About I-CAR - Current Events/News: E-newsletter: E-newsletter: August 17, 2006

2006 I-CAR AWARDS & RECOGNITION BANQUET HONORS THE BEST OF THE BEST

I-CAR IN AUSTRALIA TO LAUNCH SEPTEMBER 20

I-CAR TRAINING QUALIFIES FOR COLLEGE CREDIT

I-CAR ANNOUNCES 2006-2007 INTERNATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS

I-CAR EDUCATION FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES 2006-2007 BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

FIFTEEN YEARS OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS: I-CAR EDUCATION FOUNDATION MARKS KEY ANNIVERSARY IN EFFORT TO IMPROVE ENTRY-LEVEL TECHNICIANS

GOLFERS TAKE A SWING AT I-CAR EDUCATION FOUNDATION GOLF TOURNAMENT

I-CAR IN ORLANDO FOR 2007 MEETING...MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW

Over 570 attendees participated in this year's I-CAR International Annual Meeting. Industry professionals covered the gamut from insurers to collision repairers, owners, volunteers, board members, I-CAR program instructors and other I-CAR staff filled the halls of the Fairmont San Jose for tech clinics, meetings, and recognition of achievement over the past year.

In recognition of one of the "Godfathers" of the collision industry, the Inaugural Russ Verona Memorial Award was presented to Russ' son, Nick Verona, as the proprietor of East Rockford Collision Center, the business that Russ founded and the first-ever business to achieve and maintain the I-CAR Gold Class Professionals designation.
New this year to the international annual meeting, both I-CAR and the I-CAR Education Foundation staff conducted tech clinics highlighting important programs and initiatives. Attendance numbers were phenomenal, paving the way for next year's meeting.
Read on to learn other highlights of the meeting!

At the I-CAR Awards & Recognition Banquet on Saturday, August 5, program instructors, volunteers, and others were recognized for their hard work and accomplishments over the past year. Their hard work, dedication and commitment to excellence in training, has resulted in improvements to the industry and consumer safety.

Congratulations to all of the wonderful people who make I-CAR the organization that it is!

RUSS VERONA MEMORIAL AWARD:

In honor of the late Russ Verona, a founding father of I-CAR and the I-CAR Education Foundation, the Inaugural Russ Verona Memorial Award was issued to his son, Nick Verona as the proprietor of East Rockford Collision Center, the business that Russ founded and the first-ever business to achieve and maintain the I-CAR Gold Class Professionals designation.


	Nick Verona accepts the Russ Verona Memorial Award.

I-CAR REGION OF THE YEAR AND ‘HUBCAP' TROPHY:

This trophy is presented to the I-CAR region with the most student units taught in the fiscal year. The Northeast region has earned this honor for the third straight year in a row.

I-CAR Northeast Regional manager, David Coffey holds plaque with Northeast region representatives standing behind him.

THE FOUNDER'S AWARD:

This award is presented every year to the one individual in each region or country who most exemplifies the I-CAR "volunteer spirit."

Those recognized include:


Gloria Mann accepts the Founder's Award on behalf of Don Teevens of Canada.	Founder's Award winner for the North Central region is Tim McFarland.	Founder's Award winner for the South Central region is Julie Burchard.


Founder's Award winner for the Northeast region is Steve Dapolito.	Founder's Award winner for the Southeast region is Stephen Carey.	Founder's Award winner for the Southern region is Dave Gauthier.

Founder's Award winner for the South Pacific region is Steve Saunders.	Founder's Award winner for the Western region is Donna Washut.

MOBILE QUALIFICATION TEST AWARD:

Toby Chess bought transportation, got on the road, and ran qualification tests on his own. This instituted the pilot for the Mobile QT program and because of this he was recognized for his amazing efforts.


	This year's Mobile Qualification Test Award winner is Toby Chess.

THE PROGRAM INSTRUCTOR OF THE YEAR AWARD:

This award is presented to the I-CAR program instructor in each region or province who most exemplified the I-CAR presence in the classroom, a commitment to excellence, and keeping pace with technology.

ASE/I-CAR INSTRUCTOR OF THE YEAR AWARDS:

I-CAR and ASE recognized three program instructors who became ASE-certified or recertified during F'06. These program instructors not only passed the ASE exams during F'06, they achieved the highest overall scores on their ASE exams compared to all I-CAR program instructors.


	I-CAR Board Chairman Robby Robbs accepts award on behalf of Bill Davidge, a top scoring ASE certified program instructor for Canada.		David Solmes accepts award on behalf of Mark Bono, a top scoring ASE recertified program instructor for the North Central region.		Shawn Collins accepts award on behalf of Tom Brandt. Brandt is a top scoring ASE recertified program instructor for the North Central region.

