Fix Network hosts annual conference in Quebec City
Story and photos by MAX REID
Fix Network hosted its annual Network Conference in late September, where company franchisees, industry stakeholders and Fix executives gathered in Quebec City for two days of speaker sessions, a trade show, networking activities and a semi-formal gala.
The event kicked off on the afternoon of Sept. 29 with an opening address from the newly named President of Fix Network Canada, Sylvain Seguin. Next up was a keynote address from Hod Lipson, a professor of engineering and data science at Columbia University and automotive AI expert.
Lipson co-authored the award-winning books “Fabricated: The New World of 3D printing” and “Driverless: Intelligent cars and the road ahead,” cementing him as one of the top minds in auto industry development.
The afternoon continued with more sessions from Nicky Woerner, who discussed OE Connection and OEM certifications, as well as a talk on perseverance from former CFL safety Etienne Boulay, who won the Grey Cup alongside the Alouettes in 2009 and 2010, and again with the Toronto Argonauts in 2012. A reception with a silent auction concluded night one—but the festivities kicked off bright and early again on the following Friday.
Ryan Mandell of Mitchell International launched day two’s lineup of speakers, where he talked about current trends around electrification and how the repair industry can prepare for a shifting work mix. The Cartier Agency then treated audiences to a presentation on leveraging search engines and online reviews to garner the best possible image of your brand on the web.
A discussion on recruiting and company culture was led by Debbie McCarthy, followed by a panel also focused on attracting and retaining staff, which concluded day two’s presentations.
Attendees were then let loose around Quebec City for a scavenger hunt, before getting dressed to the nines for the red carpet, gala dinner with a live auction where thousands of dollars in donations were generated for the Ronald McDonald House Charities.
The gala dinner was followed by an awards presentation.
Let us know if you spot any familiar faces in Collision Repair mag’s photos from the event!
