Novus Super Session 2010 Wraps Up in San Diego
March 8, 2010

Franchisees visited the vendor fair and talked with representatives of various industry suppliers.

Novus Glass franchisees from across the country gathered March 3-6 in San Diego, Calif., at the Hotel Del Coronado to share education and experiences. The Novus Super Session 2010 featured a number of educational seminars and an interactive vendor fair, as well as the company's annual franchisee awards.

The vendor fair featured exhibitors such as Quest Software, Pilkington, Equalizer and many more, allowing franchise owners from across the country to mill around the room and speak with representatives and gain information to take back with them to their home states.

Pilkington's Bill George made a presentation about where glass trends are going and what franchise owners can expect to see come into their shops. George focused on solar glass and acoustic glass and what that means for new cars.

"Almost every new vehicle out there has solar control in the glass or PVB or some combination," said George.

Rob Garlo of Bekaert Specialty Films discussed window film as a possible add-on with franchisees.

"The potential is huge when you see that only 1 percent of glass has film on it," he said.

There were two presentations by the Auto Glass Replacement Safety Standards Council Inc. (AGRSS) addressing the benefits of becoming AGRSS-registered. The third-party validation program was discussed as well as the steps companies would need to take to become AGRSS-registered and uphold the standard.

Keynote speaker Steve Gilliland, author of Enjoy the Ride, shared stories with the franchisees about his life, his career and his family and at times was so moving that it left the audience in tears. The seminar ballroom was packed for both of Gilliland's two sessions. Gilliland talked about what to do when things go wrong, "In your life strings are going to break, but what you do with the strings that are left is what makes you."

On Friday night, franchisees were invited to attend the 2010 Novus Awards Banquet. Franchisees were treated to dinner and cheered on their fellow franchises as director of national accounts Jim Olson announced the winners. Mark Pixley, George Lytton, and Vanessa Terrell from Sheridan, Wyo. were named Franchise of the Year, while Gary Fix and family from Mora, Minn., and Rusty and Carrie Cox from Chehalis, Wash., were announced as the runner-ups. Novus recognized those who have been in business the longest, including the presentation of a 30-year award to Paul Torgerson from Coeur D Alene, Idaho. Torgerson thanked Novus for giving him this opportunity.

"I just want to thank them because I have been able to raise a family because of Novus," he said.

Other awards were presented in categories such as Top Volume- Repair, Top Volume-Replacement, Top Volume-Additional Products and Services, 2010 International Partner of the Year, and various longevity awards.

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