U-R-G On the Go
An informative podcast for the United Recyclers Group. Each week we will feature an entertaining guest that will share their knowledge and information with you, providing you with tips and tools to help you become a more profitable business.
U-R-G On the Go
Beyond the Salvage: The URG Conference Experience
Family. The word comes up repeatedly when URG CEO Kristy Werner describes what makes the automotive recycling industry special and why the annual URG Conference matters so much. "I never would have expected to have so many people in this industry as close friends," she explains, highlighting the connections that drive business growth and professional development.
From April 10-12, 2024, Orlando becomes the epicenter of automotive recycling as industry professionals gather for what promises to be an exceptional educational and networking experience. With over 60 carefully curated sessions led by 87 speakers, this year's conference addresses the evolving needs of recycling operations of all sizes and types.
What sets this conference apart is its inclusive approach. Whether you operate a small self-service facility or manage multiple full-service locations, you'll find relevant, actionable content designed to solve real business challenges. Emerging technologies like EV recycling and AI applications share the spotlight with proven operational strategies, creating a balanced program that prepares attendees for both present demands and future opportunities.
Beyond the formal sessions, the event offers multiple networking opportunities including an off-site gathering, auction night benefiting the URG Scholarship Foundation, and specialized events like the Women in Networking "United in Pink" happy hour. These connections often prove as valuable as the educational content, with many attendees citing the relationships formed during these interactions as instrumental to their business success.
The conference also showcases the comprehensive benefits of URG membership, from marketplace expansion tools to warranty support systems. Diamond sponsors eBay Motors and easySOFT join numerous gold and silver sponsors in supporting the industry's premier annual event.
Ready to join your automotive recycling family and discover business-changing insights? Register now at u-r-g.com – rooms are filling quickly! When you leave Orlando, you'll take with you not just notes from sessions, but strengthened relationships and actionable strategies to drive your business forward in 2024 and beyond.
Welcome one and all. This is the URG On the Go podcast. It's your podcast. We're here for you. This is the true voice of the automotive recycling industry. It was created for the pros that have a need to know that are on the go. I'm DJ Harrington, your co-host, better known as the cardiologist, and the real host of the program is the talented Amanda Morrison, Director of Member and Vendor Relationships for the one and only URG. Amanda, how are you this great day?
Speaker 2:I'm doing dj. It's nice and warm here and we get to get to go to orlando here in a couple weeks, so I'm pretty excited about the spring weather we're getting. How are you doing?
Speaker 1:oh, excellent. It's beautiful here in georgia. It is nice, beautiful blue skies, puppy clouds. It is a nice day, so this is going to be a good one. We've got some great experts on today.
Speaker 2:Yep, we do. We've got some great guests on. You guys know them well. We've got Christy Warner, the CEO of URG, and also Kristen Alexander, director of Sales and Marketing. Thanks, guys for being on. Christy, how are you doing? I'm doing good.
Speaker 3:What a nice warm welcome. I really appreciate doing I'm doing good. What a nice warm welcome. I really appreciate it. I'm excited to talk about the upcoming conference.
Speaker 2:Awesome Kristen. How are you doing?
Speaker 4:I'm good as well, good to be connected with you guys again.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's good to have you guys on, so we wanted to discuss a little bit about Christy and you know we've never had you on the podcast before and can you tell us just how you got started in the automotive recycling industry and how you became CEO here at URG?
Speaker 3:I can. I always feel like when I answer this question it ages me a bit, but hey. So I started out as a software trainer for actual systems. It was Pinnacle Classic back then and became Pinnacle Pro. I was from a trainer to project manager and ended there as a salesperson and I was there over six years. Six years and I moved over to URG as their project manager, business development, and moved into the CEO role August of 23 and I've been with URG for over 13 years, so been in the industry almost 20.
Speaker 4:Christy, didn't you say didn't you recently say too that somebody sent you a picture of your old actual um? What actual systems is what you said? It's called your old um business card.
Speaker 3:Yes, I got a picture sent from Dina. At Dave's I was doing a Canada install and it was my old pinnacle classic business card, so that was pretty hilarious.
