CREF Names Award Recipients

Oct. 31, 2018
The Collision Repair Education Foundation event kicked off on Tuesday night during the 2018 SEMA Show and presenters gave more details on the Ultimate Collision Makeover grants, I-CAR committee awards and company awards

LAS VEGAS, Oct. 30, 2018—The Collision Repair Education Foundation event kicked off on Tuesday night during the 2018 SEMA Show and presenters gave more details on the Ultimate Collision Makeover grants, I-CAR committee awards and company awards.

Since 2009, the Collision Repair Education Foundation has given $6 million to over 400 schools. 

After the introduction by Jeanne Silver, board of trustees chair for the Collision Repair Education Foundation, the recipient of the Student of the Year award took the stage.

The recipient, Adam Tomlinson, student from Forbes Road CTC, the proud recipient of the award, discussed his dreams for the future, which include passing along his collision repair shop to his children. 

Center for Academics & Technology in Calumet City, Ill., Texas Southmost College in Brownsville, Texas, and Kennedy King College in Chicago, Ill., were among the schools awarded for grants over $20,000.

Companies recognized that gave grants to the schools included AkzoNobel, Mopar, CCC One, Caliber Collision, Hertz, Geico, Honda and more. 

Recipients of the I-CAR Committee awards were Atlanta I-CAR committee, Broward I-CAR committee, Greater Philadelphia I-CAR committee, Raleigh I-CAR committee, Phoenix I-CAR committee, Northern Virginia I-CAR committee and St. Louis I-CAR committee.

Josh Krentz, instructor of the Student of the Year from Forbes Road CTC, also took home a big award. With eight nominations, Krentz was named Collision Instructor of the Year. 

Gerry Poirier, national APD strategy manager for Farmers Insurance and chairman of the Atlanta I-CAR Committee presented at the event to end the evening.

To wrap the evening up, the entire organization and its partners encouraged the audience to donate and discussed the impact that a donation can have on the future of collision repair. 

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