Peterborough, Ontario — August 3, 2016 — We’re looking for movers and shakers who started their careers on the shop floor. Everyone knows it takes more than technical skill to make a good technician. The best techs aren’t just technically savvy. They’re creative thinkers and problem solvers. It’s not surprising that some of them find a path that allows them to use their skills to the limit.
Collision Repair magazine’s sister publication, Bodyworx Professional, focuses on technicians, painters and the other members of the production team. Each issue also includes an exclusive Career Profile, showcasing individuals who started on the shop floor, then parlayed what they learned into careers in other parts of the industry.
The careers they forged for themselves are as different as the individuals themselves. Robby Robbs started as a working technician, but went on to found NuCon Services and consulted to Fortune 500 companies. Keith Hudd was a working tech as well, before he joined Economical Insurance and began to rise through the ranks. Chris Castagna got into the industry through an early interest in racing. He racked up considerable experience in both collision and mechanical before taking a position with a major OEM.
Sam Mercanti, Bill Hatswell and Ian McIntosh stayed directly involved in the collision industry. They used the skills they learned on the shop floor to help found businesses that form much of today’s collision repair landscape. Mercanti brought CARSTAR to Canada and saw the network grow to more than 200 facilities. Hatswell and McIntosh respectively founded Craftsman Collision and Kirmac Collision and grew them into international businesses with locations in other countries.
These are stories that deserve to be told. There are great careers to be made for working technicians, but the field holds many other exciting opportunities. These are the stories that we need young people considering a career in collision repair to hear.
Do you fit the bill, or know someone who does? Get in touch with Collision Repair magazine’s editor, Mike Davey, at editor@collisionrepairmag.com or 905-549-0454 and let us know! We’ll help you bring that story to the world.