Speaker 4:Oh my gosh, I think you should frame that. That should be framed. That should be. That'll be the newest um auction item for all of you joining the conference this year I love it, love it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's pretty cool that you've been in the industry for this long and working with these recyclers for as long as you have been kind of gives you a nice in for for getting you know all the information from them and and learning from them and and what they're needing, right, oh, for sure I also feel like so many people don't actually know about your background, christy.
Speaker 3:They all know who you are I don't know if that's a good thing, but well, she's been in the background.
Speaker 2:You've been, you've been kind of in the background for of urg, doing business development and all the cool things that you rolled out for URG members and working with different vendors and getting those integrations started. So it's pretty cool to hear where you've been and now where you're at, and we love seeing a woman in the CEO seat and it's been so phenomenal having you as the CEO here at URG and just planning these conferences has been such a blessing and I think we're just so much more ready for these conferences and are getting more excited. So what is your favorite part, christy, about working with these recyclers and getting to see them?
Speaker 3:Christy McGrath that's a tough question. I have a lot of favorite parts. I would say if I had to pick one, would be how the industry just treats you like a family. I never would have expected to have so many people in this industry as close friends, and I think maybe that's probably what drives me so hard to make sure that URG continues to grow and really help recyclers, because I'm basically helping out my friends and family, which is exciting.
Speaker 2:That's a really cool view. Yeah, and getting to network with these guys at the conferences in general, too. I think we'll all be going to April 10th through the 12th, you know, getting to actually touch base with them and hear what their issues are and what different things that they're wanting to do, right.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that's exactly right, and you know, that's why I wanted to start doing yard tours when I took over. So, instead of meeting with all of our members once a year, now I can get in front of them and really just kind of understand their problems, get to know them better, make sure that they feel comfortable with us and, when there's any other problems or requests for new integrations, that they're not afraid to come to us. And so we've been meeting a lot of people. It's been very fun going with you and Kristen Definitely some crazy times and some fun times. And it's been very fun going with you and Kristen definitely some crazy times and some fun times and it's been really good all.
Speaker 4:I thought it's behind the scenes.
Speaker 3:Soon, everyone will be a GoPro that we will be recording ourselves. You can literally see how fun yeah, we'll get. We get nice little uh road road time.
Speaker 2:We we travel together in a couple hours in between, and so we'll have a little gopro set up here in the car here soon. We get to see all the behind the scenes action will be pretty, pretty fun to see. Um, but the you'll be able to see how great of a driver.
Speaker 3:Kristen is um, but the you'll be able to see how great of a driver kristen is.
Speaker 4:Maybe we'll even be on american idol. You never know I love it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's, let me tell you. I sit in the back seat because I we don't allow amanda to drive um on these yard tours, so I get to take a backseat and I get to watch the show happen in front of me. It's a pretty good time. But yeah, and you know, like you said, Chrissy, you know these conferences are kind of the same thing. It's like a big family reunion, everyone getting together and just having a good time and networking with each other in the after hours as well. But these yard tours have been really awesome to kind of get in front of these members too. Kristen, I think you had a question that you were going to ask.
Speaker 4:Yeah. So my question for you, christy, as being somebody who works with yards wanting to join URG, just curious what your take is what do you think recyclers wanting you know why should they become a your team member?
Speaker 3:and it's on the conference you know we offer a wide variety of tools to really help recyclers grow their business, just alone building websites. You know it's the full checkout option for their customers, with our warranty department, with ASC certified techs managing warranty claims to really give your customers a good experience when they're having a bad issue with ordering a part. You know there's so many. I could go on for a long time but you know our biggest piece is just getting your used parts out in the different marketplaces and help drive more sales to your business and that's kind of a key component that we that we go by with you RG, not only getting your data out there, but protecting it. Now, as far as the conference goes, it's just like there's so many sessions. We have over 60 sessions this year from people that run businesses to consultants to, you know, issues that we're having in the industry right now that they'll discuss, so it'll be wide, you know, so much learning opportunity for you to take back to your business and implement.
