Printed in Autobody News Four guest speakers attended the St. Louis I-CAR Committee’s September virtual meeting, including collision repair industry professional Beth Rutter who spoke about the Pilot Program. Rutter graciously agreed to share some additional information with Autobody News. The Pilot Program originated three years ago at Ranken Tech, where Collision Director John Helterbrand designed an apprenticeship program to ensure that collision students are prepared to successfully enter their career after graduation. Students work with mentors at local shops, obtaining hands-on repair experience in conjunction with classroom education, as the taught tasks begin with the most mundane and progressively advance as the student’s knowledge and skill advances. “Students rotate…

Published in Autobody News Longevity sets Runge’s Auto & Tire apart from the competition in Chicago, Ill. The 18,000 square foot facility has been home to automotive repair shops since 1920, before being purchased by the Runge family in 1963. The reputation the shop has built in the community over the past century has driven the success of the business, according to body shop manager Joe Sobczac, who began working for Ralph Runge shortly after the family acquired ownership. “Boasting a longevity of 100 years means that we serve third and fourth generation customers, and we’ve been able to retain that business because our focus is on treating people the…

Published in Autobody News Investing in tools that offer both quality and value is absolutely imperative for John Plevris, owner of Copley Auto & Collision in Copley, Ohio. While running a full-service mechanical and collision repair facility that repairs nearly 300 vehicles on a monthly basis, Plevris cannot afford delays caused by tool difficulties or failures. Since 2000, the shop has utilized AIRCAT Pneumatic Tools by Florida Pneumatic because “There seems to be an evolution in ergonomics that makes work easier.” By allowing the shop’s 13 employees to work more efficiently, AIRCAT Tools provide Copley Auto & Collision with an opportunity to deliver even more of the high-quality repairs, which…

Published in Autobody News Founded in 1932, Modern Auto Body in South Orange, NJ, boasts a reputation for trustworthiness, superior quality, and customer service, but as word of the shop’s excellence spread to neighboring communities, owner Jack Haberman identified the need to expand his space to meet his client’s demands just three years after taking ownership of the business. In 2016, Modern Auto Body relocated to its current location, offering 14,000 square feet of production space. Knowing that he also needed to equip the shop with tools designed for high-volume operations, Haberman turned to Accudraft for all his paint hardware needs. In addition to installing two Accudraft XL downdraft paint…

Published in Autobody News David Ellis, owner of CARSTAR Ellis Brothers Collision in Milford, MI, joined the CARSTAR franchise network in 2019 “in order to keep up with the changes in the industry, to up my game, and to have access to the tools, technology, training, analytics, metrics and nationwide warranty that will set me up for success in this rapidly changing industry.” Although his shop has recently joined the CARSTAR network, Ellis has over two decades of automotive industry experience. In 1999, he founded Complete Automotive Restoration Inc. (CAR Inc.) and “grew the business to one of the largest mobile paint companies in the state. That growth required us…

Printed in Autobody News Shop & Product Showcase Devin Hansen, owner of VersionEX Autobody in Eugene, OR, was raised in Okinawa, Japan and immigrated to the U.S. when he was 15 years old. “I always had a passion for cars because that was a big part of my culture,” he shared. “When I moved to America, I bought a 1996 Nissan in honor of my heritage. I started working on the car in my parents’ driveway, but the cold, rainy weather in Oregon wasn’t ideal, so a friend and I invested in a small, 300 square foot shop space where we could work on cars.” After tinting his own windows,…

Printed in Autobody News Shop & Product Showcase Bob Waldron, owner of Waldron’s Auto Body in Marlboro, MA, was among the first shop owners to join the CARSTAR franchise network in 1989. According to Waldron, “It’s hard to go it alone. CARSTAR does tons of research and development, and while I must be the driving force behind implementation, what they do for shops is huge – I can’t quantify how greatly it has benefitted my business! Joining CARSTAR has given me a wonderful quality of life, and I believe it will someday give me a really good retirement.” Waldron entered the collision repair industry as a vo-tech student in 1975,…

Printed in Autobody News Shop & Product Showcase Crossing state lines between its two locations in Texas and Oklahoma, Auto Body Concepts must comply with each state’s requirements and ensure clients in both markets are pleased with the high-quality repairs the shops perform. According to owner Dan Ott, “The main thing that sets our shop apart from others is our dedication to our customers. We aren’t here for the insurance companies or the tow companies – we are here for our customers, first and foremost. We are a local business, so these are our neighbors, friends and family, and we treat them as such.” In order to guarantee customer satisfaction…

