In Memoriam: John Loftus, First SCRS Executive Director

The Society of Collision Repair Specialists’ first executive director, John Loftus, died on Wednesday, Jan. 28, according to a LinkedIn post by current Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg.

Loftus helped found the organization in 1982 and guided it for 18 years. Schulenburg said in his post that Loftus “left an untouchable legacy of advocacy for collision repairers.” He shared encouraging remarks that Loftus made at SCRS’ 25th anniversary event in 2007. Loftus said that even though the problems and challenges the industry faces are different than older days, SCRS gave a voice to professionals with a passion and pride for collision repair.
 
“John shared...‘the fact is you have an organization to deal with them. That’s the difference. There was nobody to deal with these things until we came along,” Schulenburg wrote on LinkedIn. “Because of John, and those that built the foundation of SCRS, all of us at SCRS enjoy the opportunity to serve this industry. Our lives are all better because of his ethics, his commitment, his passion, and his advocacy.”

Prior to the founding of SCRS, each repair facility functioned as an island with little communication with others. According to the History of SCRS, new vehicle structures, advancements in refinish materials, and a lack of industry-accepted training was causing perceptive shop owners to feel as if market dynamics were wrestling away control of their businesses. They decided to act.

Past SCRS Chairman Bill Eveland, Iva and Fred Dehn, Rochelle Wickland and past SCRS Chairman Bill Wicklund were among a group of repairers who attended a meeting in North Kansas City. An unknown speaker in a suit impressed the audience with his knowledge and wit.

"He said that the person across the table was neither demon nor monster, that he or she was a body shop person just like us," Iva Dehn recalled in the History of SCRS. "Suddenly, it became obvious we had a better chance of solving some of our problems if we worked together. Later that evening with the meeting over, we all stood out in the parking lot even after it began to rain and really talked to each other for the first time. That night’s speaker was none other than John Loftus. He had already made a difference in our lives."

Another meeting was held at Gene Parks’ Body Shop in Riverside, Missouri. Everyone in attendance knew they wanted to work with Loftus and form an organization, even if the details on how that would work weren’t finalized. Infused with the phrase “Working Together Is The Most Important Work We Do,” they built the foundation of SCRS.

Today, the organization supports more than 6,000 collision repair businesses and 58,500 professionals. Under Schulenburg’s guidance, the organization continues to work to uphold Loftus’ vision of providing repairers with an audible voice and a network of industry professionals who strive to improve the collision repair trade.

“I’m so damn proud of what this organization looks like today, because of the tone that men and women like John set in the formative years. I just hope we can continue to serve his work, his dreams and his legacy well,” Schulenburg wrote. “Rest easy, Mr. Loftus. Thank you for everything.”