Speaker 4:And one thing you mentioned, christy, when you were first kind of talking about why people should join URG you know just the different programs that we offer. We're having sessions on those too. So it's not you know, we do have URG sessions, but we also have, like you mentioned, industry experts, consultants, yard owners, all of the above. So it's not just you know, it's not just one thing. We have so many different sessions geared for you know, like you said, so many different people owners, sales, all of those.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and I think you know we're changing it up a little bit this year. We've heard everybody's feedback. We're making sure that the sessions don't just represent, you know, bigger companies and stuff to implement. We want to make sure that smaller companies come away with things that they can go and implement as well in their business. So our focus is, whether you're a small company or a very large company, there's going to be sessions for you.
Speaker 2:Exactly, it's kind of a conference for all and again the networking that happens after hours, I think, is one of those key pieces as well.
Speaker 3:Right, oh, no doubt.
Speaker 4:Yeah, exactly, we got a lot of networking events, yep All right.
Speaker 2:DJ. We too, and don't we?
Speaker 4:have. Oh sorry, no, go ahead. I was gonna say we have a lot of networking events and, christy, don't? We have something exciting we're gonna do this year for the Hall of Fame. Yes, we have a lot of exciting things.
Speaker 3:Yes, I'm excited to talk about that at the opening ceremony breakfast. We are introducing a new Hall of Fame and I'm excited for the people that will be part of it.
Speaker 2:Very exciting. All right, dj. Is it time for a quick break?
Speaker 1:Yeah, why don't we take a quick break and we'll be right back. Listeners, Hold tight.
Speaker 5:URG can help you streamline your business for maximum efficiency and increased profits. Access powerful software and unique tools. Receive top-level training with industry experts. Network with hundreds of recyclers. Employ e-commerce solutions to boost business. Receive support, resources and discounts Starting at just $150 a month. It's the smartest investment you will make for your business this year. Go to u-r-gcom and click on Become a Member. Your path to a profitable future is just a click away. That's you-r-gcom.
Speaker 1:Welcome back listeners. You know you're listening to the number one podcast, urg On the Go podcast. Dj Harrington, amanda Morrison is here and we have two great guests the one and onlys. They are the best. Now you know your business, but URG helps you grow your business and I want you to know we have over 9,000 registered listeners. We're available on Spotify, itunes, pandora, stitcher, iheartmedia, amazon or wherever you get your podcasts, and I can't thank you enough for tuning in to URG On the Go, amanda. I'll pass it on over to you.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much, dj. You're so fabulous at those intros. We've got Christy and Kristen here from URG. Christy is the CEO and Kristen's our Director of Sales and Marketing and we've been discussing the URG conference that's happening April 10th through the 12th in Orlando. Make sure you get registered. If you haven't already registered, I know the hotel blocks are definitely filling up, so if you haven't registered or gotten your hotel, make sure you get on top of that here this week and make sure you get registered and are going to be able to attend. We'd love to see you. So thank you again, christy, for being on today. I was going to ask what are some of your top suggestions for yards that are attending the conference. So what's what should, what should they not miss, and how do they decide on sessions to attend?
Speaker 3:I would say try to attend as many sessions as possible. What I usually tell people is, if there's more than one of you, divide and conquer so that you can take as many notes as possible. Get together after the show and figure out which are the top ones to try to implement in your business. You know you're going to come away with a lot. It's gonna probably be a little overwhelming. You just really wanna focus on what are your key points that will really help your business and slowly implement them. You know, one of the things that we've added in more this year is self-serve sessions. So whether you're full service or self-serve, we've got a whole plethora of sessions for you to attend. And then, you know, really focusing on EV and AI, which are, you know, things that are coming up in our industry whether we like it or not, and we want to make sure we can educate our members in those areas and make sure they're well aware of everything going on 100%.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I had JC on not too long ago talking about actionable items. You know, make a list of those actionable to-dos and try to get those checked off before the conference, because before you know it, that year goes by really quick and so those actionable items kind of pop up and they'll keep popping up until you correct them. So, yeah, those things are so important. What are some of your favorite parts about the URG conference? I know we talked about the networking and all of that, but is there something that stands out to you the most, that that you enjoy about the PRP URG conference?
Speaker 3:Honestly we've mentioned it several times networking, just getting back in front of everyone and understanding what's going on in their lives and business and, and just you know, catching up with with each other. That's what I absolutely love. You know, you can't walk anywhere in the hotel without finding someone you know, and it's just so much fun. That's probably why I lose my voice at the end of every conference yeah, it's a lot.
