The International Bodyshop Industry Symposium will return to the U.S. from March 23 to 25 at the Grand Hyatt Scottsdale, with a speaker lineup spanning insurers, MSOs, technology providers and automotive investors as the organization continues its shift toward a more interactive format.
IBIS USA 2026 is part of the global series running under the theme “Connecting Changemakers,” reflecting what conference director Robert Snook has described as a move away from traditional keynote-heavy programming toward shorter, structured sessions and moderated debate.
In an interview with Collision Repair, Snook said IBIS has “transitioned from being an event to an experience,” adding, “We want to be an environment to connect changemakers in the region.”
The March 23 opening session, “What’s front and center for the industry Changemakers?” will feature insight from Steve Greenfield, general partner at Automotive Ventures, who is expected to provide a capital markets and investment perspective on the forces reshaping collision repair and mobility. He will be joined by senior industry leaders to frame the technological, financial and structural pressures affecting North America.
Day two will begin with “Follow the Car — Calibration, Complexity and the New Definition of ‘Doing the Right Thing’,” examining sensor-dense vehicles, advanced materials, EV systems and the growing demands of post-repair calibration. Contributing to that discussion are Keith Crerar, chief transformation officer at Repairify, and Dirk Fuchs, director of engineering at Energy Security Agency, bringing perspectives on diagnostics, data and vehicle energy systems.
The program will then turn to AI and Mobility — The Real State of Play, with James Spears, head of automotive and property at Tractable, and Mark Fincher, vice-president of product management at CCC Intelligent Solutions, expected to address how artificial intelligence is influencing claims workflows, estimating, vehicle design and repair planning.
Insurer and network alignment will feature prominently in the afternoon discussion, Is the Future Written… and if not, who are the Changemakers? That session includes Michael Lastuka, auto industry liaison at State Farm, and Michelle Sullivan, chief executive officer of Certified Collision Group, alongside Arthur Crawford, president of collision operations at AutoCanada. Their discussion is expected to address consolidation, insurer influence and the evolving commercial framework governing repair deployment.
Technology and systems integration will also be represented by Greg Rivera, president of OEC, and Dan Friedman, vice-president of North American sales and business development at Entegral, contributing to discussions around digital integration and data-driven repair ecosystems.
Throughout the event, sessions will be moderated by Snook and Dave Smith, maintaining the discussion-led approach that debuted earlier this year in Dubai.
Under the new format, PowerPoint presentations and auditorium-style panels are replaced with smaller, more interactive formats, including lightning sessions in which speakers deliver five-minute, slide-free interventions.
“Speaking with passion not PowerPoints, [delegates] each highlighted either a proposed solution to one issue facing the industry, one untapped opportunity, one area of frictional inefficiency that could be removed or one new innovation that would mean a positive stride forward for the industry,” Snook said.
IBIS USA 2026 is expected to attract senior leaders from insurers, OEMs, multi-shop operators, independent repairers and suppliers across North America. Registration remains open through IBIS Worldwide.