Since 1937, Island Fender has been providing high-quality collision repairs to Honolulu, Hawaii and the surrounding area. Utilizing the latest technology in collision repair, framework, alignment and painting, Island Fender offers superior workmanship and service. According to owner Van Takemoto, the key ingredient to his shop’s success is his involvement with AkzoNobel’s Acoat Selected Performance Group. He shares, “The Acoat Selected Performance Group helped me build my body shop from $50,000 monthly sales to $250,000 and increased our net profit. With the profit generated from the shop, we were able to invest in the real estate instead of paying rent. Over the years, the cash flow from the shop and…

Printed in Autobody News Mill Run Collision Center opened in the quaint borough of Mill Village, PA in 1984, but despite being located in a historic district, the shop owned by Lee DeBrakeleer is anything but dated. Six employees work on an average of 40 vehicles each month in the facility’s two buildings which are outfitted with the industry’s latest and most technologically advanced tools and equipment. Two of the most valuable tools in Mill Run’s arsenal are the Spectrometer and the Matrix Edge™ refinish system, a Valspar Automotive® brand. DeBrakeleer said, “The reasonable cost of the Matrix Edge system, as well as the excellent coverage and ease of application,…

Printed in Autobody News The Tennessee Collision Repairers Association (TCRA) was established in 2007 but has hit a lull in recent years. That’s about to change with the appointment of Josh Kent as the association’s executive director. “I heard from some Tennessee shops that they needed an association, and when I reached out to [TCRA admin coordinator] Georgia Thorson, I volunteered to help out,” Kent said. Kent has served as the executive director of NCACAR and SCACAR since the associations were founded four and two years ago, respectively, until the groups combined to become the Carolinas Collision Association (CCA) earlier this year. CCA and TCRA will continue to operate separately…

Printed in Autobody News As of Jan. 1, 2020, Mike Lane stepped down from his role as executive director of the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Illinois (AASPI) after nearly three decades. The position has been filled by Brian Wojcicki who has served as AAPI’s chief lobbyist since 2015. Wojcicki shared, “I have worked closely with AASPI’s executive director over the past several years regarding association programming and membership outreach.” “I am a practicing attorney with experience in election law and regulatory drafting as well as issues involving business and association liabilities,” Wojcicki continued. “Prior to law school, I worked on various state and local campaigns and was on staff with the governor’s office of…

Printed in Autobody News ASA Texas is excited to announce that, after a comprehensive search, the board of directors has selected Jennifer Elfert Vredenburg as executive director. Regarding the new position, Vredenburg stated, “I’m honored and excited to join an organization that focuses on the automotive service industry’s needs. I look forward to pursuing the goals of ASA, and I’m ready to embrace the challenges for creating a stronger organization with long-term success.” In addition to boasting more than 15 years’ experience in strategic marketing and graphic design, Vredenburg was exposed to the automotive industry in 1990 when the Army trained her to inspect and operate a variety of military vehicles. More recently, from…

  Printed in Autobody News Marketing is a vital component to the success of any business, but because different industries have a variety of advertising needs, an agency that truly understands the best interests of your company may be able to provide a leg up on the competition. Representing the fourth generation in her family to dedicate a career to the automotive industry, Michelle Nelson founded B2B Automotive, a full-service marketing agency that specializes in serving the collision repair industry. Nelson stated, “B2B does pretty much anything the shop needs from managing I-CAR and OEM assessments and securing DRP relationships to designing websites and managing social media. B2B Automotive has the tools and…

Featured in Autobody News Monday, 08 July 2019 21:16 Written by Chasidy Rae Sisk Consumer Liaison Erica Eversman provides collision industry perspective during NAIC meetings.File photo Attorney Erica Eversman is well-known in the collision repair world for her work geared at educating shops about proper documentation as well as their responsibilities to the vehicle owners whose cars they repair. Earlier this year, Eversman was accepted as a consumer liaison for the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and she graciously agreed to share her thoughts and goals with Autobody News readers. Q: How did you obtain the role of consumer liaison with the NAIC? A: I applied for the position. I’m not the only consumer liaison;…

