Strategies and Inspiration for Collision Repair Success

A detective, a Santa, a food shelf: NABC Pride Award winners

Nov. 17, 2010—The National Auto Body Council (NABC) announced the winners of the 15th annual Pride Awards that were awarded at the Collision Industry Achievement Luncheon in Las Vegas on Nov. 3.

The winners are:
• Carl Garcia was designated a Home Town Hero in Fall River, Mass., for his volunteer service and commitment to Operation Christmas, Sea Arid Scholarship Fund, A Wish Come True, Fall River Firefighters Association, Rhode Island Diabetes Association and the Katie Brown Fund, which raises awareness for domestic violence.
• Church Brothers Collision Repair is an 81-year-old family owned business in Indianapolis. The shop continually collects food for multiple food pantries in the area and holds the annual “Driving Down Hunger” food drive at all six of its locations. Church Brothers also provides collection site kits for other business that wish to be involved in the food drive. In 2010, Church Brothers raised 4.3 tons of food.
• Sam Metz is a founding member of the Nevada Collision Industry Association and a retired manager of Bill Pearce Collision Center in Reno, Nev. When police released information regarding a college student who had been abducted, raped and murdered, Metz used Mitchell UltriMate and CCC Pathway illustrations to determine the vehicle used in the crime based on a police description. Working with a Reno police detective they determined the VIN number of the vehicle using Carsdirect.com and the suspect was found and arrested.
• Robert Jesberger, of Mid Island Collision on Long Island, N.Y., started an annual coat drive for children, provides 3,500 turkeys for Thanksgiving meals at local soap kitchens, and contributes to Wounded Warriors and Bethany House for retired nuns. Most recently, Jesberger donated a truck for a local homeless shelter for food transportation.
• Mike Peppers has assisted or played Santa Claus for more than 40 years in Quad Cities, Iowa, at the Davenport Public Library, the Quad City Arts Festival of Trees and a number of other places that help handicapped and low-income children. When he served in Vietnam, Peppers took the suit with him. In December 2009 he became Davenport’s official Santa Claus.

The Pride Awards are given to collision repair shops and specialists who have a mission to improve the image of the industry and contribute to their communities.