Cormier Chevrolet, the largest Corvette dealer in America, is a 70 years young, fourth-generation family-owned shop, founded in 1951 in Carson/Long Beach, California. Cormier is a busy place, selling 170 plus cars a month, with 30–40 Corvettes in the mix, and providing one-stop service for all GM vehicles. The service facility puts through 2200 cars a month, providing full service for all vehicles, especially those Corvettes, but also handles a lot of Nissans, Hondas, and BMWs.

Cormier has a remarkable record of retaining long term employees, with close to a hundred now on site.  The collision department alone counts 15 and growing, and he has up to ten of those Corvettes in the body shop at any given time. Cormier is well managed with a view to growth under president John Peterson, Jr. with ownership interest held by Leonard Cormier III, and John Peterson Sr.

Cormier’s body shop manager is Chip Fabrizio, a 40 year veteran of the industry who spent 28 years as a tech, but is relatively new to Cormier. Chip has a reputation amongst his colleagues as a straight shooter, recognition that has induced him to become president of the CAA South Coast chapter. He joined Cormier earlier this year after thinking his future over carefully, and investigating their current employees’ job satisfaction, including pay and long term stability.

“Probably the shortest term employee here was 20 years before I brought many of my former employees with me, twelve in total, and ten from my former shop. I brought my son (Charles III) and my painter, Jose Esqueda, as well,” says Fabrizio. “I knew this would be my last stop before retirement so I asked a lot of questions and I never heard any criticism of this company.” Fabrizo’s son Charles and David Han share the estimating duties, but on team Fabrizio they carry the title of repair coordinators.

Fabrizio’s management experience served him well in setting up the new collision repair process at Cormier. “Mr. Peterson gave me a good budget, about a half million, and I nearly spent that,” he said. A lot of the existing equipment needed upgrading and didn’t work well at the time.

"Since then we’ve got three frame machines in operation including a new Chief Easy Liner with towers that go 360 degrees and a new Velocity measuring system. We have new pro spot welders, 4 mig welders, an aluminum welder, and lots of other newer equipment.” But it was the impending waterborne legislation that will take full effect in 2009 that Fabrizio knew he’d have to contend with and that meant a new painting process. The big ticket item? A new spray booth with all the trimmings."