September 26 & 27, 2009
Bruce Auto Parts • 8218 Mechanicsville Pike • Mechanicsville, VA 23111

23 vendors and just over 200 guests attended the 2009 Annual Meeting VARA Trade Show held in September at Bruce Auto Parts in Mechanicsville, Virginia.  The trade show event, which takes place every other year and is open to the public, is always highly anticipated and offers unique training and informational opportunities for both members and guests.  

This year’s special guest speakers included industry experts Rob Rainwater of Jerry Brown’s Used Parts in New York and VARA member Benny Cunningham of Cunningham Brothers Auto Parts who shared valuable information and techniques on ways to increase sales, retain customers and improve a company’s bottom line.  Additional speakers included 3 guests from the Department of Motor Vehicles who discussed updates to Virginia’s Salvage Code and changes to DMV enforcement activities, Mike James of James Environmental held a special training session on changes to VA’s storm water permit cycle and regulations, and Michael Wilson and Linda Pitman from ARA discussed the NMVTIS reporting requirement and the “Cash for Clunkers” program.

Attendees at this year’s meeting had several opportunities to go home with some great prizes and gifts.  5 lucky winners walked away with door prizes for having visited all of the vendors at the show, an auction was held to benefit the Virginia Automotive Recyclers Association’s Scholarship Fund and a raffle drawing was held to benefit the Association with a grand prize of a 2080 Chevy Cobalt.  All told, over $2500 was raised to benefit the VARA Scholarship Fund and Tim Laney of Catawba Insurance bought the winning raffle ticket in the prize drawing held on Sunday.

“We look forward to making the trade show bigger and better each year,” said VARA Meeting Planner Sherry Whiting.  “We set the bar pretty high this year but I am certain 2011 will be an event no one will want to miss.”

VARA would like to extend a special thank-you to the following people and companies who helped make the 2009 show possible:
Scott Bruce, Bruce Auto Parts and the entire staff of Bruce Auto
Tony Wilson of Tony’s Used Parts
Kenny Hubbard of URG/Pinnacle
Benny Cunningham of Cunningham Brothers
The VARA Trade Show Planning Committee consisting of Tony Wilson, Scott Bruce, Ray Brooks, Scottie Davis