Updated: Collision Industry celebrates standout achievements at Red Carpet Awards Night

Updated: Collision Industry celebrates standout achievements at Red Carpet Awards Night

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The Collision Industry came together Tuesday evening to celebrate standout achievements during the Red Carpet Awards Night Tuesday during the 2024 SEMA Show.

Stacey Phillps Ronak of Radiant Writing and emcee for the night said the event dates back to 2017 when the SEMA Show and the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) were approached by some of the industry groups to set up a structured way to give out awards during SEMA. BodyShop Business was the first to inquire about how to give out their Business Executive of the Year award, she said.

“Tonight, we will honor those who go above and beyond, who dedicate their skills and time to elevate our standards, and who serve as role models for their peers,” Phillips Ronak said. “The awards represent more than just accolades; they are a testament to the hard work and determination that drives our industry forward.”

Bodyshop Business

Barry Dorn, Dorn’s Body and Paint Inc. owner, Business Executive of the Year

Wendy Patrick, Joe Hudson’s Collision Center chief administrative officer, Business Executive of the year multiple locations

Jason Stahl, BodyShop Business editor, presented the awards.

“Our Single Shop winner [Dorn] painted his first car at age nine and has been working in the collision repair industry for a total of 35 years,” Stahl said. “He started as a technician at his family’s collision repair business in 1989 and today is a second-generation business owner. Once a technician, always a technician, as they say, and this person proves it by continuing to pursue ongoing certification recordings right alongside his technicians. Not only has this person grown his family’s collision repair business, he’s also built two other businesses in automotive service.”

Patrick started in the collision repair industry at 18 years old, Stahl said. She began as an officer administrator and then as an estimator.

“She is the one who, when everyone else says something cannot happen, makes it happen,” Stahl said. “No is not in our vocabulary. Others in the know say this shop winner commands the room and demands respect from her peers, coming across as intense but in a fierce way of, always having the company’s and her employee’s best interests at heart. Beyond her grit and toughness, she is truly one of a kind, a leader who is fiercely loyal to her teammates and peers.”

Collision Industry Electronic Commerce Association (CIECA)

CCC, Electronic Commerce Company of the Year

Chris Martinez, Nexsyis Collision, system engineer and development, 2024 Outstanding Contribution Award

Gaurav (Rav) Mendiratta, Propel chief product officer, 2024 Outstanding Contribution Award

Stacey Simmons, Enterprise Mobility, sales operations director, Outstanding Dedication

Ken Eagleson, OEC vice president of business development and CIECA board, Chairperson’s Award

Ashley Denison, CIECA chairperson said Martinez joined the CIECA board in 2022 and serves on the CIECA Architecture Committee where he shares his technical expertise.

“He hopes his efforts will advance the industry standards, ensuring they evolve to meet all the stakeholders,” Denison said. “The other committee members have greatly appreciated his time and his contribution.”

Mendiratta has 15 years of expertise in Internet marketing, analytics and marketing technologies and has been at the forefront of integrating artificial intelligence into digital solutions,” Denison said.

“He believes in knowledge sharing and is passionate about educating members about the advantages of AI and adopting Gen AI products and solutions,” said Denison.

Simmons has volunteered with CIECA in recent years with annual conferences, Denison said.

“Our winner has gone above and beyond to help,” Denison said. “She manages the registration process and assists with a thousand other tasks throughout the week. She’s extremely organized and efficient and we know we can always count on her.”

Eagleson serves on several CIECA committees including as secretary on the Executive Committee, Denison said.

“He’s been instrumental in assisting with the annual CIECA conference meetings and taking an active role in getting us phenomenal speakers every year and making introductions that help the planning go very successfully,” Denison said.

Denison said CCC Solutions was a founding member of CIECA in the early 90s.

“This company has always been a proponent of industry standards to drive interoperability between business and the technologies used to manage them,” Denison said.

Collision Industry Conference (CIC)

Aaron Schulenburg, Society of Collision Repair Specialists executive director, Volunteer of the year

“Our recipient is a person that is a committee chair [Schulenburg] who is one of our hardest working committee chairs, exceedingly dependent, willing to take on tough topics, made some very excellent dynamic presentations, and is someone that is quick to come to the mic to contribute, encourages others to do that, and has become a great promoter of CIC,” Darrell Amberson, CIC former chairman said. “I know personally, I’ve gotten to know him over the years, and every year my appreciation and respect for him continues to grow.”

Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF)

Josh Kent, Carolinas Collision Association executive director 2024 Fueling the Future Awards

Greg Brink, Rock Valley College retired instructor and Julie Lombardo, Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Illinois executive director, 2024 Fueling the Future Award

Amber Ritter, Collision Repair Education Foundation Marketing and Project Management director said that when Kent first started the association seven years ago, he recognized a need to cover all angles of the industry. He also saw the next generation needed to be involved and that solutions needed to be offered to members.

