The National Glass Association (NGA) announced today that it has sold its auto glass technician certification programs to the Automotive Glass Replacement Safety Standards (AGRSS®) Council Inc. In a joint statement released by the two groups, officials say they have been in discussions for months as they “considered various options for improving their respective service to the North American auto glass industry.” The sale took place on August 30, and the operational transfer is expected to be complete by September 30, 2011. "Our acquisition of this program is a reflection of the important role certification plays in ensuring the quality, professionalism and safety of auto glass technicians across the country," says Debra Levy, president of the AGRSS Council. "It complements the services that AGRSS provides and expands our offerings to this market, and we intend to invest substantially in the program’s value and expansion over the coming years." "This transaction is all about providing the best service possible to the auto glass market," adds Phil James, president of the NGA. "We believe that focusing our resources and attention on our world-class auto glass training programs is better for our members in the long run, and it enables the NGA and AGRSS to do what each organization does best.” Further information about the AGRSS auto glass certification program is expected to be available by October 1, 2011, on www.agrss.org. The AGRSS Council has released a list of common questions and answers about the transfer, and says all NGA-certified technicians with current certifications will remain certified under that name until these certifications expire. On January 1, 2012, the name of the program will change—though that name has not been finalized—and technicians whose certifications are current will be certified under the new name. NGA will no longer maintain any type of auto glass technician or company certification program, and will utilize the new AGRSS program as its official certification program, according to AGRSS. AGRSS Council officials say those who wish to become certified now should still contact Miguel Rodriguez, NGA's former certification manager, to become certified, through the month of September; on October 1, officials at the AGRSS headquarters in Glen Ellyn, Ill., will take over this part of the process. Rodriguez is consulting to AGRSS during the transition. For those technicians who are NGA-certified but whose companies are not AGRSS-Registered, AGRSS officials say this move should not affect them. ”Though not finalized, our board is working on a mechanism that will allow all techs that work for AGRSS-Registered companies to be certified easily and at little or no cost,” writes the AGRSS Council. “Watch for more information in the next few weeks.”
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