Editor's note: On behalf of the SCRS Board of Directors, Chairman Michael Bradshaw wrote the following open letter to SCRS members and other collision repair shops over what he says "prevents associations like SCRS from representing the Collision Repair Segment—even though no current bylaw language prohibits it."
The open letter is unedited and reprinted in its entirety. A response from I-CAR follows.

SCRS Response to I-CAR 2025 Bylaw Proposal and Board Election Notice 

Open Letter to SCRS Members and Collision Repair Businesses,

The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) would like to provide you with a high-level summary of concern regarding critical governance decisions made by I-CAR that could significantly impact representation within the organization and the broader collision repair industry.

On June 4, I-CAR Members received an email from Chris Evans, who serves as Chair of the Board Governance & Nominations Committee and as a Claims Consultant for State Farm Insurance. The email asked I-CAR Regular members to review proposed amendments to the I-CAR Bylaws and preview the 2025 Board of Directors election. The email indicates voting will begin on or around July 7, 2025.

The email announced board-approved nominees for the Collision Repair Segment:

•    Paul Krauss – Caliber Collision (Incumbent), 3-year term
•    Ryan Downs – Crash Champions, 3-year term

SCRS believes critical context is missing, and industry professionals deserve transparency before casting votes on these changes and nominations.

Background on Board Structure and Criteria

In February, I-CAR issued a call for Board candidates to fill two Collision Repair Segment seats—one open seat and one for a large MSO. I-CAR outlines desired qualities for Board Members including strategic thinking, engagement, ethics, influence, and relevant competencies. I-CAR candidate criteria also include board experience, industry knowledge, time commitment, seniority, and being a Regular Member of I-CAR.

Per I-CAR bylaws, the Board includes four Collision Repair Segment representatives:

•    One from a single-location shop
•    One from an MSO with 2–199 locations
•    One from a large MSO (200+ locations)
•    One seat not specifically defined 

SCRS Nomination and Rejection

To promote a strong, independent voice, the SCRS Board supported Executive Director, Aaron Schulenburg applying for the open seat. SCRS is a Regular Member, Schulenburg is the duly authorized representative of the Regular Member organization and Schulenburg submitted his application with reference letters from three former I-CAR board members, including two OEM representatives and one from an insurance company.

On March 28, Schulenburg was notified by I-CAR staff that only individuals from collision repair facilities are eligible for these seats, and therefore he did not qualify. While not currently explicitly stated in the bylaws, conversations with I-CAR leadership—including Governance Chair Chris Evans and former CEO John Van Alstyne—specified that it is the Board’s intent to reserve these seats for collision repair businesses.

Dean Fisher, who retired from Driven Brands in 2022, previously held the open seat and was reelected to I-CAR for a final term in 2023.

Schulenburg was additionally later proposed for a Hybrid Director seat and was again deemed ineligible. I-CAR's bylaws prohibit Hybrid Directors from representing Collision Repair, Insurance, or OEM segments.

I-CAR’s interpretation of their bylaws conclude that an association leader is somehow simultaneously too representative of the “Collision Repair Segment" to be a Hybrid Director and not “Collision Repair Segment” enough to qualify as a Collision Repair representative.

Implications of the Proposed Bylaw Amendments

As a result of the application discussions and decisions, I-CAR is now asking members to approve bylaw changes that would formalize this exclusion, preventing associations like SCRS from representing the Collision Repair Segment—even though no current bylaw language prohibits it.

In his capacity as Governance Chair, Evans even expressed to Schulenburg that “while the current bylaws don't afford an opportunity for an association to apply, I believe you are a fierce advocate for collision repairers and very articulate and could provide value to the organization at some level.”

Instead of simply amending the board intent to accommodate the existing bylaws, I-CAR appears to be using the amendment process to legitimize a prior, undocumented decision.

Additionally, I-CAR is proposing to expand eligibility under the Related Industry Services segment to include:

•    Information systems providers
•    Rental car companies
•    Data services firms
•    Consultants and third-party providers

While having actively decided that associations should remain explicitly excluded from eligibility.

Broader Governance Concerns

The decision to nominate Ryan Downs of Crash Champions to fill the 4th open seat means all four Collision Repair seats will now be held by MSO representatives, despite the option to accept the application from SCRS’ executive director as a representative voice, or nominate an independent or single-shop for the 4th seat to maintain balance.

MSO locations make up less than 25% of U.S. collision repair shops, with industry data suggesting about 7,500 locations across 1,000 MSO enterprises, compared to approximately 24,500 single-shop locations.

I-CAR’s governance process is increasingly weighted toward corporate interests, marginalizing independent repairers and industry associations.

I-CAR has not only leaned further into MSO representation, with an absence of any intended balance, but has created barriers to qualified, independent voices capable of representing the market majority.

This calls into question the impartiality of I-CAR’s "inter-industry" model.

Call to Action

I-CAR Regular Members have 30 days to submit alternate nominees to appear on the ballot. For submission requirements, guidelines, and the board application please click here.

I-CAR has communicated that completed application packages must be submitted no later than 11:59 PM Central Time, July 3, 2025.

SCRS encourages the industry to:

•    Review proposed bylaw changes critically
•    Consider and submit alternate nominations within the 30-day window
•    Share feedback with I-CAR leadership regarding bylaw revisions, board composition and the direction and inclusiveness of the organization. 
1.    You can submit feedback to I-CAR through [email protected]
2.    You can CC: SCRS, or submit feedback directly to SCRS through [email protected]

Final Note to I-CAR Leadership

We recognize the tremendous value I-CAR brings in training and credentialing for our industry. We want to see it continue to fulfill its vision: that every person in the collision repair industry has the information, knowledge, and skills to perform safe, complete, quality repairs for the benefit of the consumer.

Make no mistake—this letter is not to diminish your contributions, but to emphasize that I-CAR was created by the industry, for the industry, and must remain responsive to it.

If not, trust will continue to erode.

We look forward to working collaboratively to ensure I-CAR stays aligned with the needs of the professionals it exists to serve.

Sincerely, 

Michael Bradshaw
SCRS Chairman
On behalf of the SCRS Board of Directors 

Editor's note: FenderBender reached out to I-CAR for a response and received this statement from a spokesperson. It is reprinted in full:

"As both I-CAR and our industry continue to evolve, we remain steadfast in our commitment to serve our industry with transparency and integrity. Our Board of Directors is carefully structured to reflect all segments of the industry, ensuring a wide range of perspectives help guide I-CAR’s direction. 

When an existing board member’s role in the industry changes, we carefully consider whether their overall perspective continues to add value, and when an open board seat becomes available, we actively seek highly qualified candidates. Recognizing the industry’s evolution, we undertook a governance review several years ago that resulted in a rebalancing of the Board to ensure collision repairers hold the most representation of any segment.

As with any effective governance structure, we occasionally make adjustments to ensure clarity, accuracy, and continued alignment with our mission. As a neutral industry partner, I-CAR facilitates collaboration that drives the collision repair industry forward, and we value thoughtful dialogue that supports the industry’s collective commitment to progress and innovation."