Press Release

HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL – May 19, 2015 – Gerber Collision & Glass has donated $35,000 to the Collision Repair Education Foundation, more than tripling their donation from previous years. In addition to donating $10,000 to the Education Foundation’s Collision Repair Education Campaign fund, Gerber Collision & Glass will be participating as a Diamond sponsor of the upcoming Cars, Careers & Celebrities event taking place this September at the Chicagoland Speedway, that will be attended by several hundred high school and college collision students from around the Midwest.

“Gerber Collision & Glass is proud to support the efforts of the Collision Repair Education Foundation to expose students studying collision repair to the excellent career opportunities in our industry through events such as the Cars, Careers & Celebrities event. In addition, the support provided to schools and students will help to ensure that we have qualified entry-level team members that we need to grow our business,” said Tim O’Day, President of Gerber Collision & Glass.

Collision Repair Education Foundation Executive Director Clark Plucinski noted, “I would like to thank Gerber Collision & Glass for significantly increasing their support of the Collision Repair Education Foundation this year and their President Tim O’Day serving on our Board of Trustees. Through Gerber’s support of the upcoming Cars, Careers & Celebrities event this September, we will be able to bring together hundreds of collision students from over five states and connect students with industry career opportunities.”

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

Hoffman Estates, IL – May 6, 2015 – For the second consecutive year, the Collision Repair Education Foundation has received Charity Navigator’s highest rating for sound fiscal management and commitment to accountability and transparency. Charity Navigator has awarded the Collision Repair Education Foundation an “exceptional” ranking of four stars out of a possible four, demonstrating adherence to good governance and fiscal responsibility. The Collision Repair Education Foundation awarded nearly $14 million in support to high school and college collision school programs in 2014, with 94 cents of every dollar donated being returned to this group.

Collision Repair Education Foundation Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode noted, “It is important for our donors to know that their support is being responsibly allocated to collision school programs in need. We are extremely pleased to receive the Four Star rating for the second consecutive year and this will display to both current and prospective donors that our organization is one of the best in the country.”

Charity Navigator provides essential information that gives donors greater confidence in charitable choices they support. Receiving four stars indicates the Education Foundation is respected by its peers and demonstrates to the public it is worthy of their trust. For additional information on Charity Navigator visit www.charitynavigator.org.

Collision industry members are invited to join the Collision Repair Education Foundation in their efforts of supporting high school and college collision students, instructors, and school programs across the country. For additional information on how to support the Collision Repair Education Foundation’s efforts, please contact Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode at 847-463-5244 or Brandon.Eckenrode@ed-foundation.org.

Hoffman Estates, IL – May 21, 2015– The Collision Repair Education Foundation and CCC Information Services Inc., are proud to announce four exceptional students as winners of the CCC Michael Salvatore Memorial Student Repair Technician Scholarship. The CCC scholarship program has been in place since 2006.

The CCC Michael Salvatore Memorial Student Repair Technician Scholarship awards scholarships to students currently enrolled in a repair program and who have demonstrated superior academic achievement.

The 2015 winners include:

Top Scholarship Recipient
Sylvanah Wolff (Cerritos College, Norwalk, CA)

Additional Scholarship Recipients
Chris Kelly (Hawaii Community College, Hilo, HI)
Matthew Miller (Lake Technical College, Eustis, FL)
Silky Wheeler (Blue Ridge Community College, Flat Rock, NC)

“CCC congratulates these students on their academic achievements and we’re proud to support them in their collision repair education and training,” said Joseph Allen, GM of CCC’s Automotive Services Group. “As new technologies continue to drive vehicle design and repairability, hands-on education has become even more critical. We wish these students well and look forward to having them in the industry in the years to come.”

For additional information about CCC Information Services visit www.cccis.com. Industry members interested in working together with the Collision Repair Education Foundation in supporting secondary and post-secondary collision repair students, instructors, and their school programs should contact Director of Development, Brandon Eckenrode at 847.463.5244 or Brandon.Eckenrode@ed-foundation.org.

Hoffman Estates, IL– May 21, 2015 – ABRA Auto Body & Glass awarded 10 collision students each with $2,000 in tools through a spring tool grant opportunity with the Collision Repair Education Foundation. The tool grant was made available to select high school seniors and post-secondary students studying in collision repair programs. The winning students were able to select $2,000 (retail value) in tools and equipment from a list of entry-level body tools.

