The Value of Diverse Training at ASTA 2025: From Finance to Mental Health [RR 1068]
About this episode
Ryan Reagan, executive director of ASTA, shares insights from the ASTA 2025 conference, highlighting the importance of diverse training in the automotive industry. He discusses the challenges of organizing the event, including vendor engagement and the introduction of a unique alien theme to enhance attendee experience. The conversation touches on the need for continuous education in a rapidly evolving industry, the significance of changing perceptions around automotive roles, and the future direction of the conference. Notable moments include a lively sumo wrestling event and the introduction of new training topics like mental health.
Recorded Live at ASTA 2025, Ryan Ragan, Executive Director of ASTA, discusses the explosive growth of the event, Ragan’s long-term vision, the wildly creative opening-night party, and the industry-wide push to elevate professional language in the automotive field.
Episode Highlights
Record-Breaking Growth:
ASTA 2025 moved to a larger venue and saw a 34–35% increase in registrations, reaching four-digit attendance. Ragan restructured the expo for better vendor ROI, including a shop-owner-only show-floor window on opening night. His biggest hurdle wasn’t logistics—it was convincing people that such a massive upgrade was even possible on a tight timeline. The payoff came when an attendee told him the show felt like the “SEMA of the East.”“Out of This World” Theme:
ASTA’s first themed expo featured an alien-inspired opening night with a mechanical bull, giant dartboard, sumo matches (announced by Carm), and 10-ft champagne-serving aliens.Education & Professionalism:
Ragan stressed the importance of ongoing training in an era where cars are “rolling computers.”
A major topic: shifting industry language—embracing titles likemechanical specialistto elevate professionalism and attract new talent.
Ragan hopes every attendee left with three things:
New knowledge to solve future shop challenges
A fun memory to brighten tough days
A new connection they can call for advice
https://astausa.org/pages/asta-expo Thanks to our Partners, NAPA Auto Care and NAPA TRACS Learn more about NAPA Auto Care and the benefits of being part of the NAPA family by visiting https://www.napaonline.com/en/auto-care NAPA TRACS will move your shop into the SMS fast lane with onsite training and six days a week of support and local representation. Find NAPA TRACS on the Web at http://napatracs.com/ Connect with the Podcast: - Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RemarkableResultsRadioPodcast/ - Join Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmasters - Join Our Private Facebook Community:
Range Rover
"...I have a few cars at my house and there are some of them that, you know, we have a ranger over it. I'm not touching that thing..."
The Range Rover is a fancy SUV that can go off-road and is very comfortable inside. It's a popular choice for people who want a mix of luxury and adventure.
The Range Rover is a luxury SUV known for its off-road capabilities and high-end features. It combines rugged performance with a comfortable and upscale interior, making it a popular choice among luxury vehicle buyers.
Request an Explanation
Heard something you'd like explained? We'll add it to this episode.
Sign in to request explanations for terms you heard.
Want to learn more?
Browse our glossary for plain-English explanations of automotive terms, jargon, and concepts.
Help improve this episode
See something that's not quite right? Our annotations are AI-generated and can sometimes miss the mark. Click the flag icon on any annotation to suggest a correction.