Some of the collision repair industry’s most prestigious awards and recognitions will be given during the upcoming Collision Industry Red Carpet Awards event, which is being held at the SEMA Show.

This year’s ceremony, with the reception set to begin Oct. 31 at 6 p.m., is unique in that it’s happening in the evening for the first time. The ceremony will also coincide with the Collision Industry Conference’s (CIC’s) 40th anniversary.

The event, which is free to attend, was established to take advantage of the energy and excitement surrounding the SEMA Show. Hosting it after hours will only add “to the gravitas,” the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS), which is an event co-sponsor, said in a press release.

Although it said it’s not necessary, SCRS encouraged attendees to attend in cocktail attire.

The awards portion of the event, which will be emceed by the OEConnection’s Liz Stein, will begin at 7:30 p.m.

“The 2023 Red Carpet event will feature a historic presentation from the CIC, reflecting on the past 40 years of contributions and conversations that have impacted the industry,” SCRS said in a press release.

It will also include individual award presentations from:

• • BodyShop Business, distributing awards for single-shop executive of the year and multi-shop executive of the year;
  • Collision Industry Electronic Commerce Association (CIECA), handing out the electronic commerce company of the year, outstanding contribution, and chairperson’s awards;
  • Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF), announcing the “Fueling the Future” award;
  • I-CAR, bestowing the Jeff Silver Memorial Award to a Platinum individual and the Russ Verona Memorial Award to a Gold Class shop;
  • National Auto Body Council (NABC), giving the “Changing and Saving Lives” award; and
  • SCRS, naming the winners of the affiliate association, lifetime achievement, and 2023 March Taylor Kina’ole awards.

SCRS said the March Taylor Kina’ole Award pays tribute to “the legacy and lessons from March Taylo”r, who owned Auto Body Hawaii and served on the SCRS board of directors.

“Kina’ole is a Hawaiian term for flawlessness, in the sense of ‘doing the right thing, in the right way, at the right time, in the right place, to the right person, for the right reason, with the right feeling, the first time,’” SCRS said.

Previous recipients of the Kina’Ole Award have included Gary Wano Jr. of GW and Son Auto Body, “Collisionista” Petra Schroeder, industry educator Toby Chess, and most recently Danny Gredinberg, administrator of the Database Enhancement Gateway (DEG). John Norris, of Collision Industry Information Assistance, was granted the award posthumously in 2019.

“SCRS has bestowed the award on individuals who have reflected the light that March instilled in those he worked with,” said Amber Alley, SCRS chairwoman. “It’s recognizing those who just radiate a purpose of doing the right things, the right way, for the right people. Honoring and acknowledging our people for who they are and who they’ve become, rather than what they have done.”

Other awards being presented by SCRS include a National Lifetime Achievement Award which is designed to recognize people who have given generously to the aid of their industry nationwide and an Affiliate Association Award, intended to “shine the spotlight on an affiliate that exhibits exemplary actions on behalf of the collision repair professional.”

The reception is happening at Westgate Resort’s Ballroom C and will be followed by the Red Carpet Awards ceremony in Westgate’s Ballroom AB.

Images

Featured image: Danny Grediberg hugs SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg after receiving the society’s 2022 March Taylor Kina’ole Award. (Credit: Lurah Lowery/Repairer Driven News)