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Over 100 Collision Schools Receive $678,500 in 2023 Benchmark Grants, Funded by Generous Industry Supporters and Facilitated by CREF
Originally published at CollisionRepairEducationFoundation.org There’s strength in numbers, and that’s certainly the message that’s been sent by the many supporters of Collision Repair Education Foundation’s (CREF) Benchmark Grant program. Thanks to the generosity of a multitude of industry partners – both small and large – the Foundation is proud to announce that 109 collision schools will receive $678,500 in Benchmark Grant funding to financially support their efforts to educate the collision industry’s future workforce and making a difference in the lives of the students training in those programs. “Congratulations to the CREF Benchmark grant recipient schools, and thank you to our industry partners for their continued support,” says CREF Executive…
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A Comedy of Under-Indemnification: Starring Progressive Insurance
Published in Texas Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing “Ill deeds is doubled with an evil word.” – The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare, Act 3, Scene 2 Art imitates life, and sometimes, life imitates art. When William Shakespeare penned The Comedy of Errors toward the end of the 16th century, it’s highly unlikely that even the Bard could have imagined a connection between his first tragicomedy and the interactions between collision repair shops and certain insurers in 2023. Yet, it’s common for insurers to treat the topic of under-indemnification as comedic when it is, in fact, quite a tragedy for the shops contending with the challenges it poses as well as the consumers…
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Valiant Hearts: ABAT Members Donate Repairs to Local Mom
Published in Texas Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing If an auto body professional is asked why they pursued a career path in this industry, their explanation will almost always include some variation of “I wanted to help people.” So, when ABAT Executive Director Jill Tuggle turned to social media to post a plea on behalf of a local mom-in-need, it’s really no surprise that association members jumped at the opportunity to lend their aid. “A local ministry I volunteer for has a specific need. Please let me know if anyone is willing to help,” Tuggle addressed the Texas Collision Industry group on Facebook, requesting assistance for Valiant Hearts, an organization…
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Six Years of Service: A Q&A with AASP/NJ Past President Jerry McNee
Published in New Jersey Automotive – Thomas Greco Publishing During AASP/NJ’s 2023 Annual Meeting, the association elected a new president (Ken Miller of 821 Collision; North Haledon) for the first time since 2017. Although Past President Jerry McNee will continue serving the organization and the industry as collision chairman, New Jersey Automotive sat down with him as he reflected on his six years of service as AASP/NJ president and took a look at what the future holds in his new role. New Jersey Automotive: What were your greatest accomplishments during your time as the AASP/NJ president? Jerry McNee: In one respect, I don’t know that I can claim any “great accomplishments” because my goal was…
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Mission Win-Win: Why U.S. Military Veterans Make Great Shop Employees
Published in AASP-MN News – Thomas Greco Publishing Army. Navy. Air Force. Marines. Automotive and collision repair shops? At first glance, one of these things obviously does not belong in this list, but U.S. military veterans who have found a career in repair facilities just may offer a different perspective on the matter. In honor of Veterans Day on November 11, AASP-MN News spoke with several local veterans about the similarities and differences between military and shop life, how military training lends itself to a successful repair career and what shops can expect when they hire a veteran. Loyalty. Efficiency. An affinity for training. What employer wouldn’t gladly hire an employee…