TECH CENTRE AWARD:

One of the challenges in developing I-CAR training programs is ensuring that we have participation from people and organizations from all segments of the collision industry. Many times people do this work behind the scene and are not formally recognized for their efforts.


	The Tech Centre Award honoree is Joe Burda.

IQW FACILITATOR RECOGNITION:

This fiscal year these facilitators trained 34 I-CAR instructors, six welding administrators, and 61 Industry Training Alliance career and technician school instructors.

DISTRICT COMMITTEE AWARD:

This award is presented to the one committee per region or country, which has not only met and exceeded the normal challenges, but had conducted the highest amount of training over what they had originally planned for this year. This is measured by the highest percentage of student units produced over the committee's student unit goal for the year. They are:

WESTERN REGION - Albuquerque, NM
SOUTH PACIFIC REGION - San José, CA
SOUTHERN REGION - Longview/Tyler, TX
SOUTHEAST REGION - Cummings, GA
NORTHEAST REGION - Rockville, MD
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION - Chicago Northeast, IL
NORTH CENTRAL REGION - St. Louis, MO
CANADA - Quebec

SUPERIOR PERFORMER AWARD:

Within each I-CAR region, there is a state or province that was a Superior Performer. This is determined by the highest percentage of goal attainment. The top state or province for each region is:

WESTERN REGION - New Mexico
SOUTH PACIFIC REGION - Nevada
SOUTHERN REGION - Arkansas
SOUTHEAST REGION - North Carolina
NORTHEAST REGION - Maryland
CANADA - Quebec
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION - Illinois
NORTH CENTRAL REGION - Wisconsin

GOAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD:

The following states and provinces met or exceeded their goals in fiscal 2006. These goals were established in student units each year. They represent a lot of hard work and effort by thousands of people throughout the I-CAR organization. And the top states and provinces are:

WESTERN REGION - Montana, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico
SOUTH PACIFIC REGION - Nevada
SOUTHERN REGION - Arkansas, Oklahoma
SOUTHEAST REGION - North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia
NORTHEAST REGION - Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island
CANADA - Quebec
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION - Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee
NORTH CENTRAL REGION - Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, South Dakota, Wisconsin

I-CAR would also like to recognize the following sponsors associated with the banquet:

State Farm Insurance Companies - Banquet event and program sponsor
Nobilas - Program book sponsor
PPG Industries, Inc. - Audio-visual sponsor

I-CAR will officially open for business in Australia with the formation of a separate business unit by the signing of a licensing agreement in September. The "signing ceremony" will take place at the Hilton Hotel in Brisbane, Australia on September 20.

For the past year, Richard Pratt has worked tirelessly to get the I-CAR organization established in Australia. As a result, Richard is now the General Manager of I-CAR in Australia.

"For too many years, there have been limited opportunities for technicians to improve their knowledge. The introduction of I-CAR, combined with the changing relationship between auto repair facilities and insurance companies will re-enforce the industry's belief in a standardized process to perform repairs and to follow OEM guidelines. The need for training is clearly here," said Pratt.

"I-CAR has a well-established reputation in the collision industry, so it makes sense for us to license their training model and materials rather than attempt some form of duplication," said Pratt.

"We are excited about the growth that I-CAR has experienced based on the industry's support for I-CAR in Australia, it will be just as successful in Australia as it is in the U.S. There's a definite need for training in all industry segments in Australia that must be filled," said Tom McGee, I-CAR President & CEO.

Pratt and the newly established I-CAR Australia Trust has successfully received financial backing from insurers and collision repair facilities in addition to the heavy financial support of the Motor Trades Association of Queensland, in which Pratt serves as General Manager, to enable the launch of I-CAR in Australia.

A series of I-CAR Live training programs will be licensed to Australia in the first five years and instructors will teach in 12-15 venues around the country.

"The structure of the organization will closely mirror that of I-CAR with the establishment of a board of directors and staff," said I-CAR Director of Business Development, Rick Tuuri. "This will pave the way for the implementation of the I-CAR Gold Class Professionals recognition program for businesses, the I-CAR Platinum Individual recognition program for individuals, the Industry Training Alliance, and the hands-on I-CAR qualification tests," stated Tuuri.

"The five year business plan is in place and we are in execution mode," said Pratt. "We are very excited about the September 20 launch and what's to come in the future."

Any collision industry professional that has successfully completed I-CAR training now has an added benefit. I-CAR and the University of Phoenix Online have formed a relationship which now applies I-CAR training as credit towards a college degree.

