Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
-
2009 CREF Scholarship Winner Pays It Forward
Most people have settled into their career by the time they reach the age of 39, so switching careers at such a stage in life may seem like a daunting prospect – especially when the choice was not of your own volition – but Susan Bock saw the challenge as an opportunity to expand her knowledge and examine her options. Bock worked at an insurance agency for over 16 years, but in January 2009, her boss informed her that he had to let her go due to downsizing. “It was quite a shock as insurance was really all I had ever known career-wise, but I realized this would be a…
You May Also Like
CREF Celebrates 2024 PiN Master Winners
Tomorrow’s Collision Professionals Learn on Today’s Repair Planning Software Thanks to Donations from Audatex, CCC and Mitchell Through CREF
From CREF Scholarship Recipient to Gerber Apprentice: Olivia Peterson Shines as an Incoming Collision Repair Professional
-
Ladies, Start Your Engines
Grateful that Lori Johnson of Ladies, Start Your Engines entrusted me with writing website content for her awesome company. Check her out at www.ladiesstartyourengines.com! Although women only account for 50.8% of the population and 50.5% of licensed drivers, ladies influence over 80% of car purchasing decisions. Yet over three quarters of females won’t visit a dealership or repair shop unless they are accompanied by a man simply because they lack the knowledge and confidence to effectively communicate their car care needs. Ladies, Start Your Engines is an interactive automotive maintenance and knowledge class designed FOR women and girls of all ages BY one of the industry’s leading female automotive experts.…
-
WIN’s 2021 Virtual Conference Demonstrates Collision Industry is “Stronger Together”
Published in Autobody News After skipping 2020’s annual event due to the worldwide pandemic, the Women’s Industry Network (WIN®) worked diligently to host the 2021 WIN Educational Conference virtually. Held on May 4th and 5th, this year’s conference theme was “Stronger Together.” Event emcee Chelley Canales, an inspirational author, coach and speaker, brought her brand of infectious energy to the 2021 WIN conference while introducing each session, and she kicked the event off by introducing Outgoing Chair Cheryl Boswell who welcomed attendees and noted that WIN had reached record membership with 562 members. Reiterating the organization’s vision to be “THE network driving the future of collision repair by attracting, developing…
-
WIN Webinar Explores What’s NEXT for Auto Body in the Digital World
Published in Autobody News On International Women’s Day on March 8, Elaina Farnsworth, CEO of The NEXT Education, shared insights on “What’s NEXT for the Future Autobody Worker in Our Emerging Digital World,” during a webinar hosted by the Women’s Industry Network (WIN®). “Never before have we seen such a change in how transportation has been done,” Farnsworth began. “We are experiencing a wonderful period of growth, and the industry needs as many women as possible.” Referencing technologies, such as intelligent infrastructure, self-driving and autonomous vehicles, and connected cars, Farnsworth pointed out, “If we don’t have technicians who really understand the technology, all this great technology is worthless. We focus…
-
What Cars Say: “We Need More Female Technicians!”
