Bedford, Texas, Sept. 21, 2005 - The Automotive Management Institute (AMI) and the Automotive Service Association (ASA) jointly announced today that Chelsie Jackson, service advisor and estimator for Park's Royal Body Works, Inc., of Boise, Idaho, is the recipient of the new Richard Cossette Memorial Scholarship.

Jackson has spent the last six years in the automotive service industry as a service advisor and manager. She is ASE Certified and a graduate of the General Motors Body Service Education Program (GMBESP). She has an Associate of Applied Science degree in Auto Body Collision Repair and is currently working toward a Bachelor of Applied Science Degree in Applied Technology.

Richard Cossette owned Lehman's Garage in Minneapolis, Minn., and was a charter founder of AMI and a $50,000 Charter Counselor contributor to AMI's EXCEL program. He was the first chairman of EXCEL and was the recipient of AMI's Annual Recognition Award in 1994. He was awarded an honorary Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) designation in 1997 to further recognize his commitment and dedication to AMI. He also held numerous leadership positions on the ASA board of directors and was active in several industry organizations until his death in 2002.

As the scholarship recipient, Jackson will receive $500 to help cover expenses to attend educational sessions and view the latest repair technologies and equipment during the International Autobody Congress & Exposition (NACE), Nov. 2-5, 2005, in Las Vegas.

"I'm honored to receive this award and pleased to discover my passion and skills within the collision industry have not gone unnoticed. This will be my first trip to NACE and I'm excited to discover the latest technologies and to experience an exposition dedicated to my true passion," said Jackson.

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 131,000 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. 239, or visit the AMI Web site at www.amionline.org.