The student winners of the 2015 ABRA Auto Body & Glass spring tool grant include:

Alfonza Cooper – Chattahoochee Technical College (Marietta, GA)
Jonathon Groom – Southwest Technical College (Fennimore, WI)
Derek Holzknecht – Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College (Rice Lake, WI)
Antonio Huizar – Pickens Technical College (Aurora, CO)
Jamari Linder – WyoTech (Blairsville, PA)
Cesar Mercado – Walla Walla Community College (Walla Walla, WA)
Anthony Pung – Dunwoody College of Technology (Minneapolis, MN)
Cory Seal – Tennessee College of Applied Technology (Morristown, TN)
Victor Vuchetich – Chippewa Valley Technical College (Eau Claire, WI)
Jacob Will – Hennepin Technical College (Brooklyn Park, MN)

“One of the long-term goals of ABRA is to foster and support high school seniors and post-secondary students with their training and education in collision repair programs,” said Michelle DeMarais, ABRA’s recruiting manager. “With these grants and our partnership with the Collision Repair Education Foundation, this goal can be a reality for students all across the country.”

For additional information about ABRA Auto Body & Glass, visit www.abraauto.com. . Industry members interested in working together with the Collision Repair Education Foundation in supporting secondary and post-secondary collision repair students, instructors, and their school programs should contact Director of Development, Brandon Eckenrode at 847.463.5244 or Brandon.Eckenrode@ed-foundation.org.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL – May 21, 2015 – The Collision Repair Education Foundation and 3M are proud to announce the 43 winners for the first round of this year’s 3M Hire Our Heroes awards. The winners include 35 students that are currently studying collision repair, and who have served or are currently serving in the military. Each winning student had the opportunity to select $3,000 worth of tools to help them in their education and for employment after graduation.

3M Hire Our Heroes Veteran Grant Recipients

Allen Martin (Lincoln College of Technology, Nashville, TN)
Brad Gilliam (Blue Ridge Community College, Flat Rock, NC)
Christopher Kelly (Hawaii Community College, Hilo, HI)
Clynt Holt (Universal Technical Institute, Houston, TX)
Cory Stead (OSU Institute of Technology, Okmulgee, OK)
Danny Lewis (Wiregrass Technical College, Valdosta, GA)
Danny Taylor (Parkland Community College, Champaign, IL)
David Crank (Pulaski Technical College, Little Rock, AR)
Derrick Palmer (Southeastern Community College, West Burlington, IA)
Frank Wiginton (Itawamba Community College, Tupelo, MS)
Gabriel Davis (Ivy Tech Community College, Fort Wayne, IN)
Henry Bunk (Erie Community College, Orchard Park, NY)
Jacob Truckey (Washtenaw Community College, Ann Arbor, MI)
James Roush (Lake Technical Institute, Eustis, FL)
James Wood (Manhattan Area Technical College, Manhattan, KS)
Jedidiah Long (Tennessee College of Applied Technology, Knoxville, TN)
John Newman (Washburn Institute of Technology, Topeka, KS)
Jorge Maya (Kennedy King College, Chicago, IL)
Joseph Gates (Hawkeye Community College, Waterloo, IA)
Joseph Normandin (Texas State Technical College, Waco, TX)
Joseph Shatterly (Universal Technical Institute, Houston, TX)
Julian Rorie (Forsyth Technical Community College, Winston-Salem, NC)
Kevin Thomas (Gadsden State Community College, Anniston, AL)
Larry Boyce (Withlacoochee Technical College, Inverness, FL)
Martin Zurita (Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID)
Michael Brewer (Tennessee College of Applied Technology, Paris, TN)
Michael Cook (Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College, Rice Lake, WI)
Paul Hyde (Ivy Tech Community College, Fort Wayne, IN)
Philip McKee (Texas State Technical College, Bellmead, TX)
Ray Alston (Guilford Technical Community College, Jamestown, NC)
Robyn Wood (Aims Community College, Greeley, CO)
Roland Greer (OSU Institute of Technology, Okmulgee, OK)
Ronald Woolett (Sandhills Community College, Pinehurst, NC)
Sean Holmgren (Great Plains Technology Center, Lawton, OK)
Thomas Thon (Great Plains Technology Center, Lawton, OK)

