Life Moving Forward Reinventing Mobility Awareness Month Wheelchair Footprints Lead to Oversight Quality Can Make You More Money! ...and so much more! Spring 2017 | Volume 24 Issue 2 Issue 24 | Volume Spring 2017 THE NMEDA MAGAZINE Let’s Exceed Expectations EXPLORING NEW IDEAS AT NMEDA org Valet® Signature Seating Valet® Plus Versatile. Safe. Reliable. Fully powered; smoothly rotates, extends, lowers Driver or passenger side, first or second row seating Meets or exceeds FMVSS standards Compatible with large number of vehicles Optional seat heat, posture vest, padded positioning belt 844-755-5543 • bruno.com Child safety seat LATCH Kit available! Bruno Independent Living Aids Scooter lifts | Turning vehicle seats | Stairlifts | Vertical platform lifts NMEDA CIRCUIT BREAKER SPRING 2017 VOLUME 24, ISSUE 2 CONTENTS FEATURES COLUMNS THE NMEDA MAGAZINE 20 Quality Can Make 8 President’s Message You More Money - By Chad Blake President - By Chuck Hardy Chad Blake 18 CEO’s Message 24 NMEDA Conference - By Danny Langfield CEO Wrap Up Danny Langfield - By Jenna DeTrapani 38 Guidelines Group Talk - By Ray Morton Layout, Editor & 32 Education & Training Report: Creative Director 44 Canadian Message Jenna DeTrapani A New Tool to Build Your Business - By Russ Newton Contributing Writers - By Peter Lucas Chad Blake ALSO Danny Langfield 34 NMEDA News Brief Russ Newton - Reinventing Mobility 4 Board of Directors Gina Lewis Harry Baergen Awareness Month 6 Staff Directory & Ray Morton - A Look into the Recent A Note from the Editor Chuck Hardy Changes at Adapt Solutions Peter Lucas 10 List of NMEDA Dealers - MPS Granted Exclusive The Circuit Breaker is published Distribution Rights for 17 QAP Scorecard quarterly by the National Mobility Guidosimplex 30 QAP Auditing At-a-Glance Equipment Dealers Association. - BraunAbility Introduces Office located at 3327 W. 46 Canadian Board Bearss Avenue, Tampa, FL Q-Series Inboard Wheel- of Directors 33618. For business office, chair Lift advertising and subscriptions: - New AMF-Bruns Winch 48 Manufacturer/Associate Tel: 813.264.2697 System Member Directory Toll Free: 800.833.0427 53 Dates to Remember www.nmeda.org 41 Industry Advisor: [email protected] Wheelchair Footprints 54 Advertising Insertion Order Form Subscription rates for the U.S.A Lead to Oversight and Canada: $16.50/4 issues. - By Harry G. Baergen, CET Back issues are available by calling the NMEDA office. All rights are reserved under copyright laws © 2017. Media note: Permission is granted NMEDA MISSION STATEMENT to quote or reprint from this Through our diverse membership NMEDA advocates and supports excellence publication. Please credit the Circuit Breaker. in providing safe, reliable vehicles and modifications to enhance accessibility for people with special needs. The articles published in the Circuit Breaker reflect the opinions of their authors, not NMEDA. As such, NMEDA neither takes a position on nor assumes responsibility for the TYPE FONT: Gotham ON THE COVER: © kali9/iStockPhoto.com accuracy of the information or statements contained therein. Spring 2017 3 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chad Blake, President Russ Newton, Canadian President Ability Center Howell Ventures 4797 Ruffner Street 4850 Rt. 2 Hwy San Diego, CA 92111 Upper Kingsclear, NB E3E 1P8 858-541-0552 phone 506-363-5289 phone 858-541-1941 fax 800-506-6666 fax [email protected] [email protected] Richard May, Vice President Anne Hegberg, Associate Rep. United Access Marianjoy Rehab Hospital 9389 Natural Bridge Rd 26W171 Roosevelt Road St. Louis, MO 63134 Wheaton, IL 60187 314-888-9450 phone 630-909-6080 phone 314-426-1081 fax 630-909-6081 fax [email protected] [email protected] Bill Koeblitz, Secretary Christian Quandt, Rep. at Large MobilityWorks Advanced Wheels of Technology, Inc. 810 Moe Drive 33 Bradley Park Road Akron, OH 44310 East Granby, CT 06026 800-638-8267 phone 860-653-8064 phone 866-836-0043 fax 860-653-4331 fax [email protected] [email protected] Jud DeMott, Treasurer Monique McGivney, Rep. at Large Access 2 Mobility, Inc. Ability Center 12406 State Highway 155 South 23606 N 19th Ave Tyler, TX 75703 Phoenix, AZ 85085 877-254-5438 phone 877-820-3789 phone 903-534-7101 fax 623-879-0822 fax [email protected] [email protected] Tim Barone, Manufacturer Rep. Eric Mansfield, Rep. at Large Vantage Mobility International (VMI) MobilityWorks 5202 S. 28th Place. 