“Josh started by holding meetings at the schools and bringing employers directly to the school as an initial effort to bridge the gap,” Ritter said. “Currently, they have 32 schools in their network and through CREF, has raised over $12,700 over the past three years supporting scholarships and uniforms, including eight scholarships to people that are currently working in the field.”

Ritter said Brink and Lombardo jointly won the award because their efforts show the power of what partnership can accomplish. She said the two worked together to bring 40 industry partners to a Rock Valley College meeting, which led to a new program being opened.

FenderBender

Anthony McNee, Ultimate Collision Repair, Best Repair Planner Award

Amber Alley, Barsotti’s Body & Fender, FenderBender Award

Jay Sicht, FenderBender, and ABRN editor-in-chief, said finalists for the Best Repair Planner Award had to complete an estimating exercise created by Collision Advice Mike Anderson.

“The competition and estimate exercise was close, but what made our winner [McNee] stand out was the critical safety-related inspection items,” Sicht said. “Our winner has been tireless in his efforts to keep the shop up to date with researching OEM repair procedures and processes and has multiple OEM certifications.”

Sicht said the collision repair industry isn’t just about fixing cars; it’s also about helping people.

“Our Fender Bender award recognizes the top-notch owners and operators who are hard-working and dedicated to professionalism in this industry,” Sicht said. “Our winner [Alley] this year is continuing the culture of quality she found when she started at her shop 21 years ago as an assistant manager, and she’s also fostered a team based on work structure, OEM certifications, training, and quality repairs. In addition to OEM training, the shop includes a lot of I-CAR training, and most technicians are platinum-recognized. The shop also has ASE-certified technicians and takes advantage of training from Axalta and 3M.”

Hall of Eagles

Janet Chaney 2024 Hall of Eagles Induction

Stacey Bartnik, 2010 Hall of Eagles inductee, and Chuck Sulkala, 1989 Hall of Eagles inductee, presented the award. Current inductees decide on each new inductee.

Sulkala said that sometimes there are years that there are no inductees.

“When it is earned and when it is warranted, it is time,” Sulkala said.

He said he came to SEMA for the full purpose of welcoming Chaney to the Hall of Eagles.

“I came here for this one reason, because this person [Chaney] has not been recognized by this industry. And the time has come,” Chaney said.

Chaney said he didn’t have to give a long introduction about Chaney’s previous accomplishments because her efforts are already well-known in the industry.

I-CAR

Jarod Nicholson, Collision Leaders, Jeff Silver Memorial Award, to a platinum individual

Jerry’s Body Shop, Russ Verona Memorial Award, to a gold class shop

I-CAR President and CEO John Van Alstyne said Nicholson has held Platinum status since 2015 and has nine Platinum Designations.

“He proudly displays his achievements in his office and actively promotes his achievements in his office and promotes I-Car’s mission through various platforms including social media and directly with local schools.”

Van Alstyne said this includes facilitating job shadowing and internships and judging SkillsUSA competitions.

The Russ Verona Memorial Award honors Russ Verona, who was the first Gold Class designated business, Van Alstyne said.

He said Jerry’s Body Shop was personally mentored and friends with Verona.

“Since 1991, this Gold Class Shop has promoted the importance of complete, safe and quality repairs,” Van Alstyne said. “Showcasing an unwavering commitment to quality that resonates throughout all of their work. They proudly display the Gold Class designation and incorporate it into their distinct office conversations, radio advertisements, and broader marketing efforts. They’re part of an elite group of shops, fewer than 1% of the industry that has been gold class for 33 years or more.”

National Auto Body Council (NABC)

Henry Arroyo, owner of Fix Auto Shops, Changing and Saving Lives Award

Debbie Teter, marketing director for Garmat and co-chair of the NABC Awards committee, said the Changing and Saving Lives Award recognizes an individual in the collision repair industry who delivers exemplary service in their community.

“Henry Arroyo has participated in National Auto Body Council’s Recycled Rides programs for a decade through Fix Auto USA and has gifted a number of vehicles to families in need and veterans over the years,” Teter said.

Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS)

Enterprise Mobility Foundation, Collision Industry Non-Individual Service Award

Ron Reichen, Precision Body and Paint, National Lifetime Achievement Award

Mike Anderson, Collision Advice, The 2024 March Taylor Kina’Ole Award

J.D. Hendler, honored by SCRS for a lifetime of service

Laura Lozana, Automotive Department Chair and Professor of Collision Repair Technology at Contra Costa College, said the Non-Individual Service Award is intended to recognize contributions to the industry that originated at a corporate or company level.

