Bedford, Texas, Sept. 10, 2004 - The Automotive Management Institute (AMI) and the Automotive Service Association (ASA) jointly announced today that Ken Kohnen, owner and general manager for Snelson Collision Repair, Granite City, Ill., is the recipient of this year's Emil Stanley Merit Award.

The award honors Emil Stanley who was publisher of Automotive Body Repair News (ABRN) until his death in 1989. Mr. Stanley was committed to strengthening the professionalism of the collision repair industry through education. He was recognized as a strong advocate of the International Autobody Congress & Exposition (NACE), the world's largest collision repair event sponsored annually by ASA.

Kohnen has spent the last 29 years in the automotive service industry, and the last eight years as an owner devoted to increasing professionalism in the automotive service industry. He is an ASE Certified Master Technician and has completed the necessary requirements to earn AMI's Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) designation. He will officially receive his AAM during the Institute's formal graduation ceremony to be held during ASA's "Celebration of Excellence" on Nov. 5, at the Flamingo Las Vegas.

As the scholarship recipient, Kohnen will receive complimentary registration, air transportation and hotel accommodations to attend NACE 2004, Nov. 3-6, in Las Vegas.

"I started in this industry as a technician. By pursuing continuing education and AMI management courses, I have progressed from a tech to a manager, and finally to the owner of my own business. This scholarship is a tremendous opportunity to learn not only from the classes, but from my peers," said Kohnen.

The Emil Stanley award is made possible by a grant from ASA to EXCEL, AMI's resource development program.

AMI was established to answer the demand for continuing education tailored specifically for the business needs of the automotive service industry. The Institute offers the Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) designation, the first business management accreditation exclusively for the automotive service professional. To date, AMI programs have attracted more than 1257,000 enrollments throughout North America. AMI is a not-for-profit educational foundation to which tax-deductible contributions can be made. For more information about the Institute, its curriculum, or EXCEL, please contact AMI at (800) 272-7467, ext. 233, or visit the AMI Web site at www.amionline.org.