2019_ADN_V4_No3-2

IDA
NEWS
A Tale of New Chapters
The IDA’s story is just beginning.
By Erin Reyes,
IDA Communications Coordinator
To paraphrase Charles Dickens, it
was the best of times…to form a new
IDA Chapter!
Accordingly, the International
Detailing Association (IDA) has recently
welcomed two new chapters to its fold:
India and France. The introduction
of these chapters follows a significant
revamp to the IDA Chapter program.
When the program was first established
in March 2016, three chapters
were quickly formed by May of the
following year: United Kingdom,
Norway, and New Zealand. However, it
would be nearly another two years before
the next chapter came to be in India.
Historically, it has proven to be more
difficult to engage with members globally
due to language barriers, technological
roadblocks, or just the lack of face-to-face
communication. With the international
growth of the association showing no
signs of slowing down (the IDA now has
members in 56 countries – and almost
one-third of the membership is employed
outside of the United States), the organization
realized it needed to make some
changes to the chapter program to fully
support its members worldwide.
Enter the IDA Chapter Development
Committee, which was officially formed
in January 2019 with Board Member
Jason Rose, CD-SV, RT, at the helm. The
committee’s purpose is two-fold. First, the
committee will work to promote the international
Chapter program by facilitating
the formation of new chapters. Second,
the committee will focus on optimizing
the engagement and results of existing
chapters, through efforts such as quarterly
progress meetings and a mentorship
program. The committee also set goals for
its inaugural year, including an objective
to establish four new chapters.
With the addition of India and
France, the committee is right on
pace to reach its goal by the end
of the year.
India, the first new chapter,
received IDA Board approval in
April 2019. The chapter’s formation
comes not only at a good
time for the IDA, but also at an
important time for the detailing
industry in India, which has
begun increasing exponentially.
To set themselves apart from
the burgeoning competition
within the rapidly growing yet
highly unregulated market, professional
detailers in India are looking for a
support system to help establish standards
and advanced skills. The structure
and assistance provided by the IDA’s
updated chapter program can help with
these efforts.
“By establishing a local chapter, we
[will be able to] promote the success and
growth of the detailing industry in India,”
said Anckur Sama, CD-SV, the founding
president of the IDA India Chapter.
Along with Sama, the Chapter Board
is rounded out by members Saurjya
Mitra (Vice President); Mohit Agrawal;
Narendra Gulavani, CD; and Krishna
Kumar. Although they are not currently
serving on the Board, members John
Kumar, CD; Mohsin Khan; and Prateek
Singh Chauhan, CD, were also instrumental
in the chapter’s formation.
Now that it has been successfully
established, a top priority for the India
Chapter is to bring awareness of its
formation to the greater detailing
community in India. Using a combination
of digital communications and
word of mouth, the chapter is aiming to
get the news out to the many detailing
professionals in India who may not yet
be aware of the chapter – or even the
association itself.
Though only a few months old, the
chapter is already working on organizing
an IDA Meet and Greet. This event is
meant to spread awareness of the organization
and provide a chance for members
to meet face to face, and for non-members
to learn about the benefits of joining the
association and what it could mean for the
success of their businesses and the industry
in general. It is this level of proactiveness
and enthusiasm from the India Chapter
that will aid in its long-term success.
Speaking of face-to-face meetings,
IDA President Jonathan Munsell, CD,
will be traveling abroad in July 2019
to continue strengthening bonds with
our existing chapters in Europe. He is
planning to visit the UK, Norway, and
the IDA’s newest chapter in France “to
show support and help build awareness
of chapters and the IDA.”
“My goal for this trip, in each country,
is to interact and meet as many members
and potential new members as possible,”
Munsell explained. ““I will be looking to
bolster membership […] and meeting with
[operator and supplier] representatives.”
Munsell will also be facilitating Meet
and Greets and IDA certification,
as he will be in the UK the weekend
of Waxstock, Europe’s largest car
care event. After a brief hiatus in
2018, the IDA will once again be
represented at the show with a
Certification Event – Phase I (CD),
coordinated by the UK Chapter.
This tradeshow presence fits nicely
into the Chapter Development
Committee’s goal of supporting
the chapters’ efforts to maximize
participation in the larger detailing
industry in their area.
Munsell’s trip is also perfectly
timed to help inaugurate the new
French chapter. After initially expressing
interest in March 2019, and subsequent
correspondence with Rose and Munsell,
the chapter came together quickly and was
approved by the Board in June 2019. The
effort was championed by now-President
Erwan Gouriou, CD, who is “interested in
developing the right detailing state of mind
to help colleagues keep working in the right
direction in [France].”
The chapter will be led by Gouriou
along with Sebastien Baudouin (Vice
President). Rounding out the chapter
board are members Michael Nowak,
CD; Robert Gomes, CD; and Alexandre
Vieira. The IDA is excited to welcome
another chapter into the community and
looks forward to supporting its success in
the years to come.
The IDA currently has five active
chapters, with members in 56 countries
and territories across the globe. If you’re
interested in setting up a chapter in your
country or region, please email info@
the-ida.com to request a copy of the
“How to Form a New IDA Chapter”
packet. You can also find out more about
the requirements and the process of
forming a chapter by visiting our website
at the-ida.com/Chapters.
VOL. 4, NO. 3 • SUMMER 2019 | AUTO DETAILING NEWS | 23