Fix Auto Deer Valley and Fix Auto Norterra support Arizona Cancer Foundation for Children
Fix Auto Deer Valley and Fix Auto Norterra, owned by Ron and Lynn Werner, took part in the 32nd Annual Enterprise Mobility and Arizona Cancer Foundation for Children Charity Golf Event on Sept. 19 at Las Sendas Golf Club in Mesa, Arizona.
The two Fix Auto USA shops sponsored a hole and set up a tent where attendees could meet the team and pick up Fix Auto USA branded items. Proceeds went to the Arizona Cancer Foundation for Children, a nonprofit that helps children fighting cancer or other life-threatening conditions.
"Supporting organizations that make a meaningful difference in the lives of local families is incredibly important to us," Lynn Werner said.
"The commitment Ron, Lynn, and their team continue to demonstrate to their community is inspiring," said Damien Reyna, chief operating officer of Driven Brands Collision Group.
Collision Suite Connect launches integration platform for multi-shop operators
Collision Suite Connect is launching an integration platform that links CCC ONE with ERP systems, beginning with NetSuite, and with Power BI dashboards. The company said the platform is designed for multi-shop collision repair operators.
According to the company, the platform uses webhooks to process CCC ONE events as they occur, including repair orders, financial transactions, labor, and sales, and sends the data to NetSuite and Power BI. The company said this approach avoids the 24-hour lag associated with polling-based integrations.
Collision Suite Connect said eliminating manual re-entry of data and automating financial reconciliation can help operators shorten month-end close cycles that can run 15 or more days.
The platform runs on Microsoft Azure and uses AES-256 encryption for stored data, TLS 1.3 for data in transit, OAuth 2.0 authentication, role-based access control, and masking of personal and financial data. The company said it is aligned with SOC 2, GDPR, and PCI-DSS standards.
When an integration error occurs, such as a network problem, a missing parent record, or a schema mismatch, the system retries automatically using what the company calls smart backoff intervals. Records that still fail are set aside for scheduled re-checks, and staff are alerted only when manual review is needed, according to the company.
Collision Suite Connect is offering a free, no-commitment gap assessment for operators. The assessment checks how well data lines up between CCC ONE and NetSuite or another ERP system, where field mappings don't match, and whether the systems are ready to be integrated.
"Collision shops are drowning in disconnected data," the Collision Suite Connect team said. "Collision Suite Connect gives operators a single source of truth from the repair order to the general ledger in real time, with the security and reliability that enterprise finance teams demand."
Hunter Engineering wins three PTEN Innovation Awards, one People's Choice Award
Hunter Engineering received three 2026 Professional Tool & Equipment News (PTEN) Innovation Awards and one PTEN People's Choice Award. Independent judges who work as technicians and shop owners choose the Innovation Award winners. PTEN Magazine readers vote on the People's Choice Awards.
Hunter's winners were:
- Tire and wheel service: The Road Force WalkAway wheel balancer, which moves tire inflation onto the balancer. Hunter said it reduces door-to-door changeover times for four tires by up to 44%.
- Inspection tools and lab scopes: Inspection Live, cloud-based software for Hunter's autonomous inspection system. It lets one console run two service lanes and delivers over-the-air updates.
- Training: Hunter University, an online and in-person training platform that brings Hunter's learning content together in one place.
Hunter University also won in the 2026 PTEN People's Choice Contest. Hunter said the platform has now won five awards since it launched in 2024, and the company has received 17 PTEN awards over the last four years.
Streamlight Wedge SL wins 2026 PTEN Innovation Award
Streamlight's Wedge SL inspection light won a 2026 PTEN Innovation Award in the Safety and Personal Gear category. Industry judges chose the light, and it will be recognized at the PTEN Innovation Awards ceremony at AAPEX in Las Vegas on Nov. 3.
The ultra-thin light is designed for pocket carry and one-handed use during inspections, diagnostics, and repairs in tight or dim spaces. It runs on a rechargeable lithium polymer battery that charges through USB-C. Its programmable tail switch supports momentary and constant-on modes plus a maximum-brightness mode. The light is rated IPX4 for water resistance and tested for impact resistance at 1 meter.
"The Wedge SL was designed to provide automotive technicians with a bright, reliable inspection light that fits easily in a pocket or tool kit," said Kevin Burger, director of sales for Streamlight's automotive division.
ASE to host free webinar on aftermarket restoration sheet metal
The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) will hold a free webinar, "Aftermarket Restoration Sheet Metal (Pros, Cons & SOPs)," on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 4 p.m. ET.
Kevin Tetz of Paintucation will explain how to judge aftermarket parts, from how well they are built to how durable their e-coat is, and how to tell quality replacement parts from inferior copies.
Live attendees will receive a certificate of attendance by automatic email, and ASE asks them to allow one week for delivery. ASE encourages people who are unsure whether they can attend to register anyway, since registrants will receive a follow-up email about viewing a recorded session if one is available. Registrants get priority access to the recording.
NABC names Pinnacle Financial Partners 2026 MVP Award winner
The National Auto Body Council (NABC) named Pinnacle Financial Partners and team member Teresa Beans winners of its new MVP Award. The award honors an NABC partner and its team members who support NABC's vision through their everyday business relationship and activities. NABC presented the plaque during a Recycled Rides presentation in Memphis this summer.
Beans handles client services for NABC on Pinnacle's behalf and was recognized for helping NABC manage its financial accounts. Pinnacle is a level one NABC member, hosts NABC Recycled Rides and NABC F.R.E.E. events at its locations, and supports NABC programs.
"It is our honor to present the 2026 NABC MVP Award to Teresa Beans and Pinnacle Financial Partners in recognition of their many contributions to the NABC and our programs," said Tom Wolf, chairman of the NABC board of directors.
"Thank you so much for the 2026 NABC MVP Award," Beans said. "It's truly an honor to work with such an incredible team."
NABC F.R.E.E. trains Rhode Island first responders on modern vehicle extrication
First responders from nearly 15 rescue units across Rhode Island attended hands-on extrication training Oct. 3 at Advanced Remarketing Services (ARS) in Middletown, Rhode Island, through the NABC First Responder Emergency Extrication (F.R.E.E.) program.
ARS and Manheim donated the vehicles, and MES Life Safety supplied the tools instructors used. The free program, which frequently trains on salvaged vehicles, teaches first responders to rescue occupants from late-model vehicles built with high-strength steel, advanced airbags, and electric vehicle systems.
"This program empowers our first responders to act quickly and safely to save lives, and ARS is incredibly proud to partner with them nationwide," said Kelly Furtado, general manager of ARS and a member of the NABC F.R.E.E. committee.
NABC Recycled Rides gifts vehicles in Albuquerque and Charlotte area
NABC Recycled Rides presented refurbished vehicles to recipients in New Mexico and North Carolina in early October. NABC members have donated more than 3,850 vehicles since the program started in 2007.
In Albuquerque, New Mexico, Lorena Alvarez, a single mother of three, received a 2017 Honda CR-V on Oct. 2 at Open Road Collision. Farmers Insurance donated the vehicle, and Open Road Collision technicians refurbished it.
In Mooresville, North Carolina, U.S. Navy veteran Delvin Allen received a 2021 Toyota Highlander XSE on Oct. 6 at Maaco Auto Body Shop & Painting. Allstate donated the vehicle, and Maaco, part of Driven Brands, refurbished it.