Wednesday, 26 September 2018 18:17 Featured in AUTOBODYNEWS As the technician shortage continues to plague the collision repair industry, the topic of attracting new blood to shops has become common at events and in facilities across the country. However, once someone new is sold on collision repair, the next concern is ensuring they receive the proper training to successfully begin a career in the industry. The Collision Career Institute (CCI) has developed a means of addressing this dilemma. According to Chief Operations Officer Amber Ritter, “CCI is an apprenticeship program that consists of 3,000 on-the-job training hours plus 250 related supplemental knowledge hours. Our role is to help recruit, manage and…

Wednesday, 13 June 2018 22:07 Featured in AUTOBODYNEWS On May 29, AASP/MA announced its recent decision to have Evangelos “Lucky” Papageorg take over the role of executive director for the association.  With previous experience as the executive director for the Massachusetts Auto Body Association and more recently running his own consulting business for the industry, Papageorg is excited to return to the role of executive director for a Massachusetts collision repair association. Papageorg shared, “I am especially pleased to be assisting the Board members as they strive to make AASP/MA the premiere collision repair association in Massachusetts. Together, we will work hard to advance the industry and benefit and assist its members as they work toward safe,…

Thursday, 10 May 2018 20:20 Featured in AUTOBODYNEWS NOTE: This June SPS profile was originally published in print in June 2018 and online in May 2018. Ultimate Collision in Edison, NJ, opened its doors for business in 1988. Ultimate Collision Location: Edison, NJ (732) 494-1900 www.ultimatecollisioninc.com Company At A Glance… Type: Collision Repair Facility Employees: 28 In Business Since: 1988 DRP Programs: Six Number of Locations: One Combined Production Space: 10,000 square feet “I grew up in this industry, and there’s nothing I can’t do,” said shop owner Jerry McNee. “My focus is on correctly repairing cars. We stand up for our customers behind the scenes and make sure the work is done correctly as advertised.” The 10,000-square-foot facility employs…

Tuesday, 08 August 2017 17:40 Featured in AUTOBODYNEWS On July 17, ASA announced the addition of a new affiliate in MA and RI (ASA-MA/RI). The new affiliate’s Executive Director is Stephen Regan, who agreed to speak with Autobody News about his experience and plans for the group. On July 17, ASA announced the addition of a new affiliate in MA and RI (ASA-MA/RI). The new affiliate’s Executive Director is Stephen Regan, who agreed to speak with Autobody News about his experience and plans for the group. Regan has been involved in the automotive industry since 1999, serving as the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Auto Body Association from 1999-2011. He also served on the Board of Directors for…

Monday, 19 June 2017 22:40 Featured in AUTOBODYNEWS Area Developers received demonstrations and hands-on training. On June 5 to 7, Colors on Parade hosted a training class in Denver, CO for their new CarLove Recon Advantage Program. Originally launched in January 2017, the program is now expanding into new markets led by Area Developers within the company who attended the training in order to acquire program certification. They will now bring the program to their home areas of Raleigh, NC; Orange County, CA; Colorado Springs, CO; Southeastern Philadelphia, PA; and Denver, CO. The CarLove Recon Advantage Program is designed to simplify processes, eliminate risks, and fix costs for dealership groups, and it…

Thursday, 25 May 2017 19:23 Featured in AUTOBODYNEWS John Royer, general manager at SheerMetal CARSTARin Plano, TX, has no qualms admitting that his journey in the collision repair industry has been rather unorthodox, entering the business just four years ago with no experience. In 2013, some business associates and friends asked him to manage the business they had purchased four years earlier after the previous manager, with an abundance of industry experience, left. Since Royer began running the shop, the business has more than doubled its revenue from $1.3M to $4.0M in 2016. How did Royer achieve this seemingly miraculous feat? With the goal of helping the shop grow, the ownership…

Wednesday, 25 September 2013 22:21 Featured in AUTOBODYNEWS Anyone who has been involved in repair for any amount of time knows how frustrating it can be when insurers refuse to pay the full amount billed for a repair. Many repairers count their losses and move on to the next vehicle, but Mark Schaech Jr., co-owner of Mark’s Body Shop in Baltimore, MD, refuses to take this insult lying down. While he and his partner, his father, would prefer to avoid the necessity of taking legal action, he’s definitely “not taking it anymore!” Schaech knows this is a common problem that shop owners face, so he’s glad to share his experience…