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Midwestern News
Local news stories affecting the auto body industry in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin
Auto Shop Office Manager Charged with Embezzlement
The office manager and bookkeeper for First Choice Auto Body was recently arraigned in the 97th District Court in L’Anse, MI. Cindy Wadaga, 45, of Baraga, MI, is charged with embezzlement of $20,000 or more but less than $50,000, a 10-year felony. Charges were brought by Wadaga’s employer, Will Ross, owner of First Choice Auto Body. According to Ross, she worked for the company as office manager and bookkeeper from June 2009 through June 2011. Wadaga was released on a $5,000 bond. She was also ordered not to enter First Choice Auto Body.
Wadaga, who is also treasurer for the village of Baraga and treasurer of the Baraga Area Schools Boosters, had a preliminary hearing scheduled for Oct. 23. The charges are unrelated to the village and booster club.
“There was nothing to indicate anything inappropriate took place,” said Roy Kemppainen, Baraga village manager.
Chicago’s Collision Revision Makes Management Bid to Acquire Company
Collision Revision, a multi–shop operator in the Chicago area with 29 locations, announced that key members of the management team of have placed a bid to acquire the assets and stock of the company held by the company’s founder, Roger A. D’Orazio, Jr.
Collision Revision says it’s the seventh largest collision repair operator in the United States and the largest privately-held without any outside equity partners.
Two Illinois Body Shops Join 1Collision Network
1Collision, a Midwest chain of independent collision repair shops, will add two Illinois shops to its network. Wheel-Inn Body & Motor Works in Wheeling and Heights Body & Motor Works1 in Prospect Heights join 1Collision network.
The grand opening of Heights Body & Motor Works1, owned by Joe Pascucci, was held Sept. 26 at its new location at 871 E. Palatine Rd. in Prospect Heights. In addition to Heights Body & Motor Works1, Pascucci and his staff have operated Wheel-Inn Body & Motor Works for the past 30 years.
According to 1Collision Network, Heights Body & Motor Works1 is a modern, state-of-the-art facility featuring the latest technology in collision repair, an expert staff of trained professionals and a comfortable customer area with all the amenities.
“Our expert staff is proud and enthused to be serving the collision repair needs of our friends and neighbors in Prospect Heights and the surrounding communities,” said Pascucci.
Ohio Repairers Concerned about Impact PartsTrader Will Have on Profits
More than 125 collision repairers attended two Automotive Service Association (ASA) meetings in Ohio to discuss concerns about State Farm’s parts procurement pilot program through PartsTrader.
The meetings were held in Cleveland on Sept. 18 and in Cincinnati on Sept. 19. The meetings were open to everyone in the collision repair industry at no cost.
Denise Caspersen, manager of ASA’s collision division, presented the elements of the pilot to date, reviewed industry concerns, and collected any additional questions, concerns and suggestions from attendees.
Wisconsin Shop Joins CARSTAR Network
Gillette’s CARSTAR Collision Center in Waukesha, WI, recently joined the CARSTAR Auto Body Repair Experts network of collision repair centers.
Gillette’s, which has been in business since 1996, will remain independently owned by Todd and Kathy Gillette.
The shop now has access to CARSTAR’s proprietary management system, 19 corporately managed direct repair programs and 45 corporately managed purchasing programs.
“We are very pleased to welcome Todd and Kathy and their crew at Gillette’s to the CARSTAR Nation,” said David Byers, CEO of CARSTAR. “As with all of our store owners, we look forward to helping build their business; getting local car owners back on the road with fast, reliable collision repairs; and giving back to the community at the same time.”
CARSTAR now operates 13 collision repair facilities in Wisconsin, and more than 410 locations throughout 31 U.S. states and 10 Canadian provinces.
Indiana Auto Body Association is the Sole Collision Association in the Hoosier State
The Indiana Auto Body Association is the state’s only organization serving collision repairers.
The Hoosier State has had collision-repair associations for some time, beginning with the Independent Garage Owners of Indiana in the 1970s. Following that, the state had affiliate associations with national groups such as the Automotive Service Association and the Alliance of Automotive Service Professionals. The last of these disbanded in the mid ‘90s.
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AASP-MN Announces Fall Seminars Line-Up
On Wednesday, Nov. 14 AASP-MN will host “Audi & Volkswagen Diagnostics,” from 4:00 - 7:30 p.m., at Dunwoody College of Technology, Minneapolis. William Krug of IDENTIFIX will present the session, which will cover how to read Audi/VW wiring diagrams and how to use the diagrams for faster, more focused diagnostics. Attendees will learn how the factory scan tool is set up and how the various functions can be used to find the cause of concern. The ins and outs of late model A/C systems will also be covered.
Thursday, November 29, 2012, AASP-MN will host “No B.S. Guide to Converting Telephone Leads into Paying Customers.” The seminar, presented by Jeremy O’Neal of Advisorfix.com, will be held from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m., at Dunwoody College of Technology, Minneapolis.
PPG Automotive Refinish Opens new Color-matching Lab in Cleveland, OH
PPG Automotive opened its new Refinish Color-Matching Laboratory in Cleveland, OH, in September.
The computer-controlled, high-tech facility is a significant advancement in the science and art of automotive refinish color matching, PPG said. The laboratory addresses major challenges that automotive refinish businesses face, including the growing number of domestic and import OEM color offerings and variations. PPG said there are several variations with exterior, bumper, accent and underhood colors.
Eversman to Discuss Parts Procurement at NMBSA Meeting
The Northern Michigan Body Shop Association will hold its next meeting Oct. 26 at the Turtle Creek Convention Center in Traverse City, MI.
Guest speaker is Erica Eversmn, repair advocate attorney and chief counsel with Vehicle Information Services, Inc., who will speak on the topic of parts procurement.
The NMBSA annual meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. with an election of officers. Eversman will present at 7 p.m.
There is no cost to attend the annual membership meeting. Cost to attend the presentation by Erica Eversman is $25 per member or $45 for non-members. Mail registration and payment to NMBSA PO Box 207 Alpena, MI 49707. For more information, contact Sue Allor at (231) 833-0150.
Micro Group Covers Greater Detroit To Toledo
The Micro Group was originally formed to focus on chrome plating car bumpers when Howard Hicks Sr. founded the business in 1948. Since then, it has expanded into several other areas of the collision distribution industry.