Speaker 2:We're there from Monday to Sunday usually, or Tuesday to Sunday and long week and long hours, but it's also worth worth it in the end. And, kristen, what's one of your favorite parts about the conference?
Speaker 4:I mean, I have to agree with Christy. I think networking is such a huge aspect of what we do, aside from just meeting people in person. It helps you grow your business in the long run because you can tier these guys, you can work with us to help sell their parts and help each other that way. So I think it goes beyond just meeting them in person and getting to know who they are as a person, getting to grow your business, brew networking and then, like christy said, they're all just family. Um, even just seeing you guys, I mean, you know it's, it's crazy, even just being with each other during the week. It's just so much time together that even during our yard tours we just get to hang out and I just I love it. I love this industry, I love this company, love it all.
Speaker 3:And I also think a really nice piece too is, you know, we talk to people on the phone all day long and not necessarily video calls, so finally putting a face to a name for someone new that you've met is just huge and it really helps, you know, just get to know the person a lot better.
Speaker 2:so kind of closes the gap there and and it goes towards, you know, vendors as well. You know I want to. I want to mention our, our vendors and sponsors. Sponsors that, um, you know, help help us put on the show essentially you essentially through their sponsorships and being able to put a face to a company and really create that loyalty. The vendors as well, coming in and bringing in all their materials and spending the money to be there. It's such a huge deal for everyone to get there. So being able to kind of be face-to-face with everyone is important.
Speaker 2:And I'm going to list off some of our top sponsors. I want to make sure I mention we've got two diamond sponsors, easysuite and eBay Motors. And then we have a few gold, which is Hotlines, whi, g-core, advanced Powertrain Solutions, we've got UpNow IT, we've got Wellbuilt, we've got Currents, and then for Silver, we've got UCC, united Catalytic Corporation, we've got Vinmatch Pro, we've got Accurate Recycling, we've got Buddy Auto, partner Solutions, national Reinsurance, hollander and Riemann Group Engines. So thank you guys all for your sponsorships. We really appreciate all the, all the support and being able to get all these recyclers in one place and we just want to make sure that we we shout you guys out as well.
Speaker 3:I agree completely with that and I would just suggest attendees coming to the conference spend the time on our vendor breaks or in between sessions going and visiting these vendors. I've talked to quite a few of them already. They've got some exciting new products coming up and you know they're here for you as well to help see what they can do to help grow your business. So highly recommend taking that extra time to do that.
Speaker 2:Exactly, and a lot of these guys want to hear that feedback. You know, if you are having issues with any kind of services, you know they want to make sure that they're giving you the best quality product out there. So bringing that to them and being able to see them face-to-face is just such a good touch base and a good way to be able to get in front of these guys as well. So let's talk about the golf tournament. So we have the golf tournament happening. I know, christy, you normally golf but you're not golfing this year. You're going to be kind of helping back in the back end. What's your favorite part about golf event?
Speaker 3:Well, I haven't completely decided if I'm going to golf yet. It's still okay, it's just up in the air. It's just always so much fun. I've always done it prior years, so it's hard for me to give up, but we'll see. I still have a little bit of time to decide that. But what's amazing is it's for such a good cause the Scholarship Foundation, which DJ has been, you know, obviously hugely involved in really making it a success. So I will suggest, though, that if you are golfing, you probably try to stay away from Ryan Falco or Junior Catalano, because I have heard they have issues running into other carts just what I heard, not from observation. And then I highly recommend, if you're golfing with Rachel Ehlers, that you do not let her drive, because she will likely fall out of the cart. So just a heads up.
Speaker 2:Have you heard or witnessed?
Speaker 3:No comment.
Speaker 4:I heard about the golf bags falling off, getting kind of loose on the straps. There too, I feel like that's been an issue in the past.
Speaker 3:Yeah, but anyway, it's such a good time. It's so much fun to hang out and let loose with everybody and it's for such a great cause. So definitely golf if you're in town by that time.
Speaker 2:And you don't even need to be a great golfer either. Right, you can be kind of a beginner, and if you don't have a group to golf with, we'll put you in a group as well. So right.
Speaker 3:Chrissy, I feel like I'm being called out of my amazing golf experience. But yes, you can golf like me and only hit it, you know, five feet. It's fine, it's still a good time.
