The Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) reserves one of its highest honors, the Founder’s Award, for individuals whose influence extends far beyond their own businesses.
This year, that distinction has been awarded to John Melendez of JDM Collision, a longtime advocate for proper training, safe repairs, and workforce development across the collision repair industry.
A rare and meaningful recognition
According to I-CAR, the Founder’s Award honors individuals whose dedication has helped uphold and advance the organization’s vision of safe, complete, and quality repairs through education and collaboration. Recipients are selected only when an individual’s impact genuinely merits the distinction, making it one of the organization’s most exclusive recognitions.
Terry Ticel, associate vice president of collision repair and field operations at I-CAR, described it to Autobody News as “a prestigious award given to an individual that best represents I-CAR’s vision and mission.”
Typical honorees demonstrate exceptional commitment to education and certification, contribute to industry development, lead with integrity, and influence positive change beyond their own operations.
Leadership beyond the shop
While Melendez has built a successful business, those who nominated him emphasize that his influence reaches far beyond day-to-day operations.
Todd Bonecutter, principal of business development at I-CAR, highlighted Melendez’s role in shaping the future workforce.
“As chairman of the I-CAR Northwestern Indiana Committee, he has devoted himself to strengthening the industry’s future workforce,” Bonecutter said. “He advocates for integrating the mechanical and collision curricula, develops cost-effective training solutions for space-limited schools, and actively supports students entering the trade.”
That focus reflects a growing industry concern: the need to attract, train, and retain skilled technicians capable of repairing increasingly complex vehicles safely and correctly. By working directly with schools and training programs, Melendez has helped address those challenges at the grassroots level.
A personal commitment to doing things right
For Melendez, the award holds deeper meaning.
“The I-CAR Founder’s Award represents far more than personal recognition to me,” he told Autobody News. “It reflects a commitment to doing things the right way, to continuous learning, and to raising the standard for our entire industry.”
He emphasized that I-CAR’s core principles of proper training, safe and complete repairs, and professionalism have guided his career.
“To receive this award is both humbling and deeply meaningful,” Melendez said. “It is a reminder that the work we do matters. Not just for our businesses, but for the technicians coming up behind us and for the families who trust us with their vehicles.”
He added that if the recognition underscores the importance of investing in education, mentorship, and integrity, then it represents something much larger than any individual accomplishment.
Carrying forward the founders’ vision
I-CAR created the Founder’s Award to honor individuals who embody the spirit of those who established the organization; leaders who believed that knowledge, collaboration, and professionalism would be essential to the industry’s future.
Recipients are seen as stewards of that legacy, helping ensure that repair standards keep pace with evolving vehicle technology while supporting the next generation of technicians and shop leaders.