Written on behalf of the Collision Repair Education Foundation. Printed in Body Shop Business In recognition of Women’s History Month, author Rachael Alfonso has partnered with the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) to raise funds in support of female collision repair students. When industry supporters purchase a copy of Alfonso’s new book, “What Cars Say,” through the dedicated link, a portion of the sale will be donated to a fund for future female technicians. “This is a great book for any auto enthusiast,” Brandon Eckenrode, Director of Development for CREF, said. “The Foundation is proud to endorse Rachel, a female automotive professional and author, and we’re excited to announce a…
-
CREF Helps Student-Turned-Industry-Pro Clear Collision’s Hurdles
Written on behalf of the Collision Repair Education Foundation. Printed in Body Shop Business. Printed in Autobody News. When the Collision Repair Education Foundation erased Destiny Potter’s student debt in 2017, it did not erase every challenge she’d face while pursuing a career in the collision repair industry, but with the support of the Foundation, a solid education, devotion to the industry, and some good old-fashioned determination, Potter is jumping every hurdle in her path – and gaining loads of experience along the way! A mixture of factors sparked Potter’s interest in the collision repair industry. At age five, she helped her father with small repairs on his vehicles. They…
-
Dirty Little Secrets of the Automotive and Skilled Trades Industries-Part 5
-
Dirty Little Secrets of the Automotive and Skilled Trades Industries-Part 4
-
Get to Know WIN’s 2019 MIW Honorees
Published in Autobody News The Women’s Industry Network (WIN) recently announced that four women will be honored as Most Influential Women (MIW) and celebrated at the MIW Gala and Awards Ceremony in May. The ceremony will be held during WIN’s Educational Conference in Fort Lauderdale, FL, from May 6–8. Originally established by AkzoNobel in 1999 and taken on by WIN in 2013, the MIW program aims to recognize women whose leadership, vision and commitment to excellence have enriched the collision repair industry. The 2019 MIW honorees are Yen Hoang, CEO of UYL Color; Erica L. Schaefer, Mopar collision marketing manager at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA); Kathy Mello, CFO of TGIF Body Shop; and Judy Folk, manager of…
-
Dirty Little Secrets of the Automotive and Skilled Trades Industries-Part 3
-
Get to Know WIN’s 2018 MIW Honorees
Published in Autobody News The Women’s Industry Network (WIN) recently announced that four women will be honored as Most Influential Women (MIW) in 2018. They will be celebrated at the MIW Gala and Awards Ceremony, held during WIN’s Educational Conference in Indianapolis May 7–9. Originally established by AkzoNobel in 1999 and taken on by WIN in 2013, the MIW program aims to recognize women whose leadership, vision and commitment to excellence have enriched the collision repair industry. The 2018 MIW honorees are Shelly Bickett, Director and Co-Founder of Fix Auto USA; Mary Mahoney, Vice President of the Insurance Replacement Division for Enterprise Holdings; Marie Peevy, Owner of Automotive Training Coordinators LLC; and Collisionista Petra Schroeder. While all…
-
Women in Automotive Empower One Another at 2019 Winter Conference
Published in Autobody News On Dec. 15-16, 2019, Women in Automotive (WIA) hosted its 2019 Winter Conference at the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort in Palm Springs, CA. WIA Board Member Scotty Reiss shared, “The big topic of this winter’s Women in Automotive conference was empowerment: how we empower ourselves, how we support each other and how we see ourselves. [Our presenters] shared not only how they have achieved their success but also, how we can help other women to achieve theirs, and how we develop leaders for the future.” “There was also a lot of discussion about how to develop Millennials into great team members, how to support each other by building a…
-
Dirty Little Secrets of the Automotive and Skilled Trades Industries-Part 2
-
Kim Barks Teaches Girl Scouts Automotive Care Basics in St. Charles, MO
Published in Autobody News April 1 might have been April Fool’s Day, but Kim Barks, owner of Complete Car and RV Repair in St. Charles, MO, wasn’t joking around when she hosted a meeting for a troop of nearly a dozen Girl Scouts to teach them some basic car care tips. Kim shared, “It was a pleasure meeting this great group of Girl Scouts and teaching them safety and education about their cars. These ladies are 14–15 years old and eager to learn about their vehicles; it’s never too early to start learning!” With Bob Barks, her father and business partner, Kim showed the girls how to check their tire pressure and read their…
