Press Release

Hoffman Estates, IL – May 3, 2019 – A fundraiser and a surprise scholarship benefited Tennessee collision students in April. With collision professionals from across the country in Nashville for industry meetings, the local I-CAR Committee used the opportunity to surprise one hard-working collision student, Zac Stephens with a full scholarship.

During the scholarship presentation, Kyle Medeiros from Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Chairman of the Nashville I-CAR committee said, “We’re inspired by your (Zac’s) passion and commitment in the industry and life in general.”

Stephens hopes to run his own repair shop one day, with a focus on honesty. After he thanked I-CAR and the Foundation for his scholarship, they shared a quote from his application essay.

“My goal in the industry is to bring a whole new outlook on auto body shops. I hope to eventually start my own business that focuses on the honesty of the employees and the quality of the finished product,” wrote Stephens in his application for a scholarship from the Foundation, “When I’m the most trusted in the business, you will be content in knowing that you helped me get there.

Medeiros said, “This scholarship is going to allow Zac Stephens to step into the industry without a financial burden, which we hope propels him to reach his dreams quicker. We decided to erase 100 percent of his debt because of his excellence in the classroom (3.94 GPA) plus his story was inspiring. He has a true passion for this industry and is committed to a future in it.”

Past scholarship recipients in Tennessee have benefited from the work of the local I-CAR committee’s fundraising efforts. Morris Rothfeldt, Jr., a Nashville scholarship recipient from 2017, said, “Earning a merit based CREF scholarship assured me that I was not only pursuing something I loved, but that my passion assured results. I think most everyone wants to be good at what they do, that means so much more when you do what you love, especially when more lucrative opportunities avail themselves.”

The local I-CAR committee also held a TopGolf fundraiser on Tuesday, April 16, the night before the other industry meetings started. The funds from TopGolf will benefit the Collision Repair Education Foundation in support of Nashville area high school and college collision repair programs. The Nashville I-CAR committee, in conjunction with the Collision Repair Education Foundation, offers tool grants and scholarships to local students every spring.

“TopGolf was an amazing experience,” said Medeiros, “It was our first year hosting the fundraiser at TopGolf. The demand to be a part of the event was overwhelming and we ended up with 200+ attendees from all different avenues in our industry.”

The annual tool grant and scholarship is open to collision repair students in Tennessee.

Medeiros said, “It’s no secret that our industry faces a technician shortage in the near future. Our committee wants to make sure we’ve done everything possible to change that narrative in our local market. Investing in our local schools and students is the first step in that change.”

Collision repair scholarships continue to make a difference in student’s lives after graduation.

“The scholarship made it easier for me to afford an education and be able to support my dreams after college,” said Crystal Burt, a 2017 scholarship recipient, “Right after graduation in August 2017 I was able to acquire a job at Camping World in Anniston as a collision technician where I worked till October of 2018. I was then promoted to OEM parts Coordinator for the location and that Is where I still am working today.”

The Nashville I-CAR committee and the Repair Education Foundation aim to help those interested in collision repair achieve their goals through scholarships, grants, educational funding, and connecting young talent with career opportunities.

The Collision Repair Education Foundation, founded in 1991, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to securing donations that support philanthropic and collision repair education activities that promote and enhance career opportunities in the industry.

Industry members interested in joining the Collision Repair Education Foundation’s supporters, and assisting high school and post-secondary collision school programs should contact Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode at (312) 231-0258 or Brandon.Eckenrode@ed-foundation.org.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SUGGESTED CAPTION: Zac Stephens (right) received a $14,000 scholarship from Brandon Eckenrode, director of development for the Collision Repair Education Foundation. The scholarship, that eliminates Stephens’ student debt, was made possible through the fundraising efforts of the Nashville I-CAR committee.

About the Collision Repair Education Foundation:

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.CollisionEducationFoundation.org.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hoffman Estates, IL – April 29, 2019 – National Coatings & Supplies (NCS)/ Single Source have donated $88,830 to the Collision Repair Education Foundation, which was made in part with NCS/ Single Source’s paint manufacturer partners (AkzoNobel, Axalta, BASF, and PPG), along with customer participation. These funds will greatly assist the Collision Repair Education Foundation’s ability to support high school and college level collision school programs.

NCS/ Single Source CEO Dean Worley noted, “We have tremendous respect for the work that the Collision Repair Education Foundation is doing to bring awareness to the employment opportunities that exist within the collision repair industry. Our fundraiser was designed to help our collision shop customers become aware of CREF’s mission and make it easy for them to support. As we all know, the industry needs to address the current and projected shortfall of skilled talent necessary to fill jobs available in all areas. NCS/ Single Source will continue to support measures that bring potential new employees to the collision industry and is committed to the educational programs needed to develop necessary skills.   We would like to thank our paint manufacturer partners and participating customers for their contributions to this very important industry fundraiser.”

