Fort Worth ISD Earns ASE Accreditation for All Five High School Automotive Programs
Fort Worth Independent School District's five high school automotive programs are now accredited by the ASE Education Foundation to nationwide industry-developed standards, making the district one of a small number nationwide with full districtwide ASE accreditation at the high school level. Dunbar, North Side, Polytechnic, O.D. Wyatt, and Trimble Tech high schools earned the accreditation this month.
ASE accreditation evaluates curriculum, instructor qualifications and facility standards, and requires programs to align with ASE Education Foundation national standards, keep instructors currently certified and complete a formal evaluation with an advisory committee. Programs are re-evaluated every five years.
"When a young technician walks into our dealerships with training from an ASE-accredited program, I know exactly what I'm getting, and so does every service manager in North Texas," said Brendan Harrington, president of Autobahn Fort Worth and a North Texas Automobile Dealers board member.
ProColor Collision Expands Presence in California, Launching ProColor Collision NoHo
ProColor Collision NoHo is beginning a new chapter as part of the ProColor Collision network. Formerly operating as Integrity Collision Center, the shop says it will continue delivering the same trusted service customers have come to expect while benefiting from the added resources, expertise, and support available through the ProColor brand.
"We have been in the collision repair industry for over 40 years, and from the very beginning, our goal has been to provide reliable repairs that our customers can trust," said owner Vrezh Isayan. "That commitment to quality and customer service continues to guide everything we do today."
"ProColor Collision NoHo is a great addition to our network," said Nicky Woerner, vice president of sales and operations. "Vrezh and his team have earned the trust of their customers through hard work, quality repairs, and genuine care for the people they serve. We're proud to welcome them to ProColor and are excited to support them as they continue building on that success."
ASE Brings Instructors, Industry Together in Frisco
The 16th annual ASE Instructor Training Conference, held last week in Frisco, Texas, drew automotive, medium/heavy truck, and collision repair instructors from high schools, community colleges and trade schools nationwide, in what ASE calls the largest instructor training event of its kind. The three-day event included more than 20 hours of technical update training and separate tracks for auto, truck and collision repair instructors.
A keynote panel, "Filling the Farley Gap: Addressing the Technician Pipeline," examined the technician shortage following recent comments from Ford CEO Jim Farley, drawing on research from IMR Inc.'s Perceptions of the Trades survey, the ATMC Training Benchmark Survey and ASE's own Voice of the Technician and student surveys.
"When instructors return to their classrooms with the latest technical knowledge, teaching resources and industry connections, students benefit by receiving the education and hands-on experience they need to graduate, ready to enter the workforce," said Dave Johnson, ASE president and CEO.
The 2027 conference is scheduled for July 19-22 in Phoenix.
NABC Opens Nominations for Community Partner Award
The National Auto Body Council has opened nominations for its Community Partner Award, which recognizes charitable organizations working with NABC programs such as Recycled Rides and First Responder Emergency Extrication (F.R.E.E.) to serve their communities. Eligible charities must be a registered 501(c)3 serving military members, veterans, or individuals or families in need, and must have participated in a Recycled Rides or F.R.E.E. event within the last 24 months.
Collision repair facilities and vehicle donors that took part in an NABC event in the past two years, as well as NABC program directors, can submit nominations; the charity must have participated in an NABC program during 2025 to qualify. Nomination forms are available here.
The inaugural recipient, named in 2025, was the Veterans Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that supports more than 8,000 veterans annually across 30 counties in Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio, largely by nominating veterans for Recycled Rides presentations. The organization received a $500 award from NABC.
Surventis Expands Surface Treatment Testing Capabilities in Michigan
Surventis, formerly BASF Coatings, has launched two pilot testing lines dedicated to pretreatment and anodizing applications at its Blackman Township, Michigan site, expanding North American testing capacity for its Chemetall brand. The lines let customers observe and test pretreatment and anodizing processes under production-like conditions before scaling to full operation.
"North America is an important growth market for our surface treatment business, and these new pilot lines provide us with a stronger platform to support customers where they operate," said Frank Naber, Surventis executive vice president of surface treatment.
NABC Recycled Rides Delivers Vehicles to Veterans, Families in Six Cities
NABC's Recycled Rides program presented refurbished vehicles to veterans and families in six cities over the past week.
In Orange, California, CARSTAR refurbished a 2021 Toyota Corolla donated by Farmers Insurance for Gregory Watton, a 100% service-connected disabled Air Force veteran nominated by the Sy Kaplan VA Clinic.
In Indianapolis, Gerber Collision & Glass in Fort Wayne refurbished a 2025 Chevrolet Equinox donated by Allstate for Menajia Wright, who recently aged out of foster care, presented at Indianapolis Motor Speedway ahead of the Brickyard 400.
In Vancouver, Washington, Mackin's Auto Body Prairie refurbished a 2019 Kia Sorento donated by Allstate for Tyrone Sampson, an eight-year Army veteran nominated by the Salvation Army Family Center.
In Oklahoma City, Crash Champions refurbished a 2021 Subaru Outback for three-time Army enlistee Seth Andrew Nelson and a 2019 Buick Enclave for Navy veteran Zackary Arthur Milner, both presented July 29 with support from Farmers Insurance and Honoring America's Warriors.
In Castro Valley, California, Fix Auto refurbished a 2021 Honda Accord donated by Allstate for Christine Messano, a single mother nominated by Solano County Health & Social Services.
In Indianapolis, Penske Collision refurbished a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado donated by Allstate for Navy veteran Matthew Hedges, presented during a PPG golf outing ahead of the Brickyard 400.