-
Dirty Little Secrets of the Automotive and Skilled Trades Industries-Part 1
Resources
-
The Machine Behind the Women: Drive Safer and Smart by Knowing Your Vehicle’s Capabilities
Printed on AskPatty.com AskPatty CEO, Jody DeVere, recently joined the Ladies Offroad Network (LON) for an off-roading adventure through Moab, Utah’s challenging terrain. While most of us think that makes Jody a total badass, she largely credits the experience to ZACC, her 2017 Jeep Renegade Desert Trailhawk. “In the world of off-roading, ZACC is among the smallest vehicles, but he and I have developed a symbiotic relationship; understanding his capabilities and developing my skills around them enhances the driving experience, both off and on the road,” she shares. “Other off-roaders were astonished by some of the things ZACC did, but I wasn’t surprised – he’s a very capable vehicle.” ZACC…
-
Dori Eppstein Brings Wealth of Experience to AskPatty as General Manager of Sales and Marketing
Published on AskPatty.com AskPatty.com, Inc. proudly announces and welcomes Dori Eppstein as its new General Manager of Sales and Marketing. “I’m very excited to join AskPatty.com,” she says. “I have extensive experience in a multitude of areas, from developing and delivering curriculum and training to top-level executive leadership roles. This position is a beautiful combination of my experiences and passions related to training, coaching, marketing, and the automotive industry.” She gained a solid reputation for being a leader who could turn a department or entire organization around. With a master’s degree from San Diego State University and more than a decade of teaching Psychology at the college level, she developed…
-
From Fender to Fashion: CRASH Jewelry Reveals Beauty in Discarded Vehicle Parts
Published on AskPatty.com Most people only see scrap metal when a fender is removed from a vehicle, but Christi Schimpke, Founder of CRASH Jewelry, sees something beautiful and worthy of rebirth. After moving her studio into her husband’s auto body shop in Los Angeles, her admiration of the aesthetic appeal of discarded automotive parts led her to imagine a way to re-purpose those materials. Goal in mind, she set out to create unique cuffs, earrings and other accessories from the metal of luxury vehicles. What is CRASH Jewelry? CRASH Jewelry specializes in creating sustainable uni-sex jewelry from the metal of luxury automobiles. My husband’s shop, Beverly Coachcraft, specializes in repairs…
-
Bogi Lateiner Discusses Post Corona Customer Care and Communications
Printed in Autobody News Now that the world has been dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic for a couple months, things are slowly starting to reopen, leading people to talk about the new normal and what life will be like post-corona. Bogi Lateiner, of All Girls Garage, dove into the topic of “Post Corona Customer Care and Communication” during a recent installment of a collaborative series of technical and management classes focused on necessary topics for navigating business operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The series is hosted by the Carquest Technical Institute and Worldpac Training Institute (CTI+WTI.) Charlie Sanville, most commonly known as the Humble Mechanic from YouTube, introduced Lateiner, who began by posing several questions: “How…
-
WIN Hosts Webinar on WIN’ning SOPs with Dave Luehr
Printed in Autobody News The Women’s Industry Network (WIN®) hosted a free webinar May 20 for more than two dozen members, featuring Dave Luehr of Elite Body Shop Solutions. Luehr’s presentation, “WIN’ning SOPs,” dove into the difference between a good and bad SOPs (standard operation procedure), root problem solving, how winning SOPs help build a winning shop culture and how to get the team on board with the new processes. He began by sharing a positive message: “Anyone willing to work hard on the right thing can be an unlimited entrepreneur.” Good processes bring value to the customer and remove unnecessary waste from the system, according to Luehr. They challenge unnecessary waste, solve root problems…
-
Safelite Launches SWIFT to Support Women in the Field