Collision Repair Education Foundation Executive Director Clark Plucinski said, “This fundraiser by NCS/ Single Source will greatly assist the Collision Repair Education Foundation’s ability of assisting high school and college collision school programs across the country. This creative fundraiser has helped get many involved through small $1 donations, which resulted in one large donation surpassing $80,000. We would like to thank the entire NCS/ Single Source team, their customers, and paint manufacturers for their continued commitment to the Education Foundation’s work towards supporting high school and college level collision school programs.”

Industry members interested in joining the Collision Repair Education Foundation’s supporters, and assisting high school and post-secondary collision school programs should contact Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode at 847.463.5245 or mailto:Brandon.Eckenrode@ed-foundation.org.  

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About NATIONAL COATINGS AND SUPPLIES:

Founded in 2009, National Coatings and Supplies (NCS) is an employee-owned distributor of automotive and industrial refinish products headquartered in Raleigh, NC.  Our 195-store footprint currently services over 18,000 collision center and industrial accounts in the US.  As the only national distributor carrying all four major refinish paint lines, we believe our mission is to provide our customers with the right products and solutions to drive profitability for our customers.   For more information regarding NCS, visit http://www.nationalcoatingsandsupplies.com.

About the Collision Repair Education Foundation:

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.CollisionEducationFoundation.org.

Hoffman Estates, IL – April 24, 2019 – The Collision Repair Education Foundation announced the launch of a new technician competition for entry-level collision technicians and their mentors. The goal of the competition is to recognize the performance of the next generation of collision technicians and their mentors on critical skills necessary to repair today’s high tech vehicles. The Foundation also wants to help develop more mentoring programs within the industry and foster industry relationships with collision programs across the country.

“Each year, the collision industry faces a critical shortage in the number of new technicians entering the industry. Worse, many repair facilities have been challenged delivering effective mentoring programs for these new technicians to grow their abilities and prosper in the industry. As a result, too many new technicians leave the industry after just a few years, exacerbating the shortage,” said Christen Battaglia, director of strategic partnerships for the Collision Repair Education Foundation. “This new competition is designed to recognize the accomplishments of successful mentors and technicians, and also highlight how it is a strategy for employee retention.”

The one-day event will take place September 28, 2019 at Ranken Technical College in St. Louis, Mo. Companies and repair facilities with mentoring programs will enter their mentor and mentee team to compete against other industry businesses. The mentor/mentee teams will compete on competencies industry has deemed necessary for an entry-level technicians.

Industry individuals interested in participating in the competition as a mentor/mentee team, or who would like to participating in the committees organizing the event can contact Battaglia via email at Christen.Battaglia@ed-foundation.org for more information.

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About the Collision Repair Education Foundation:

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.CollisionEducationFoundation.org.

Hoffman Estates, IL – April 12, 2019 – The Collision Repair Industry Snapshot Survey, co-sponsored by the Collision Repair Education Foundation and I-CAR^©, has launched and is open for responses from collision shop owners and managers. The data collected by this year’s study will be compared to previous research going back to 1995. Collision industry training, employment, pay and benefits trends over the years will be analyzed and results shared with the industry.

Collision shop owners or managers (one per location please) are invited to take the survey at this link: https://www.cvent.com/d/tbq2lk?refid=cref

Survey respondents can enter to be eligible to win one of three Gift Cards valued at $300, $200, and $100 respectively.

All responses will be kept confidential and results will be reported in aggregate; respondents will not be contacted; and the list will not be sold or shared.

Any specific questions regarding the survey can be directed to the Collision Repair Education Foundation at info@ed-foundation.org.

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About the Collision Repair Education Foundation:

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.CollisionEducationFoundation.org.

Hoffman Estates, IL – April 9, 2019 – I-CAR^© expanded its support of collision schools and students, making a $225,000 donation to the Collision Repair Education Foundation. The contribution was made as part of I-CAR’s 40^th Anniversary Volunteer & Instructor Conference held March 1-3 in Orlando, Fla. The financial contribution by I-CAR is in addition to the support to the Education Foundation’s mission by local I-CAR committees across the country. The monetary contribution assists Education Foundation’s ability to offer collision school tool, equipment and instructor training grants and student scholarships across the U.S.

“On behalf of the industry, I-CAR is pleased to make this contribution that helps bolster the Collision Repair Education Foundation’s ongoing commitment to providing students with grants and scholarships that launch their careers in the collision repair industry,” said I-CAR CEO & President John Van Alstyne. “Today’s students will drive our industry tomorrow, and we applaud the Collision Repair Education Foundation’s longtime focus on expanding and promoting quality collision repair educational opportunities for them. Our two organizations have a close relationship, and we are excited to help shape the future together.”

I-CAR’s support of the Collision Repair Education Foundation is longstanding and continues to grow. The Foundation began operating in 1991 as the I-CAR Education Foundation to address the collision industry need for qualified entry-level employees by support career and technical schools and colleges. Today, the Collision Repair Education Foundation provides support to schools with more than 20,000 students studying for a career in the industry.

