FenderBender's Most Popular Stories of 2024

As the year comes to an end, now is a good time to look back and see what the most popular stories were from the past year, and what kind of impact they might have had on you, the reader.

5. Fake Bear Attack Car Insurance Fraud Scheme Leads to Four Arrests 

Four Los Angeles area residents were arrested for insurance fraud after claiming a bear caused damage to their vehicles, when it was actually a person in a bear costume. The suspects, who submitted video footage to support their claims, were found to have defrauded insurance companies of $141,839. Detectives discovered the bear costume in their home, and the suspects have been charged with insurance fraud and conspiracy. Read more about this unusual case here.

4. Largest Collision Center in the Northeast Now Open 

McGovern Auto Group (MAG) announced the grand opening of the MAG Collision Center, their new flagship body shop and the largest in the Northeast. Located in Shrewsbury, this 75,000 square foot facility is MAG’s third collision center in Massachusetts and features 40 repair bays, specialized zones for various repair processes, and advanced equipment. The center represents a multimillion-dollar investment and is certified or pending certification with numerous luxury brands. It also includes a dedicated truck paint booth for fleet customers and will support McGovern’s transport division. Learn more about this state-of-the-art facility here.

3. Breaking: Axalta Former Owner Carlyle Buys Worldpac from Advance 

Global investment firm The Carlyle Group, which previously owned Axalta Coating Systems, has agreed to purchase automotive parts wholesale distributor Worldpac, Inc., from Advance Auto Parts, Inc. for $1.5 billion. Worldpac generated approximately $2.1 billion in revenue and $100 million in EBITDA over the last twelve months. Read more about this acquisition here.

2. Photo Gallery: Meet the 2024 Most Influential Women 

Endeavor Business Media was a media sponsor for the Women’s Industry Network (WIN) conference, “Dream Out Loud,” held from May 6-8 in Newport Beach, California. Martha Severson, multimedia account executive for Endeavor’s Vehicle Repair Group, including ABRN and FenderBender brands, attended the conference and captured these photos to share with our readers. The gallery includes images of the eight recipients of the 2024 Most Influential Women (MIW) award, which honors women whose career achievements have significantly enhanced the collision repair industry. Check out the photos here.

1. The Best Repair Planner/Estimator Award Winner: Anthony McNee

Anthony McNee, a blueprint specialist at Ultimate Collision Repair, won the inaugural Best Repair Planner/Estimator Award for his meticulous and accurate repair estimates, despite the challenges posed by modern vehicle complexities. Learn more about his achievement here.