entities in their focus on the long term, their commitment to quality (which is often associated with the family name) and their care and concern for employees, but also face a unique set of challenges stemming from the overlap of family and business issues.

Often, business owners are busy dealing with day-to-day issues and end up failing to attach enough importance to planning for their succession. Transferring ownership can be highly emotional and complicated, which is why often it is ignored until it becomes a pressing issue.

Featured speakers at the seminar were:

• Bill Wade of Wade&Partners –
“The Succession Planning Process”
(The presentation can be downloaded here.)

• Tom Marx and Paul Cooperstein of Marx Group Advisors –
“Aspects of Buying/Selling a Small Business”
(The presentation can be downloaded here.)

• Jim John of Northwood University –
“Today’s Workforce: What They Really Want”

• Michael Holzman of Dickinson-Wright –
“Business Succession with an ESOP”
(The presentation can be downloaded here.)


Bill
Wade
Tom
Marx
Paul Cooperstein
Jim
John
Michael Holtzman