ST. PAUL, MINN., March 26, 2015—Perhaps the No. 1 driver of success in any collision repair business is a cohesive culture that enables employees to achieve their greatest potential. After all, any strategy for growth is useless without a motivated team that buys in and carries it out effectively. Darren Huggins, national collision director at Berkshire Hathaway Automotive, knows this well and will explain how to build a winning culture of your own at the FenderBender Management Conference in May.

Huggins oversees a 32-shop network stretching from California to Florida. When he entered his current role with the company (formerly Van Tuyl Group) in 2007, he began a cultural transformation of the collision division’s then-disjointed facilities. He developed and implemented the Van Tuyl Advanced Production System (VTAPS), which focused on achieving operational excellence through a variety of process improvements and a core belief in helping people. Berkshire Hathaway Automotive’s collision centers have more than doubled their combined revenue since the overhaul began, with sales now exceeding $200 million.     

“It was a mentality issue,” Huggins told FenderBender in a case study about the transformation. “It was all about a lack of a culture that would allow these shops to win, and win together.”

In his session, Develop a “Winning” Culture, Huggins will outline the importance of the right culture, how he built one that drives success within his network, and how it can be replicated at any shop, regardless of size.

The FenderBender Management Conference, scheduled from May 18–20 in Philadelphia, will include educational sessions, engaging workshops, panel discussions, and networking opportunities, all aimed at helping shop owners and managers make money, save money and work smarter.

For more information and to take advantage of early bird registration rates that could save you up to $500, go to fenderbenderconference.com. The early bird registration deadline is March 31.