Printed in Autobody News Over the years, the automotive and collision repair industries have become more welcoming to female professionals in the traditionally male-dominated space, yet even as the number of women in the industry has increased, few females pursue careers in more technical roles. While women account for 47% of the United States’ labor force according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor in 2018, they also reported that women made up 2.4% of automotive service technicians, 1.1% of autobody repairers, and even fewer automotive glass installers and repairers. After identifying a similarly significant gender disparity in their technician and repair specialist roles, Safelite AutoGlass launched SWIFT, Safelite Women in the Field…
-
WIN-Sponsored Giving Event in Denver Benefits Foster Kids and Military Families
Printed in Autobody News On Dec. 11, the Women’s Industry Network (WIN) sponsored a giving event at the Blackbird Public House in Denver, CO. WIN Board Member Kim Frasher explained, “It was held to benefit the foster kids and military families of Denver public schools to provide gifts for over 90 children, many of whom have never had Christmas gifts prior to becoming a foster child. We worked once again with the ESSA program of Denver public schools, who were present to help load the gifts and then distribute them to the families.” WIN members and their teams from work were joined by collision repair program instructors and female students from Lincoln Tech as…
-
The Driving Force – Women in the Automotive Industry Presented by Kukui
Printed Autobody News On Oct. 18, Kukui Corporation’s Jimmy Lea hosted a webinar entitled “The Driving Force – Women in the Automotive Industry” where he was joined by six automotive industry experts who happen to be women as they discussed their careers and their vision of the future. Kukui’s description of the webinar pointed out, “Eighty percent of all automotive buying decisions are made by women. Every year, women spend over $200 billion on vehicle purchases and repair services. And yet, less than 20% of the total workforce in the automotive industry are women.” The panel consisted of Megan Dineff, customer service manager for Ervine’s Auto Repair; Jamie Carlson, owner of Ervine’s Auto Repair; Cindy Frasca, COO…
-
WIN Holds “Backpack Drive” During Local Networking Event in Denver
Printed in Autobody News On Aug.17, the Women’s Industry Network (WIN) gave back to the community by collecting backpacks and other back to school necessities to benefit Denver Public Schools’ ESSA Foster and Military Family program. The event was hosted by Axiom Accident and Hail Repair in Englewood, CO, whose Director of Customer Experience Kim Frasher sits on WIN’s board of directors. Frasher shared, “The event went very smoothly and exceeded all expectations. Once Cheryl [Boswell, WIN chair] mentioned on a board call that we should have a ‘backpack drive’ type of event in Denver for WIN members and the collision repair industry in general, I got to work planning.” “We wanted to establish an active WIN member…
-
Femcanic Garage Podcast Highlights Women and Girls in the Automotive and Collision Repair Industry
Printed in Autobody News Although it’s 2019 and many people will claim that gender equality has been achieved, the fact remains that society identifies distinct differences between females and males. Yet, the reality is that many expectations for the “softer sex” are a construct that doesn’t quite jive with reality. This is evidenced in the automotive and collision repair industry by the constantly increasing membership levels of women-focused organizations, such as the Women’s Industry Network (WIN) and Women in Automotive (WIA), showing just how many women are actively involved in this unconventional career field. Earlier this year, Jayme Blasiman decided that these women should be highlighted so their contributions and impact to…
-
Dave Luehr Teaches WIN Members How To Develop a WINner’s Mindset
Friday, 19 October 2018 21:04 Featured in AUTOBODYNEWS Dave Luehr of Elite Body Shop Solutions On Wednesday, Oct. 10, the Women’s Industry Network(WIN®) hosted a webinar featuring Dave Luehr of Elite Body Shop Solutions, who presented “Developing a WINner’s Mindset (Pun Intended!).” “Right now is the greatest time to be in the collision repair business, but only for those with the right mindset,” he said. “But, what IS the right mindset? “When I think of the word ‘limitless,’ I’m immediately inspired by the beauty of human potential. It makes me think of a childlike quality that dares to dream big and live life to the fullest. No one said this business was going to…
-
MO Shop Owner Educates, Empowers With Wheels, Women & Wine Car Care Clinic