810 Moe Drive Phoenix, AZ 85040 Akron, OH 44310 800-348-8267 phone 800-638-8267 phone 602-243-9843 fax 866-836-0043 fax [email protected] [email protected] John Evans, Manufacturer Rep. Jeff Brummett, Rep. at Large B & D Independence, Inc. United Access 1024 Empire Street 9389 Natural Bridge Rd Mt. Carmel, IL 62863 St. Louis, MO 63134 618-262-7117 phone 314-888-9450 phone 618-263-3904 fax 314-426-1081 fax [email protected] [email protected] Sam Cook, Past President Superior Van & Mobility 4734 Rockford Pl. Louisville, KY 40216 502-447-8267 phone 502-657-1930 fax [email protected] 4 NMEDA Circuit Breaker MOBILITY MADE EASY. Enjoy complete mobility and independence with ease Three unique systems do the lifting for you From the car to home to a day out with friends, there’s nowhere you can’t go SmartBase To find a compatible lift for your vehicle/mobility product, use our new tool: pridemobility.com/lift-finder/ US: 800.800.8586 • CAN: 888.570.1113 • pridemobility.com • NMEDA STAFF DIRECTORY Danny Langfield CEO [email protected] Kristen Clevidence QAP Coordinator A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR [email protected] Change. This single word appears to be the central theme for many recent events that have come Jenna DeTrapani to pass, both within NMEDA and around the Director of Communications world. It was even the theme of the NMEDA Circuit Breaker Editor Conference this February. [email protected] As you likely know by now, the most significant change at NMEDA this past year has arrived in the form of our new CEO, Danny Langfield. We Chuck Hardy welcomed Danny as 2016 was coming to a close. VP of Quality Assurance & Compliance We are currently in the middle of a transition [email protected] period that is somewhat atypical when it comes to the changing of leadership within an organiza- tion. The staff has not yet had to say goodbye to our previous CEO of over 9 years, Dave Hubbard. Peter Lucas This has certainly made the transition easier; for Education & Training Director the staff, for Dave and (quite likely) for Danny, as [email protected] well. We appreciate having Dave’s expertise on- hand, allowing us all to consider what has been working for NMEDA over the past few years, as well as to implement Danny’s new ideas into our Marilyn Myers Meetings & Conferences Manager established philosophies and daily operations. We consider ourselves very lucky. [email protected] Everything we do here at NMEDA involves asking the question: “How will this benefit our members?” This is a question that will be at Doris Santiago Cruzado the front of our minds as we move into the Membership Coordinator future under Danny’s guidance. [email protected] Great things often arise from change, both big and small. The NMEDA staff welcomes the great things that have yet to come for Amy Schoppman YOUR association. Director of Government Relations Happy reading, [email protected] Jenna DeTrapani Circut Breaker Editor 6 NMEDA Circuit Breaker Spring 2017 7 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE CHAD BLAKE (SUPERIOR VAN & MOBILITY) The NMEDA President, Chad Blake, has worked over 12 years in the industry and is the Chief Operations Officer (COO) for Ability Center. He welcomes the opportunity to serve his fellow NMEDA dealers as our dynamic industry continues to change and evolve. Chad believes that if the NMEDA members, as a group, put the customer first, communicate with each other effectively and act as transparently as possible, our industry and NMEDA will thrive. The auto mobility industry is at an interesting point in its history [...] Dear NMEDA Members Internal developments (i.e. within the s you read this, we have industry itself) include dealer consol- already completed approxi- “ Amately a third of 2017. idation, new store openings, and an As we all get into the busy parts of our year, I want to take a moment and increase in talent across our industry.” discuss our industry as a whole. As we all are focused on the pres- From my experience in the industry The auto mobility industry is at an ent and future, I think that it is wise and from running a sizable operation, interesting point in its history. We con- to take a moment to look back and I want to share what this all means tinue to see developments in prod- remind ourselves the true purpose to me. There are several things that I ucts. We see new forms of distribu- of what we do. Our industry was have no control over, such as: dealer tion. There have been advancements developed to provide high quality consolidation in our markets, manu- in consumer financing. And, obviously, products and services to address the facturer strategic decisions, or what there will be future changes in the transportation needs for people with my competition does. Here are the way that our largest third party payer, disabilities. We can never lose sight of things that as a dealer, I do have the Veteran’s Administration, operates our customer and the goal of provid- control over: with vendors in our industry. These ing the most appropriate, safe, and are external developments. Internal • How we operate each and ev- meaningful outcome for the disabled developments (i.e. within the industry ery day. The mantra is “When customer.