NABC Recycled Rides® Delivers Six Refurbished Vehicles to Veterans and Families in Need Across the Country
The National Auto Body Council® NABC Recycled Rides® program has presented six refurbished vehicles to deserving recipients across the country this week.
On April 9, Brandon Crawford, a U.S. Army veteran who served from 2007 to 2019 and is currently enrolled in a residential program for unhoused veterans, received a 2020 KIA Telluride donated by GEICO and refurbished by Caliber Collision Fulton in Sacramento.
On April 11, U.S. Marine Corps veteran Jeff Magdaleno received a 2018 Jeep Wrangler donated by GEICO and refurbished by Caliber Collision in Bakersfield.
On April 13, Pedro Perez, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, received a vehicle equipped with a mobility lift. The vehicle was donated by Allstate and refurbished by Gerber Collision & Glass, with special adaptations by the Freedom Mobility Foundation.
On April 15, Stephanie Middleton, the full-time caregiver for her son Zakki, who has disabilities stemming from congenital heart defects and has undergone 29 surgeries, received a 2024 Honda HR-V Sport donated by Allstate and refurbished by Faulkner Collision Center of South Philadelphia.
On April 16, three women in need received refurbished vehicles as part of the 16th Annual I-CAR Golf Fundraiser presented by Enterprise at The Golf Club at Bradshaw Farm in Woodstock, GA:
- Mattie Ann Spencer-Henry, a 38-year certified nurse assistant and single mother of five, received a 2023 Chevrolet Malibu RS donated by GEICO and refurbished by Corzav's Collision & Glass.
- U.S. Army veteran Melinda Smith received a 2018 Toyota Tacoma donated by Allstate and refurbished by Gerber Collision & Glass.
- Elasha Julien, a survivor of domestic violence and single mother whose son has epilepsy, received a 2022 Honda Civic Sport donated by GEICO and refurbished by Larry's Body Shop.
On April 17, U.S. Army veteran Mark Bauer received a 2021 Toyota Camry donated by Farmers Insurance and refurbished by CARSTAR Tulsa-Mingo Valley.
CCC Introduces Consumer Financing in CCC ONE®
CCC Intelligent Solutions Inc. (CCC) announced the availability of consumer financing within the CCC ONE® platform. Through a new integration with Sunbit, collision repair shops can now offer their customers flexible financing options to cover repair costs or insurance deductibles. According to CCC, the capability is designed to help repairers support their customers’ need for vehicle repair work by removing cost-related barriers, while giving their customers a more convenient, modern payment experience.
“Cost can be one of the biggest barriers to getting a repair approved,” said Mark Fincher, vice president, product management at CCC. “By embedding consumer financing into CCC ONE, we’re helping shops convert more estimates into approved work while giving them an option to provide their customers with an easier, more flexible way to pay.”
AASP/NJ Awards $5,000 to Young Technicians at NORTHEAST 2026
For the sixth year in a row, AASP/NJ held the Annual Young Technician Awards during the NORTHEAST® Automotive Services Show held at the Meadowlands Expo Center in Secaucus, NJ in March. Thanks to the generous support of World Insurance Associates and SPARK Underwriters, AASP/NJ granted tool kits and supplies (valued at $2,500 each) to one collision and one mechanical technician to help them in their blossoming careers.
The recipients were Shamar Lewis of Livingston Collision in Livingston, NJ, and Christopher Edmonson of Westview Service in Ridgefield, NJ.
Thanks to the generous support of World Insurance Associates and SPARK Underwriters, AASP/NJ granted tool kits and supplies (valued at $2,500 each) to one collision and one mechanical technician to help them in their blossoming careers. The recipients were Shamar Lewis (Livingston Collision, Livingston, NJ) and Christopher Edmonson (Westview Service, Ridgefield, NJ).
Automotive Communications Council Announces 2026 ACC Excellence Award Finalists
The Automotive Communications Council (ACC), a council of the Auto Care Association, announced the three finalists for the 2026 ACC Excellence Award. This award honors individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, innovation, and dedication in the automotive communications sector.
The ACC Excellence Award, formerly the ACC Impact Award, recognizes an individual each year who excels professionally while contributing meaningfully to automotive communications. This year's recipient will be announced at the Auto Care Connect Conference this May in Atlanta, Ga., in conjunction with the Auto Care Marketing and Communications Awards ceremony.
The 2026 ACC Excellence Award finalists are: Lance Boldt, Jim Merle, and Chris Messer.
YANG Partners with Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation’s Aftermarket Hearts Giving Circle Program
The Young Auto Care Network Group (YANG), an Auto Care Association community of young industry professionals under the age of 40, announced its new #YANGGivesBack fundraising campaign to support the Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation (AACF).
The new campaign, titled “Aftermarket Hearts Giving Circle,” extends the AACF’s mission of providing critical support to industry members and their family during personal crises as an ongoing commitment. The YANG community will continue helping raise funds throughout the year in support of AACF's mission to help shape the automotive aftermarket industry.
“Giving back is a core value of the YANG community,” said Tanya Hunt, chair, YANG. “Through the #YANGGivesBack campaign, we are proud to support the Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation and help ensure that when members of our industry face unexpected hardship, they know they are not alone. Even small monthly contributions through programs like the Young Heart initiative can make a lasting, life‑changing difference for families in need.”
3M unveils improved 3M™ Hookit™ Blue Net Abrasives
3M is debuting a new and improved line of 3M™ Hookit™ Blue Net Abrasives, which combine an open-net abrasive for an engineered dust extraction path. It’s available in discs and sheet rolls in grades 80 through 400.
“For automotive collision repair shops, the performance and durability of the abrasives they use can help fuel productivity and drive efficiency,” said Daniel Rodriguez, global portfolio manager, 3M Automotive Aftermarket Division. “With Blue Net Abrasives, your techs can use the same techniques and equipment they do today, and see results right away, especially in the coarser grades when sanding coatings like body filler or glaze. In addition, their increased durability means more work gets done with less.”
The new design also provides better hook-and-loop pad attachment, increased edge retention, and excellent resistance to wrinkling, stretching and tearing, including on edges and contoured surfaces, according to 3M.
CIECA to Hold Free Blockchain Webinar May 7
The Collision Industry Electronic Commerce Association (CIECA) will host its next webinar, “The Evolution of Blockchain and How Insurers Are Leveraging the Technology,” on Thursday, May 7, at 11 AM PDT/1 PMCDT/2 PM EDT. The free, one-hour live broadcast will feature Eric Phillips, senior director of product operations for The Institutes RiskStream Collaborative®.
During the webinar, Phillips will provide an overview of blockchain and its evolution. He will also discuss how insurers are leveraging blockchain and provide insight on how it could be used with other technologies in the future.
“It's incredibly exciting to see blockchain technologies move beyond concept and into production, solving real-world business challenges that the industry has long faced,” said Phillips.
Register now for the May 7 CIECA webinar.