Speaker 4:And if you don't want to golf, you can. We, amanda, and I, like to go around and say hi to everyone too, so you can always, you know, just hang hang out and say hi yep, yep, awesome.
Speaker 2:All right, dj, let's take one more break.
Speaker 1:It's too much, this will be the episode of laughter. Okay, let's take a break and we'll be right back.
Speaker 5:No-transcript. We understand college is not for everyone, so each year the foundation offers substantial financial scholarships to auto recycling employees and the children of employees that are attending four-year and technical or trade schools, to assist with their education. Don't leave money on the table. If you have a child or if you're interested in attending continuing education, this money is available to you. Go to u-r-gcom and click on the scholarship foundation tab URG keeping our industry strong through education.
Speaker 1:Welcome back listeners. You know you're listening to the number one show, urg on the go podcast. This is your podcast and as the ladies were so nice about talking about poor Ryan Falco in the gala, I want to remind all of you there are still flag sponsorships available and also whole sponsorships available. So I want you to write this number down it's Jen McPherson and it's 512-677-6202 or just go online to u-r-gcom and if you're not registered, you register.
Speaker 1:Also while you're listening, a lot of the vendors bring auction items, the auction for, just like Christy talked about, the URG Scholarship Foundation. By all means, bring an item you know and put it up for auction and all the proceeds go to help sponsor. And we have over $60,000 worth of scholarships. And if you're available or you know, these are for colleges, but they're also for vocational and trade schools and, by all means, if you have a daughter who wants to go to you know cosmetology school, we have the opportunity for her. Fill out, it's a very simple application on the u-r-gcom website. Fill in Scholarship Foundation and you'll get the information. So I will pass it back over to Amanda. This is Amanda, and you guys are some great speakers besides Daylon Zartman, the number one speaker in the whole EV industry worldwide.
Speaker 2:Yep, yep, he'll be there. He'll be there. Yep, we're excited. We've got tons of great sessions that will be there. But I did want to touch on the the auction items. Kristin, did you have an auction item that we're kind of excited about that we wanted to talk about?
Speaker 4:Yeah, so I am very excited, Chrissy. Actually, I'm going to let Chrissy talk about it.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:All right.
Speaker 3:So we are going to be having a live tainter at our conference. He will be doing it at our auction event Friday night and, I believe, thursday during golf. Maybe I'm not positive, but either way it's gonna be awesome. When he's done, we will be auctioning off the items and from what I've seen previously, he does an amazing job.
Speaker 2:so look out for those auction items yeah, yeah, I think our auction items are going to be pretty great this year, so keep an eye out for that and make sure you're, you know, participating in all those, those events. Uh, speaking of events, chrissy, what? What events do we have planned for the week of conference that people can be looking forward to and make sure they attend?
Speaker 3:yeah. So you already know about golf highly recommend that. That thursday night, when most of the people arrive, we are going to have an off-site get-together, meet-and-greet at the Sports Social. So it's going to be very similar to how it was at St Louis, when we went off-site. Everyone really loved that. It was a good time. So we're going to do that Thursday night. Then Friday I'm excited I didn't talk about this earlier but we're going to have a founders presentation during breakfast so we'll have Bill Topa and Ron Sturgeon really, given the background of how you are, g got started and and how we got to where we're at today. Then Friday night we are going to have an event actually at the Hyatt it's in the wilderness area where we've had it before. That will be for the auction. It's a really cool area and you've had it before. That will be for the auction. It's a really cool area and, you know, like we said, for a great cause. So really looking forward to that as well.
Speaker 2:Awesome, yeah, and then we're also having the Tunnel to Towers right, a car giveaway.
Speaker 3:Yes, we're having the Tunnel for Towers during lunch giveaway. Super excited about that organization and what they do, you know, for the communities. We're also going to have a win happy hour on that Friday night, from 530 to 630. We're encouraging all of the women to wear pink. The theme is United in Pink, which is pretty exciting.
