Abra, CARSTAR, and Fix Auto USA Celebrate Top Award Winners at Closing Gala for Group U.S. Conference

The franchise partners from Abra, CARSTAR, and Fix Auto USA (Driven Brands' collision group), along with vendors, industry leaders, and Driven Brands team members, celebrated three days of inspiring presentations, engaging panels, growth opportunities, and an awards gala at the “Limitless 2024” conference, which was held at the Omni Dallas Hotel, in the heart of the Dallas Arts District.

At the awards gala, franchise partners were honored for their achievements in operational performance, length of rental, community involvement, and engagement, including:

Abra Award Winners:

Franchisee of the Year: Jeremy and Matthew Buller - owners of Abra Auto Body Bismarck, Abra Auto Body Mandan, and Abra Auto Body Minot
Rookie of the Year: Eve Knudtsen - owner of Abra Auto Body Spokane
LOR Award: James Hansen - owner of Abra Auto Body Grand Forks
Top Shop Award: Roger Gray - owner of Abra Auto Body Aberdeen
Top Gun Award: The Dahl Group - owners of Abra Auto Body La Crosse and Abra Auto Body Winona
Franchise Engagement Award: Austen Iverson - owner of Abra Auto Body Mitchell-SD
Community Champion: Geralynn Kottschade - owner of Jerry’s Abra

CARSTAR Award Winners:

Franchisee of the Year: Heath Harris - owner of CARSTAR Arnold
Rookie of the Year: TJ Patel - owner of Autobody Denton CARSTAR
LOR Award: Mike Chilton - CARSTAR Chilton Auto Body Santa Rosa
Top Shop Award: Greg Arnett - owner of CARSTAR Superior Paint & Body
Ironman Award: Jamie White - owner of CARSTAR Universal of Fort Oglethorpe, Dalton CARSTAR South, and Ken’s CARSTAR North
Franchise Engagement Award: Miguel Espana - owner of CARSTAR Espana’s San Jose
Community Champion: Bob Waldron - owner of Lancaster A-1 A B CARSTAR, Thomas Waldron CARSTAR Auto Body, Waldron’s A-1 A B CARSTAR, and Waldron’s CARSTAR Auto Body

Fix Auto USA Award Winners:

Franchisee of the Year: Selvi Rizk - owner of Fix Auto Brea, Fix Auto Chino, and Fix Auto Moreno Valley
Rookie of the Year: Ivonne Villarroel and Francisco Cid Del Prado - owners of Fix Auto San Marcos
LOR Award: Vatche Derderian - owner of Fix Auto Montrose
Top Shop Award: Efrain Perez - owner of Fix Auto Ogden
Arrow Award: David Caulfield - owner of Fix Auto Anaheim North
Franchise Engagement Award: Ron and Lynn Werner - owners of Fix Auto Deer Valley
Community Champion: Henry and Gloria Arroyo - owners of Fix Auto Cathedral City, Fix Auto Indio, Fix Auto Palm Desert, Fix Auto Palm Desert-South, and Fix Auto Palm Springs

James Roetling, Aranco Productions

Driven Brands’ Damien Reyna, chief operating officer, stands next to Sabrina Thring, brand president, at the Dallas conference gala.

“Congratulations to all of our winners,” said Sabrina Thring, Driven Brands collision group president. “We are extremely proud of all you have accomplished. Your commitment to excellence not only enhances the reputation of our network but also sets a high standard for the entire industry. We are honored to have such experienced and dedicated owners like you as part of our network, continually strengthening and elevating our collective success. Your contributions are invaluable, and we look forward to celebrating many more milestones together as we continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in collision repair.”

Long-serving franchise partners were also recognized for their years of service, honoring those with five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 years of membership in the Driven Brands network.

Brandon Eckenrode, executive director of the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF), discusses hiring strategies for collision centers.

Earlier in the day, Brian Newberry, vice president of development, led a panel discussion with MSOs on how to grow and thrive in this industry. Brandon Eckenrode, executive director of the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF), discussed hiring strategies for collision centers.

Bart Mazurek, vice president of ASG consulting and services, holds 23 years of experience in automotive and P&C insurance markets.

The morning closed with Bart Mazurek, vice president of ASG consulting and services, who shared insights on the overall economy, from the pandemic to the post-pandemic supply chain disruptions. He also hold 23 years of experience in automotive and P&C insurance markets.

The breakout sessions followed, featuring an insightful presentation by Sheryl Driggers from Collision Advice on effective coaching strategies to boost business. Attendees also learned about leveraging fleet opportunities with the Driven Brands Fleet team. Additionally, Dan Risley from CCC led a panel discussion on scanning and calibration, joined by experts from asTech, Opus, and franchise partners.