The decision to return to a name that has deep history within the Massachusetts collision repair community came from lengthy discussions
Braintree, Mass.—The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Massachusetts (AASP/MA) has announced it has returned to its original name, the Massachusetts Auto Body Association (MABA).
The decision to return to a name that has deep history within the Massachusetts collision repair community came from lengthy discussions by the board of directors and leadership teams as to how to best position the organization for the future.
Approximately 15 years ago, MABA and other independent collision repair groups united as one voice under one umbrella provided by the national organization, the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers (AASP). When AASP National disbanded at the close of 2024, it opened the door for the Massachusetts association to return to the old, more recognizable name of MABA.
Executive Director Lucky Papageorg believes it’s a logical move for the association now that the national organization affiliation is gone.
“Stating that you represent the Massachusetts Auto Body Association, or MABA, basically says it all,” he said. “I found myself having to explain what AASP was when I’d visit shops I hadn’t been in before. They wouldn’t recognize the acronym. It’s about embracing our true identity by recognizing who we really are and going back to our roots. The name has always been there as our former AASP/MA logo featured the words ‘Your Massachusetts Auto Body Association,’ but returning to the old name eliminates the need for further explanation. It’s something the Board had considered over the years, even before the disbanding of AASP National.”
Board President Matthew Ciaschini (Full Tilt Auto Body; West Hatfield) agrees with the mission behind the name change.
“The goal is to make ourselves more recognizable to the entire industry. People don’t have to question what the acronym stands for and what’s most important is that we are here to focus on the issues in Massachusetts. Not having our name tied to a national organization puts further focus on that.”
Last year was a strong year in the history of the association with movement toward labor reimbursement rate reform with auto body professionals being granted a seat at the table in the discussion to bring reform to four decades of labor rate suppression. The year closed out with the Auto Body Labor Rate Advisory Board (ABLRAB) submitting a favorable final report and recommendation to the state Division of Insurance and key legislators.
MABA will continue to fight for labor reimbursement rate reform and push efforts to move the Auto Damage Appraisal Licensing Board away from the Division of Insurance to the Division of Occupational Licensure to eliminate insurance industry bias.
For more information on MABA, visit MassAutoBody.org.
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