The annual awards show, held during SEMA week, recognizes the people and companies stepping up to help move the industry forward.
The annual Collision Industry Red Carpet Awards ceremony was held this year in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of the Collision Industry Conference (CIC). The ceremony typically takes place during a morning breakfast at the SEMA Show; however, this year, industry members gathered during an evening event Oct. 31 to celebrate standout achievements and character in the collision repair industry.
Aaron Schulenburg, executive director of SCRS, and Jordan Hendler, CIC administrator, planned CIC’s 40th anniversary-celebration with the assistance of several volunteers, including Chris Cage and Lizzy Greve from Admin Concepts, Jill Tuggle, executive director of the Auto Body Association of Texas, and “Collisionista” Petra Schroeder.
The event was sponsored by participating organizations, with added sponsorship from BodyShop Business, the Collision Industry Conference (CIC), the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) and SCRS.
Liz Stein from OEC emceed the event and described it as the industry’s “version of the Oscars with the best quality people, as well as awards that actually are meaningful and change lives.”
BodyShop Business
The Executive of the Year award has been given out to a collision repairer by BodyShop Business since 1984. Since 2014, the publication has recognized repairers in two categories, single shop and multi-shop owner.
This year, the single shop winner was Greg Solesbee from CARSTAR Hayden in Hayden, ID. Charlie Drake, chief operations officer at Classic Collision, received the multi-shop owner award.
“The winners of these prestigious awards are true collision repair visionaries who have experienced great success through innovative thinking, overcoming challenges and persevering,” said Jason Stahl, editor of BodyShop Business.
NABC
Jennifer Hubbard, National Auto Body Council (NABC) board member and secretary, and client engagement manager–Automotive Services Group for CCC, presented NABC’s Changing and Saving Lives Award, which recognizes the individual in the collision repair industry who delivers exemplary service in NABC’s mission of changing and saving lives.
The recipient was Shawn Crozat, CEO of G&C Auto Body in Santa Rosa, CA, who shared his appreciation for the award virtually during the event.
“It's an absolute honor to receive the Changing and Saving Lives award from NABC,” said Crozat, whose dad was always passionate about giving back to the community. He started the Crozat Family Foundation a decade ago to gift vehicles to the community, specifically survivors of domestic violence. The family has donated 200 cars through the NABC Recycled Rides program.
“My mom, sister and siblings feel so blessed with this wonderful industry and business we have that we feel it's our obligation to give back to our community and help those in need.”
CIC
In honor of CIC’s 40th anniversary, Chairman Frank Terlep, vice president of ADAS solutions at Opus IVS, shared some history about the organization and played a video highlighting memories over the years. This included thoughts from Al Estorga. In 1983, Estorga became upset after being told at an inter-industry event that it was not the appropriate time or place to discuss an issue he had raised as a California shop owner. That later led to the creation of CIC.
As part of the celebration, CIC announced a new tradition---presenting a Volunteer of the Year award to someone who has gone above and beyond by being an ambassador of the vision and mission of CIC. Darrell Amberson, president of operations for LaMettry’s Collision and CIC past chair, said this includes participating in or chairing committees, contributing to the engagement of the conference, or making things better in general.
This year’s award was given to Schroeder, a Hall of Eagles inductee known by many in the industry as “Collisionista.”
Amberson said the first honoree of the Volunteer of the Year Award is a person who embodies every attribute, makes meaningful contributions and always has new ideas. He added Schroeder serves the industry in many ways, greeting first-timers with a welcoming, warm spirit and epitomizes class and dignity.
“This is an honor that you can only imagine what this means to me,” said Schroeder. “I will contribute to this industry as much as I possibly can. I love this industry and most of all, I love the people in it.”
Stacey Phillips Ronak