Friday, 13 July 2018 20:05 Featured in AUTOBODYNEWS “I’ve often heard technicians say women don’t belong in a shop—what does that mean? Just do your job, and she’ll do hers!” stated Kim Barks, who co-ownsComplete Car and RV Repair in St. Charles, MO, with her father, Bob. In May, Barks hosted her first Wheels, Women and Wine Car Care Clinic at the shop in an effort to educate and empower women in their community when dealing with their vehicles. The class attracted 35 ladies, some of whom brought their daughters, inspiring Barks to teach both the current and future generations. She put a car on a lift to show the group how it works,…
-
The Importance of Attracting, Hiring and Retaining Female Employees
Friday, 16 June 2017 21:40 Featured in AUTOBODYNEWS Jody DeVere’s breakout session addressed the importance and value of employing females in the collision repair industry. Among the three breakout sessions offered on Tuesday afternoon during WIN’s 2017 Educational Conference was “Why Is It So Important to Attract, Hire and Retain Women Employees?” presented by Jody DeVere, CEO of AskPatty.com. DeVere began by observing that most women enter the collision repair industry by accident, but there is something special about the automotive industry, and it makes for a fun, challenging and interesting career. Starting with some statistics on female consumers, DeVere noted that women buy more than half of new cars, influence up…
-
An Introduction to WIN’s 2017 Most Influential Women Honorees
Wednesday, 05 April 2017 19:51 Featured in AUTOBODYNEWS The Women’s Industry Network (WIN®) introduced its 2017 Most Influential Women (MIW) honorees on March 3. This award is designed to recognize women whose leadership, vision and commitment to excellence have enriched the collision repair industry. This year’s honorees, to be recognized at WIN’s MIW Gala and Awards ceremony during the association’s May conference in Denver, are Cristina Fronzaglia-Murray, Manager of Marketing Communications for PPG’s Automotive Refinish Division; Renee Ricciotti, Sales and Marketing Manager for 3M Automotive Aftermarket; and Elizabeth Stein, Vice President of Business Development and Marketing for the Assured Performance Network. WIN Chair Petra Schroeder stated, “Having been with WIN…
-
23-Year-Old Female Shop Owner Runs the Show at VA Maaco
Friday, 03 March 2017 21:45 Featured in AUTOBODYNEWS The collision repair industry is known for being male-dominated, and with the increasing need for young professionals to enter the industry, it’s refreshing to meet Katie Inge, a 23-year-old shop owner in Chesapeake, VA. Inge’s passion for cars transcends any question of her place in this industry and proves that women have an important perspective to bring and role to play as we move into the future; it’s not just a man’s world anymore! Inge grew up in her father’s Maaco Collision and Repair Center, spending weekends in the shop where she learned about the entire process, from painting to sanding to…
-
WIN© Honors 2016 Scholarship Recipients at Gala Awards Ceremony
Tuesday, 10 May 2016 17:20 Featured in AUTOBODYNEWS On Tuesday, May 3, during the 2016 Educational Conference, WIN members took a break from the informative sessions to honor the 2016 Most Influential Woman (MIW) honoree as well as this year’s scholarship winners. The MIW Reception was held outside and attendees were dressed to the nines as they sampled hors d’oeuvres while networking with their collision repair industry peers. Read full article in PDF format here Cheryl Boswell welcomed attendees and introduced Beverly Rook-Twibell and Petra Schroeder, co-Chairs of the Scholarship Committee. Recipients of the scholarships are required to possess a 3.0 GPA, provide school involvement, engage in community service, bring a recommendation…
-
Female Circumcision’s Unknown Appearance in America
Submitted On October 28, 2007 Featured in Ezine Articles Pain. Hemorrhage. Death. By methods of cutting and ripping with knives, thorns, glass shards. A surgery that has affected over 100 million women. And the name? Female circumcision, genital mutilation, or simply torture. Each year, approximately 2 million women and girls across the world experience this surgery that ranges from a small incision on the clitoris to complete removal of all external genitalia. For many, there is nothing that they can do to stop it. Female genital mutilation or circumcision is the cutting, pricking, or complete removal of external female genitalia. The reasons for this are to promote chastity, to enhance…