"Offering this opportunity to the collision industry is a monumental step towards increasing professionalism and recognition of training," explained I-CAR President & CEO Tom McGee. "Working with the University of Phoenix Online, I-CAR students are able to achieve a target not possible until now. Another exciting aspect of this relationship is the fact that any professional who already holds an Associate degree in collision repair can apply that credit, along with their I-CAR training, towards a Bachelor degree with an emphasis in collision repair. The level of professionalism in the industry is rising, and I-CAR is honored to be a part of the change."

I-CAR and the University of Phoenix Online are offering a free virtual presentation/teleconference on Tuesday, August 22, 2006 at 12 noon CDT. A question and answer session will be held during the session. To register, please RSVP via email or phone to University of Phoenix Online representative Teresa Hutchinson 800.433.2490 or teresa.hutchinson@phoenix.edu by Monday, August 21, 2006.

To begin the I-CAR credit transfer process, contact the University of Phoenix Online. As part of the application process, the University of Phoenix Online will evaluate I-CAR transcripts or certificates for you to determine applicable degree credit. Remaining credit hours not covered by I-CAR training can be easily completed through the University of Phoenix Online's internet-based courses, which are available around the globe seven days per week, at any time that is convenient for the student.

I-CAR training completed at the career and technical school or college level also applies towards a degree through Axia College of University of Phoenix.

The University of Phoenix is accredited by one of the six regional accrediting bodies, the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (also known as "HLC"), which is recognized worldwide.

Additional information on the relationship can be found at http://www.uopx.com/icar or by contacting Ms. Hutchinson.

I-CAR announced its 2006-2007 International Board of Directors and Executive Committee at the 2006 I-CAR International Annual Meeting. The board of directors sets the overall strategic direction for the organization and assists in obtaining resources in support of the I-CAR Mission. The board of directors is comprised of representatives from each of the following six industry segments: collision repair; insurance; equipment, tools, and supplies; education, training, and research; vehicle manufacturers; and related industry services.

The 2006-2007 Executive Committee consists of: Chair Robby Robbs, Nobilas; Vice Chair Rick Ciesla, DaimlerChrysler; Secretary John Edelen, Allstate Insurance Company; Treasurer Sam Pezzullo, State Farm Insurance Canada; Immediate Past Chair Rod Enlow, Coordinating Committee for Automotive Repair (CCAR); Tom Dance, Member-at-Large, Herb's Paint & Body Shops, Inc.; and Chad Sulkala, Member-at-Large, Acme Body & Paint, Inc. for Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS).

The board also includes 14 directors: Terry Angell, Warren Tech; Vince Claudio, Gerber Collision; Jim Doherty, General Motors Corporation; Nick Gojmeric, Nick's SOS Garage Inc. & Collision Plus Auto Body Repair Centers; Rick Jazwin, Universal Technical Institute; Dave McClain, Ford Motor Company; Tom Moreland, Akzo Nobel Coatings, Inc.; Clark Plucinski, True2Form Collision Repair Centers, Education Foundation Representative; Greg Potter, Equipment & Tool Institute (ETI); Elise Quadrozzi, AssuranceAmerica; Rich Rosenthal, USAA; Eugene Scambray, Copart Auto Auctions; Mike Schoonover, Schoonover Body Works for Automotive Service Association (ASA); and Bill Stage, Mitchell International.

The I-CAR Education Foundation announced the slate of Trustees and Executive Committee for Fiscal 2007. The I-CAR Education Foundation is honored to have the following representatives on the Executive Committee: Chairman Clark Plucinski - True2Form Collision Repair Centers; Vice Chair Paul J. Huber-Allstate Insurance Company; Treasurer Chris Evans - State Farm Insurance Companies; Secretary Steve Seidner - Seidner's Collision Centers; Member-At-Large Rick Jazwin - Universal Technical Institute (UTI); Immediate Past Chair Brian Whitcomb - General Motors Corporation.

In addition to the Executive Committee, the Foundation Board of Trustees consists of: Mark Algie - 3M Company; Jerry Burns - Automotive Impressions, Inc.; Georgina Carson - Body Shop Business Magazine; Bruce Cooley - Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes; Jim Dickens-CCC Information Services, Inc.; John Eager - Property Casualty Insurance Association of America; Greg Gambrel-Walker Career Center; Greg Horn -GMAC Insurance; Gregory S. Settle - Mercedes-Benz USA, Inc.; Roger Tadajewski - Automotive Youth Educational Systems (AYES); Roland Taube - Akzo Nobel Coatings Canada; Freda Thompson-ACE Auto Body; Jose Vargas-Texas State Technical College; and Doug Webb - CSi Complete. Trustee Emeriti consist of: J. Laurence Costin-CCC Information Services, Inc.; Lirel G. Holt-CCAR; Frank D. McGiboney; Chuck S. Sulkala-Acme Body and Paint, Inc.; and the late Russell Verona - East Rockford Collision Center. Chairmen Emeriti consist of: Don Askew - Askew Enterprises; and Larry J. Carter - Car-O-Liner Company.

