This year’s CREF Benchmark Awards Breakfast, held Nov. 5 during the 2025 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, highlighted the tremendous collaboration and generosity that continues to drive the future of collision repair education.
Through Benchmark Grants and generous donations from partners like General Motors and GEICO, students across the country are being given new opportunities to grow and innovate in our field.
Hawkeye Community College was among this year’s recipients, joined by College of Lake County, recognized through the Wildcard Fueling Innovations Grant, which supports programs that redefine what’s possible in automotive education. In total, more than $65,000 was distributed across six schools dedicated to advancing technical excellence and student success.
Educators and students from Kennedy-King College in Chicago, IL, were also represented among the audience at the CREF Awards Breakfast. Led by Professor Ken McMillan, the Kennedy-King team—comprising both staff and students—joined industry leaders, manufacturers and training institutions in a shared commitment to advancing technical education within the collision repair field.
Kennedy-King College was also recognized as one of the recipients of CREF grant funding, a vital resource that will directly support the development of students and the modernization of training within their automotive program.
The CREF Awards Breakfast served as a reminder that progress in our field is fueled by collaboration between educators who dedicate themselves to student success, organizations that provide critical resources, and an industry that continues to open doors for the next generation of professionals.
