Orlando, Fla., Oct. 8, 2011—Several industry organizations honored the achievements of collision repair professionals, workers and industry partners Oct. 6 at an awards ceremony in the Orange County Convention Center.
Ron Pyle, president of the Automotive Service Association, hosted the event, which opened with a ceremony for graduates of the Automotive Management Institute who had received the Accredited Automotive Manager Designation.
FenderBender was a part of the ceremony for the first time this year, with editor Jake Weyer presenting the magazine’s six FenderBender Awards. The complete list of awards and honorees is as follows:
• FenderBender Executive Award: Henry Yach II, Yach’s Body & Custom, Wausau, Wis.
• FenderBender Management Award: Devin Fischer, Fischer Body Shop, Jacksonville, Mo.
• FenderBender Administrative Support Award: Humberto Ibarra, Gateway Collision Center Inc., Bakersfield, Calif.
• FenderBender Shop Worker Award: Zachery Utecht, Offutt Collision Repair, Bellevue, Neb.
• FenderBender Vendor Award: Blake Harris, Blue Ridge Color Co., Roanoke, Va.
• FenderBender Wild Card Award: Rick Starbard, Rick’s Auto Collision & Service Center, Revere, Mass.
• Tom B. Babcox Memorial Scholarship: Don Schnitzler, Don’s Auto Repair Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio
• Zurich “High Octane” Scholarship: John Firm, Firm Automotive, Fort Worth, Texas
• AVI Education Scholarship: Tawaina Frost, Price’s Automotive Service, Wrightsville, Ga.
• BodyShop Business Magazine Scholarship: Kristine Linscombe, Hernandez Collision Center, Hinesville, Ga.
• Emil Stanley Merit Scholarship: Chris Renfro, Car-O-Van Collision Center, Orlando, Fla.
• Richard Cossette/Gale Westerlund Memorial Scholarship: James Noe, Nagy’s Body & Frame, Doylestown, Ohio
• ASA Chairman’s Award: Ron Nagy, AAM, Nagy’s Collision Centers, Wooster, Ohio.
• Motor Age Top Shop of the Year: Rad Air Complete Car Care, Strongsville, Ohio, Andy Fiffick, owner.
• ABRN Top Shop of the Year: O’Rielly Collision Center, Tucson, Ariz. Brian Guerrero, manager.
• Women’s Industry Network (WIN) NACE Scholarships: Elizabeth Moore, Houston, Texas; Alexandra Domar, Maple Grove, Ill.
• Russ Verona Memorial/IBIS Scholarship: Ron Nagy, AAM, Nagy’s Collision Centers, Wooster, Ohio
• ASA Alpha Award: Howard Pitkow, AAM, Wagenwerx Inc., Wyndmoor, Pa.
• ASA Phoenix Award: Mike Schoonover, Schoonover Body Works and Glass Inc., Shoreview, Minn.
• ASA Benefit Provider of the Year: Meadowbrook Insurance Group, Overland Park, Kan.
• ASA Chairman’s Award of Excellence: Mike West, AAM, Southtowne Auto Rebuild Inc., Tukwila, Wash.; Virginia Duncan, Duncan’s Collision, Boardman, Ohio.
• ASA Legislative Award: The late Paul Duncan, AAM, Duncan’s Collision, Boardman, Ohio
