CARSTAR kicks off annual conference in Quebec City

Quebec City, Quebec — August 13, 2014 — CARSTAR Automotive Canada kicked off its annual Industry Conference today at the Hilton Hotel in Quebec City, Que. The conference runs through August 15.

The choice of destination itself reflects CARSTAR’s growth in Quebec over the past year. With an expanding network of over 200 centres, CARSTAR and its partners look forward to celebrating their nationwide successes in La Belle Province.

“We look forward to rallying in historic Quebec City as we make history of our own,” says Michael Macaluso, COO of CARSTAR. “We expect over 500 guests to attend, making this one of our largest conferences to date.”

Themed ‘Détermination,’ this year’s conference will represent CARSTAR’s determination to grow, to ou-perform, to have the best customer experience and to capitalize on the changing market.

“The theme of determination is very relevant to our business today. Above all, we need to be determined to achieve greatness in all that we do,” says Macaluso.

The event started today at noon with CARSTAR’s Grand Promenade for CF, with representatives of CARSTAR’s corporate team, stores, and partners walking four km in support of Cystic Fibrosis Canada. The Grand Promenade route wraps around the National Historic and World Heritage site of “la Citadelle de Québec” and the Plains of Abraham.

Attendees showcased the conference theme of “Determination” during the Grande Promenade. Despite a lot of rain, stakeholders came out in large numbers to help raise funds for Cystic Fibrosis Canada.

The conference continues this afternoon with pre-conference breakout sessions: Effective Succession Planning – How To Get It Right, and Retail Driven Diversification – A New Frontier.

Opening Ceremonies will take place today at 4:00 p.m., with opening remarks by Matt Bell, CARSTAR Automotive Canada’s Director of Human Resources. Macaluso and Sam Mercanti, President & CEO, will take the stage next, to discuss the strategic plans for the CARSTAR network.

Artist, entrepreneur and activist David Usher will serve as the keynote address for the day, speaking on core creativity. Perhaps best known as the frontman for alternative rock band Moist, Usher is also the founder of Cloudid Creativity Labs, a company working on a range of innovate projects.

Today’s portion of the conference will close with a reception dubbed “Carnaval de CARSTAR,” taking place at the Port of Quebec.

The conference continues Thursday and Friday will a full line-up of events and presentations. CARSTAR has recruited strategic thinkers from inside and outside the automotive industry to elaborate on the many facets of determination, including:

– From Corporate Benefit Analysts, Retirement Counsellor Lisa Plater will speak to effective succession planning
– Sean Carey of SCG Management Consultants will speak to the connected car and its effect on the claim process
– Dr. Nick Bontis, leading strategy and management guru will speak to “leadershifting” determination through collaboration, managing change and competitiveness

New this year, vendor partners will host product demonstrations in both English and French during the preeminent CARSTAR Vendor Partner Expo.

Finally, a CARSTAR Conference would not be complete without exploring the culture of the host city. Attendees will marvel at the Cirque du Soleil themed kickoff and will dress to impress at the ‘Dîner en Blanc’ Award Ceremony and Gala.

For the full agenda, please click here.