“Sometimes there are projects that require vision and resources and this award is going to a foundation that was designed to strengthen communities where team members live and work by actively supporting a range of causes such as the environment, health, human services, education, military and disaster relief. This foundation has contributed over half a billion dollars to thousands of nonprofits in the United States and made wide-reaching commitments from global philanthropic initiatives to community-focused projects.”

Kye Yeung, European Motor Car Works, said Reichen is a past SCRS chairman who served during the inception of Repairer Driven News.

Reichen also has worked as a presenter for national and state organizations in the industry, Yeung said.

“You meet a lot of people in this industry, and a lot of people have a lot of talk, but this individual walks the walk, and he’s a true mentor to so many of us and the young people,” Yeung said. “This individual is not only an industry advocate but helps other individuals for a second chance in life.”

The March Taylor Kina’ole Award continues to honor the legacy and lessons from March Taylor, 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.

“This one’s about who you are,” Schulenburg said. “You can’t do a task. You can’t earn this one. You have to demonstrate it. Sometimes I feel like we’re giving an award to March rather than to the individual. But we kind of are. I think many of us looked at March. He was influential to us.”

He was special in ways that made us better, made us different, and made us people who we wouldn’t have been without him being a part of our lives. He shaped who we, many of us, were as professionals, parents, friends, and mentors to others. We’re recognizing people who carry on and shine on who March was; we’re also recognizing all those things he gave us and who he was as a person.”

Dorn said it is hard to talk about March without getting emotional.

“March was a great friend and a mentor to many of us all over the globe,” Dorn said. “He embodied what he stood for daily for his clients and those who worked with him. March was not a talker. March was a doer, and he was passionate about every goal that he set out for. He was always open to working with new technology and working with and finding ways to improve the culture of his work product above and beyond anything else. March cared about everyone who he worked with. He considered you part of his family and wanted nothing in return other than to make a difference in the collision industry.”

Michael Bradshaw, K&M Collision, said he never knew March, but he’s learned about him from the stories that those in the industries tell.

“As I’ve been around these guys up here on the board and learn about March, it’s unique now that I have the opportunity to present somebody with this award,” Bradshaw said. “This is somebody [Anderson] that has been very impactful on my life and my family’s life. I’ve known this individual for probably 10 or 12 years now, and I think they exemplify everything that March stood for. When I talk about the relentless work ethic, I don’t know anybody I’ve ever met in this industry or in life that works as tirelessly as this individual does, but not for himself, for everyone else.”

Bradshaw said Anderson works to move the needle forward for the industry, to ensure that technicians repair vehicles the right way.

“This man travels 300-plus days a year,” Bradshaw said. “He’s constantly on the road so he can fulfill his vision of making the industry a better place. I think that really exemplifies what March was about.”

Anderson accepted the award, saying he is more grateful for the opportunities he has in the industry the older he gets.

“When you’re growing up, there are people that you want to be proud of you,” Anderson said. “You know, I wanted my mom and my dad to be proud of me. I wanted my family to be proud of me. But I will tell you, when I first heard about the man March Taylor, he was someone that I wanted to be proud of me.”

During a CIC meeting, Anderson was able to meet Taylor, who later toured Anderson’s shop.

“I got to spend several hours with him and he complimented us on the quality of our work and our processes,” Anderson said. “It meant as much to me as any compliment my father ever gave me.”

Anderson said receiving the award was humbling.

SCRS also honored Jeff Hendler for his years of service to the industry and his time with SCRS during the event.

Jordan Hendler, CIC administrator and Jeff daughter, said she was recently asked if she has any photos of herself with her father when she was a child. She realized she didn’t because of the time he spent traveling and doing seminars focused on improving the collision industry. She said he wasn’t there for her childhood but he was starting CIC and SCRS.

“I can promise you in saying that maybe I don’t have a picture, but what I do have is every single one of these people are my family,” Jordan said as she teared up. “My son’s named after March Taylor. I wouldn’t be who I am today if I wasn’t also in this industry. So for the childhood that I didn’t have, I have the best adulthood I could ever ask for because of everything you taught me.”

Jordan said the industry can move forward because of the rooms that her father made happen.

“The truth is, you didn’t create committees,” Jordan said. “You created families. I’m very proud to be a second generation in that family.”

Jeff said he was 34 years old when he founded CIC and 34 years old when he was a part of founding I-CAR. He said Jordan is now part of another generation that is taking the industry to a level that some wished it would get to.

“I thank each and every one of you,” Jeff said.” I thank this society and the I-CARs and the CIECAs and NABCs and all the people that work together in this industry to make us what we are. We need each and every one of you.”

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Feature image Jeff and Jordan Hendler hug while their SCRS family gathers around during the 2024 Red Carpert Awards Night on Nov. 5/RDN

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