Since 2012, I-CAR has provided financial donations to the Foundation totaling more than $1.3 million dollars; I-CAR’s source of funding for these donations is the accrual of a portion of annual industry training proceeds, which is why I-CAR refers to this donation as being “on behalf of the industry.” The funds assist the Foundation in its mission to support collision repair educational programs, schools, and students to create qualified, entry-level employees and connect them with an array of career opportunities.

The Collision Repair Education Foundation Benchmark grant supports collision schools and instructors by providing tool, equipment and instructor training support. In 2018, the Foundation provided more than $500,000 to schools through the Benchmark Grant. This spring, the Foundation will award more than $200,000 in scholarships to students studying for a career in the collision industry. Last year, ten local I-CAR committees raised funds to support student scholarships through the Foundation.

Collision Repair Education Foundation Executive Director Clark Plucinski said, “The Collision Repair Education Foundation literally would not exist without the foresight and investment by I-CAR on behalf of the collision industry to support collision schools and students across the country. Since our founding in 1991, I-CAR staff, its volunteers and its board and industry supporters have worked side by side with the Collision Repair Education Foundation to support the pre-employment education system the industry relies upon for its future workforce. I want to personally congratulate I-CAR as it celebrates its 40 years of service to the industry.”

Members of local I-CAR committees, collision repair facilities, insurance companies and suppliers interested in supporting school grants should contact Education Foundation Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode at (312) 231-0258 or Brandon.Eckenrode@ed-foundation.org.

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Suggested Caption: I-CAR continued its support of the collision industry pre-employment education system with a $225,000 donation to the Collision Repair Education Foundation. (L-R) John Van Alstyne, I-CAR CEO & President, presented the donation to Jeanne Silver, from Butterfield Bodyworks CARSTAR and the chair of the Foundation Board of Trustees, Clark Plucinski, executive director of the Foundation and Brandon Eckenrode, director of development, during the I-CAR 40^th Anniversary Volunteer & Instructor Conference in Orland, Fla on March 2.

 

About I-CAR:

Founded in 1979, I-CAR is a not-for-profit education, knowledge and solutions organization designed to support the evolving needs of the Collision Repair Inter-Industry. I-CAR is focused on improving the quality, safety and efficiency of auto collision repair for the ultimate benefit of the consumer.

About the Collision Repair Education Foundation:

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.CollisionEducationFoundation.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hoffman Estates, IL – March 21, 2019 – – KSI Auto Parts has contributed over $250,000 in financial and in-kind support for collision repair schools through the Collision Repair Education Foundation. KSI contributed $25,000 to support the Foundation last year and initiated a program to donate parts to collision school programs. Through the parts donation program, they have contributed $240,000 in parts to schools, The monetary contribution assists Education Foundation’s ability to offer collision school tool and equipment grants and student scholarships across the U.S.

At many schools, students have to practice on parts that have been in use for many years and practiced upon by previous students. The parts donations by KSI Auto Parts help students work on parts for newer vehicles that they are more likely to see when they join the collision industry workforce.

According to Joe Pantano, an auto collision repair instructor with Bergen County Technical Schools in Paramus, N.J., the donations helped him provide his students with a vastly improved learning experience.

“Prior to receiving this very generous donation from KSI, our students were using the same parts over and over again for years. As you can imagine, the parts were pretty worn out. The new parts allow us to have each student practice his or her skills individually as opposed to bringing in an entire vehicle, taking up a large amount of shop space,” said Pantano. “Overall these parts have made a tremendous improvement in the learning by providing quality repairs and showing the students that the industry does think about helping future technicians.”

KSI Auto Parts CEO, Christopher Patti commented, “As KSI continues to grow and pursue its long-term growth strategy we want to make sure that we become a more active participant within industry.  We are excited to partner with the CREF through these donations and look forward to building a stronger partnership over the years that will continue to benefit the students in these programs for years to come.”

Collision Repair Education Foundation Executive Director Clark Plucinski said, “KSI Auto Parts’ support for both the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) and collision schools helps improve the training and preparation entry-level employees receive prior to starting their career in the industry. School collision repair programs need the industry’s support to graduate qualified and properly trained students. On behalf of the schools, students, and instructors that will benefit from this support, we thank KSI Auto Parts for their support.”

Collision repair facilities, insurance companies and suppliers interested in supporting school grants should contact Education Foundation Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode at (312) 231-0258 or Brandon.Eckenrode@ed-foundation.org.

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About KSI Auto Parts:

Founded in 1984, KSI is an industry-leading distributor of quality replacement auto body parts servicing over 20,000 collision repair shop customers across 25 locations in 14 states. In addition to top quality products, KSI has succeeded in providing superior customer service, rapid order turnaround and competitive pricing over the last three decades. Headquartered in South Plainfield, New Jersey, KSI has over 700 employees across the U.S. For more information regarding KSI, visit www.ksiautoparts.com.

About the Collision Repair Education Foundation:

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.CollisionEducationFoundation.org.