When Jessica Stegner’s husband rented a tiny four-stall garage back in 1996, she didn’t see herself anywhere near the world of paint booths and panel gaps. She was a college student balancing classes with a full-time job, while he dreamed of opening a collision repair shop. But as the business grew, so did her role — and what began as “his dream” soon turned into their adventure.
By 2007, the once-humble shop, Tim’s Body Worx in Guthrie, OK, had doubled in size, hired employees and taken on a steady stream of customers. That’s when Jessica received what she jokingly calls her “promotion by marriage.”
“I became the bookkeeper,” she said with a laugh. “I took some accounting and tax courses, learned estimating and brought my customer-service background into the shop. What started as helping out became a full-time career — and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
Building a Business and a Community
Jessica quickly learned that running a body shop required more than spreadsheets and schedules. She and her husband dove headfirst into conferences, training sessions and consultant workshops, soaking up every bit of industry knowledge they could find.
“We just decided to go all in,” she recalled. “We wanted to run the business the right way, understand repair procedures and build relationships with people who were already succeeding.”
Those connections would prove invaluable years later. By 2022, after more than two decades in the industry, Jessica and her husband saw a gap in their home state: Oklahoma didn’t have a unified voice representing local collision repairers.
They founded the Oklahoma Auto Body Association (OKABA), a group dedicated to education, legislative advocacy and community among shop owners.
“Oklahoma needed its own voice,” Jessica explained. “We wanted an organization that could help shops navigate new technologies, advocate for fair legislation, and protect consumers.”
Since its founding, OKABA has worked alongside national and regional associations to host training sessions, build partnerships and represent Oklahoma’s repairers in state-level discussions. For Jessica, the association has become one of her proudest accomplishments.
“It’s what keeps me passionate,” she said. “We’re not just running a business — we’re helping shape the future of this industry for our state.”
From Shop Floor to Family Floor
At the heart of Jessica’s story is family. She works alongside her husband and their two sons every day — a dynamic that’s both challenging and deeply rewarding.
“Success isn’t just about the numbers,” she said. “It’s about seeing our family grow together, working toward the same goals, and building something that lasts.”
That sense of connection extends to her team as well. Ask Jessica about her favorite on-the-job memories, and she doesn’t hesitate.
“There isn’t one moment that stands out — it’s all the shenanigans over the years,” she said. “Smoke bombs under cars, emblems mysteriously swapped, SEMA trips, after-hours events, year-end parties … we laugh a lot around here.”
Those moments of laughter, she said, are what make the hard days worthwhile.
“We celebrate birthdays, grieve losses and cheer each other on. It’s not just a workplace — it’s a family.”
That close-knit culture fuels her drive to stay organized and positive. Her personal “life hack,” she said, is simple but powerful: prioritize. “Organize and prioritize. What has to be done today, this week, this month. You can’t eat the whole elephant at once — pick one small piece and get it done.”
Changing Perceptions and the Future
After nearly three decades in the industry, Jessica has seen it evolve dramatically, from hand-written estimates to advanced ADAS calibrations. Yet, she believes one misconception persists: how women experience collision repair.
“People assume women are treated poorly at shops, but that hasn’t been my experience,” she said. “I’ve never seen a customer or team member treated badly because she’s female. Most shops I know genuinely want to take care of their clients, male or female.”
She’s also seen more women step into leadership roles, from front office management to shop ownership. Her advice for newcomers — especially women starting out — is to find mentors and keep learning.
“Put yourself in rooms with people who know more than you,” Jessica said. “Ask questions, talk about your struggles, and be proud of your wins. This industry is full of people who genuinely want to help.”
When she’s not immersed in OKABA initiatives or overseeing daily operations, Jessica enjoys returning to her creative roots. She originally studied web authoring and graphic design, and those skills still find their way into marketing, social media and branding for the shop.
“If I wasn’t in collision repair, I’d probably be doing something in marketing or design,” she said. “I love when I get to use those skills — it’s a different kind of creativity.”
Mustangs, Movie Cars, Oklahoma Pride
Ask Jessica what her dream project is, and she lights up instantly.
“I have a ’65 Mustang that I can’t wait to restore with my husband and our sons,” she said. “It’s been waiting patiently for its turn.”
The Stegners restored the original “Twister” movie truck — an Oklahoma film icon — to its full 1996 glory.
Her family’s love of cars extends beyond restoration. It’s cinematic. Over the years, they’ve built "Jurassic Park" Jeep replicas, painted DeLorean bumpers and even supplied vehicles for film productions. Their hometown of Guthrie, OK, is no stranger to Hollywood crews, and the Stegners have become known for connecting film projects with local car owners.
Perhaps their most famous piece is the screen-used truck from the 1996 movie "Twister," filmed partly in Guthrie.
“My husband watched them film those scenes back in the day,” Jessica said. “When he got the chance to buy the truck, he jumped at it. We fully restored and preserved it in 2023-2024 so it looks exactly like it did on screen.”
Today, the “Twister Truck” is a local legend, showcased through their events like the Guthrie Road Celebration, which brings together car enthusiasts, film fans and community members each year.
See the truck and learn more about their projects at guthrieroadcelebration.com.
A Legacy in the Making
Jessica Stegner never planned on a career in collision repair, but she found purpose — and joy — in every layer of it: the family business, the state association, the laughter shared with her team, and the cars that connect it all.
“It’s funny,” she said. “I didn’t choose this path, but it chose me. And I’m so grateful it did.”
With her hands in everything from bookkeeping to advocacy, and her heart set on preserving Oklahoma’s automotive spirit, Jessica Stegner embodies what “Frame by Frame” is all about: passion, purpose and people who make the collision repair industry better, one dent, one law and one laugh at a time.
Leona Scott