Speaker 2:Yeah, excited Always a good excuse to dress up right. We work from home, so we like getting dressed up for things. Give us a reason to put some some fancy clothes and some jewelry on. It'll be a good time, so awesome. And then making sure that you guys get registered and get your hotels as well that's something you want to make sure that we hone in on on this podcast. Make sure guys get registered and get your hotels as well. That's something you want to make sure that we hone in on on this podcast. Make sure you get registered. Don't want to be last minute. I want to make sure we have the counts are all good to go and get you guys there. So, kristen, did you have anything you wanted to add about the conference and what you're looking forward to?
Speaker 4:I don't think I have anything to add, I think we're just excited to get there. I think everyone is excited to see each other and network, and you know, energy.
Speaker 3:I have one more thing to add. I forgot. You know we have Saturday morning. We're changing it up and we're going to have our keynote speaker right after the breakfast starts, which is Stephen Shepro. He has amazing reviews online for great things about him, so I think he's really just going to pump everyone up to get ready to learn that day and that Saturday night we're having an event for people that are sticking around especially the salesmen that are around and having a bunch of games and some hors d'oeuvres and drinks for everyone to network and get to know the different salesmen you purchase parts from, and all of that.
Speaker 4:So just wanted to add that in Another great note, christy, on the Saturday night. I feel like a lot of people don't know that we still have an event Saturday night. So I feel like some people you know often leave a little early Saturday, but we had a great turnout last year. I feel like there's so many people um at that sales event and I feel like if you know if you're gonna be in town or you're gonna be um staying late, just stop by.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's a it's a great way to get your your sales people kind of talking with other sales people and brainstorming and and getting different tactics out there and and also you know they they end up adding each other on teams or or getting each other's phone numbers, and then also you know they end up adding each other on teams or getting each other's phone numbers and then that way you know it creates that loyalty between yards and are able to trade parts eventually. So it's definitely a great place to be and all the sessions are so important as well, making sure that you're getting your salespeople and all your people. Orlando is a great place to be, but you want to make sure you're in those sessions and learning from these great people and these great speakers that we put together so awesome. Dj, did you have anything that you wanted to?
Speaker 1:I want to compliment all three of you. I know that all three of you had a lot to do with the speakers, so let me just say I've been going to URG for many, many years. So let me just say I've been going to URG for many, many years and this is the best group of speakers ever formulated. There's over 87 speakers throughout the whole convention and this is the best URG and Team PRP has teamed up and you ladies have put together one of the finest. That's why it's the premier event of the year and you learn just as much in the hallways or with a social drink at night that you do in one of the the conference. You know the events itself, the speaking engagements and, just like christy said, it's for any type of business. You know self-service, full service, small yard, big yard, seven locations or one location. This is for you and if you don't come away with an answer or solve a problem or a challenge that you have in your place of business, there's something wrong. This is the place.
Speaker 3:Yeah, dj, I just I want to give a little shout out to we definitely the three of us have worked really hard to bring the best sessions for everybody. But I got to give a little shout out to Jarrett, who definitely helped us out with TRP and Rob Rainwater. He was on several calls really helping us figure out what people to bring on for panels and really helping us find the right speakers for the right sessions. So, like you said, these are sessions for owners, sales, production, accounting, inventory people. So we've got a wide variety and looking forward to it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I talked to Mike conkle today from australia. He was over there doing that program with chris and georgia and all who will be speaking at our conference also, and it's really true. I listened to your facebook live the other day with rob rainwater and larry wilson. It was excellent, it was excellent, excellent. And so you know this is. You ladies have done a phenomenal job. The social media, you know strength and synergy is, is really. You've got the the cover off the ball thank you, dj.
Speaker 1:You're always so great and thank you for your so much support and and for helping out with tunnel to towers Towers as well. That was such a great ad, so these vehicles that we're donating are going right to their centers that will eradicate homeless veterans. So at these two locations, one of them will house 104 veterans and the other one houses 96 veterans, and, because of the generosity of URG and PRP, we pulled it off together.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's awesome. Thank you so much, DJ. All right, Do you guys have any parting shots before we end the podcast?
Speaker 3:Christy. No, I'm just super excited to get registered, if you aren't, and I can't wait to see everyone in a couple weeks. It's going to be a great time.
Speaker 2:Awesome. All right, we're excited to see everyone and don't forget to get registered. The conference is April 10th through the 12th in April in Orlando, and we will see you guys there. Thank you so much.