What’s New: In brief (October 24, 2006)

ARI Financial Services Inc., a leading fleet management company, has partnered with the CertifiedFirst Network . CertifiedFirst will serve as ARI’s collision repair service provider. Operated by PPG Industries, CertifiedFirst says it offers the breadth of coverage and service excellence to put ARI vehicles back where they belongon the road. “This agreement promises tremendous benefits to both the CertifiedFirst Network and ARI offering drivers the convenience of knowing exactly where to call in the event of a collision will reduce driver anxiety and downtime,” Lee Smith, director of PPG Refinish, says. As a preferred supplier, the CertifiedFirst Network will now be accepting ARI’s Maintenance credit cards as well as the ARI MasterCard for collision repairs.

Norm Angrove and Don Swick have been appointed to the positions of regional manager for PPG Refinish. As regional manager, Central Canada, Angrove will be responsible for sales activities in Ontario, while continuing to oversee PPG’s CertifiedFirst Network and Insurance and Services programs until a successor is named to his former position. Angrove joined PPG Canada in 2005 as manager, national strategic development, after gaining over 30 years of experience in the automotive industry, encompassing OEM parts marketing, automotive PBE distribution, collision centre marketing programs, collision repair banner networks, and collision centre consolidation. As regional manager, Western Canada, Swick will be responsible for the region’s automotive and commercial coatings sales activities, training, and key account activities in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, as well as Canadian territories. Swick began his career with PPG Canada in 1999 as a territory manager in Saskatchewan. Since then, he was district manager for PPG’s collision centre programs, and most recently was PPG’s team leader for western Canada.