CREF Welcomes Kayla Clark to Board of Trustees
Originally published at CollisionRepairEducationFoundation.org
The Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) is excited to welcome Kayla Williams Clark, Vice President of Business Development for Classic Collision, to its Board of Trustees.
“The Foundation is delighted that Kayla has joined our Board of Trustees,” says CREF Executive Director Brandon Eckenrode. “Her experience in this industry and her passion for assisting students as they pursue collision careers will certainly be a major asset. I look forward to her joining in CREF’s efforts to support collision school programs and students.”
Clark began her career in the collision industry in 2010 as a management assistant at Enterprise Rent-A-Car, where she was introduced to several multi and single shop organizations across San Diego and Denver. “In interacting with the various shops, I realized the collision industry was the place for me,” Clark shares.
After 18 months at Enterprise, Clark joined ABRA Auto Body & Glass as an Account Executive and quickly became an integral part of their growing footprint from 110 locations to over 400. Through the expansion to multiple new states, she gained a wide range of experience spanning from insurance relationships, wholesale parts, integration and branding, which earned her a promotion to Business Development Manager of the Southeast in 2016.
Since Clark took her talents to Classic Collision in 2021, the company has grown by 200 additional locations and surpassed the billion-dollar revenue mark, milestones influenced by Clark’s leadership and guidance.
“Throughout my almost 15 years in the industry, I have been able to create relationships nationally with various industry members and schools, which allows me to shed light on CREF and school needs in various markets,” Clark notes. “I am passionate about boosting school involvement and interest in collision program enrollment, so I have used my relationships to recruit a broad representation in attending CREF events to achieve these goals.”
Clark’s involvement with CREF began over a decade ago when she started volunteering with the Nashville I-CAR Committee, eventually becoming Vice Chairman and serving as Committee Chair since 2018. Using the connections fostered through her roles at ABRA and Classic Collision, she has been able “to recruit several vendors and industry partners into the I-CAR volunteer space to come together to make a difference and drive healthier school support and enrollment. Through this position, I truly gained a passion for making an impact on the future of the collision industry,” Clark recalls, pointing out that she has attended CREF Career Fairs and fundraisers in a dozen states in the past decade.
Clark continues to stay involved with school boards, CREF and I-CAR as she remains dedicated to arming future collision repair professionals with the right training and pathways to enter the industry. She is excited to enhance her involvement with the Foundation. “I look forward to expanding on my passion as a Board member as we can see collision program interest and enrollment becomes more of a need each year for our industry nationally.”
Industry members interested in getting involved and supporting the Collision Repair Education Foundation’s efforts to assist secondary and post-secondary collision repair training programs can Contact Us to learn about the many ways to get involved. Monetary donations can be made online.
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The Collision Repair Education Foundation, founded in 1991, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting collision repair educational programs, schools, and students to create qualified, entry-level employees and connect them with an array of career opportunities. For information on how to donate to programs supported by the Education Foundation, visit us online at: www.CollisionRepairEducationFoundation.org.
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