In addition, eight collision students that have immediate family members that served or are serving in the military were selected as scholarship winners. Each student received a scholarship between $1,000-$2,500 to help with their education costs.
3M Hire Our Heroes – Veteran Family Award Recipients
Amanda Prince (Cape Fear Community College, Wilmington, NC)
Andrew Moxley (Applied Technology Center, Rock Hill, SC)
Brianna Fleming (Indiana County Technology Center, Indiana, PA)
Caitlin Baier (Fox Valley Technical College, Appleton, WI)
Jospeh Cebreiros (Academy for Careers and Technology, Marion, SC)
Joseph Shatterly (Universal Technical Institute, Houston, TX)
Roland Greer (OSU Institute of Technology, Okmulgee, OK)
Sean McCallister (Middle Bucks Institute of Technology, Jamison, PA)

This is the third year that 3M has partnered with the Collision Repair Education Foundation in support of our industry and our nation’s veterans. Since 2013, 3M has donated $500,000 to be used towards scholarships and tool grants for military veterans and their family members.

The Collision Repair Education Foundation is looking to help connect these students with industry businesses who would be interested in meeting and potentially hiring them. If your business is interested in hiring one of the winning students, please send your business information including location to the Collision Repair Education Foundation at info@ed-foundation.org and the organization will help introduce both parties for potential employment opportunities.

Additional information on 3M Automotive Aftermarket Division can be found at www.3Mcollision.com

HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL – May 21, 2015 – The Collision Repair Education Foundation is proud to announce the recipients of the scholarships in collision repair that were created to assist deserving students pursuing a career in the collision industry. These awards are part of over $200,000 in scholarships given out in May 2015 by the Collision Repair Education Foundation.

Lon Baudoux Legacy Scholarship Recipient ($1,000 award)
Dymond Braun (Aims Community College, Windsor, CO)
Dillon Bullard (Wilkes Community College, Wilkesboro, NC)
Melanie Thomas (Marengo Community High School, Marengo, IL)
Shelby Woods (Southwestern Community College, Creston, IA)
Jeremy Young (Warren Central Walker Career Center, Indianapolis, IN)

The Lon Baudoux Legacy Scholarship is in its seventh year and was created to honor Lon Baudoux, I-CAR Development Manager, who passed away in November 2008. Lon highly valued education, especially for secondary and post-secondary students studying collision repair. This scholarship is funded mainly by I-CAR staff and I-CAR instructors who worked with Lon at I-CAR. The selection of this award is based on a student that not only excels inside the classroom, but also participates in outside activities such as clubs, sports, and volunteering. The funds go to help the student finance his/her education.

Collision Repair Education Foundation Board of Trustees Scholarship/Tool Grant Recipients
$2,000 scholarship: Hugo Alvarado (Monroe Technology Center, Leesburg, VA)
Joseph Gates (Hawkeye Community College, Waterloo, IA)

$1,000 scholarship: Jose Suarez (Yakima Valley Technical Skills Center, Yakima, WA)
Trey Trotter (Washtenaw Community College, Ann Arbor, MI)
Evan Vail (Applied Technology Center, Rock Hill, SC)

$1,500 tool kit: Gregory Kranke (Lake Technical Center, Eustis, FL)

The Collision Repair Education Foundation Board of Trustees Scholarship is funded by the members of the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees Scholarship offers students financial assistance with tuition and other costs associated with their collision education.

Collision Repair Education Foundation Tool Grant Recipients

Hugo Alvarado (Monroe Technology Center, Leesburg, VA)
Josue De La Cruz (West-Mec, Phoenix, AZ)
Steven Downing (Tennessee College of Applied Technology, Crossville, TN)
Uziel Ramos (Metro Tech High School, Phoenix, AZ)
Jose Suarez (Yakima Valley Technical Skills Center, Yakima, WA)
Evan Vail (Applied Technology Center, Rock Hill, SC)
Jose Zermeno (Technical College High School, West Grove, PA)

Industry members and companies that are interested in sponsoring their own, named student scholarship through the Collision Repair Education Foundation should contact Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode 847-463-5244 or Brandon.Eckenrode@ed-foundation.org.