"On behalf of the board of trustees, we would also like to wish Mr. Nick Gervase of Lord Corporation the best of luck with his future endeavors," remarked Chairman Plucinski. "Nick has resigned from the board as his work is taking him outside of the country and he will no longer be able to participate on the Board."

"In addition, the trustees, staff, and the whole collision industry mourned the loss of our good friend Russ Verona, this year. Russ was a fixture of the industry, because of that, he will be greatly missed," stated Plucinski.

"We truly need to continue to help the inter-industry understand our Mission, ‘to attract entry level candidates and assist in preparing them for careers in the collision industry' and the value the Foundation brings to the table," explained Plucinski. "My immediate goal is to explain to all segments of our industry how they can leverage their investment in the Foundation to benefit their business directly today."

Ron Ray, Executive Director of the I-CAR Education Foundation says, "We would like to recognize Clark Plucinski's leadership as Chairman during the past year. The Foundation could not exist without the support, leadership, and guidance from our dedicated Board members. The Board is represented by all segments of the collision industry and these individuals will only strengthen our abilities to fulfill the Foundation Mission."

Plucinski continued, "The collisionkids.org and collisioncareers.org web sites that the Foundation launched last fall are providing a recruitment tool for all segments of the industry by detailing the wide range of careers available within repair facilities, insurers, suppliers and other segments of the collision industry. The curriculum we provide to schools, the support to instructors through the Collision Repair Instructors Network (CRIN), and the myriad of other services developed by the Foundation with the industry's investment, will accelerate the quality, focus, and professionalism of those coming into our industry."

"I look forward to working with the Board, our wonderfully dedicated staff, and I-CAR to move the organization to the next level. The sky is indeed the limit," concluded Plucinski.

Look back to auto industry news in 1991 and it becomes clear just how much has changed in 15 years.

In 1991, consumers were grousing as gasoline hit $1.40 US a gallon. GM was rolling out the Geo Metro convertible and only the first of its plastic-paneled Saturn vehicles. Airbags, CD players, and anti-locking brake systems were found in only a minority of cars. And virtually all European and Japanese import vehicles were built only overseas.

Look back to 15 years ago in the collision industry and it becomes clear how much the I-CAR Education Foundation has accomplished.

Back in 1991, there were no nationally coordinated scholarship programs to attract students to the industry. There was no nationally-recognized curriculum for use in teaching entry-level collision repair skills. There was no organization giving collision repair instructors a way to interact and learn from one another. And there was no organized and widely-accepted way for schools, collision repair businesses, and students to all mutually-benefit from working together.

"Over a span of 15 years, I am proud to say that the I-CAR Education Foundation is making its mark on the collision industry," remarked Clark Plucinski, Executive Vice President of True2Form in Gaithersburg, MD and I-CAR Education Foundation Board Chairman. "There is more work for us ahead but looking back we have many reasons to be proud."

Fifteen years after it was created to address the shortage of qualified collision repair technicians, the I-CAR Education Foundation is reflecting back on its history, highlighting its many accomplishments, honoring those who helped make it happen, and looking ahead to the work still left to be done.

"We may take some of these things for granted now, but it's important to remember that in 1991, just 15 years ago, none of that existed," said Chuck Sulkala, the owner of Acme Paint & Body in Boston, MA, who was one of the four first trustees for the I-CAR Education Foundation after its formation and Trustee Emeritus. "It's only by looking back that you realize how far we've come and how much we've accomplished."

The early years

Jeff Silver says the creation of the I-CAR Education Foundation was based in part on what he was reading about other industries.

Back in the late 1980s, Silver, now owner of a CARSTAR collision repair facility franchise in Mundelein, IL, but at the time executive vice president of I-CAR, said a national organization of association leaders was reporting efforts in various industries to address what they foresaw as forthcoming "people shortages."

"I looked at the demographics and trends and numbers these other groups were seeing, and thought, if it's going to affect all these other industries, I bet it's going to affect ours as well," Silver said.

After conducting more research, informal brainstorming sessions with I-CAR board members, and focus group meetings within the industry to discuss the potential shortage of quality entry-level technicians, the not-for-profit I-CAR Education Foundation was established in early 1991.

Helping instructors through CRIN

At the Chicago symposium and other early discussions regarding the Foundation, it became clear that one of the first steps in addressing the need for quality entry-level technicians was improving the quality and consistency of collision repair training throughout the country.

As Foundation work brought together some of the best instructors from the best collision repair training programs in the country, it became clear that all instructors could benefit from better communication amongst themselves. In June of 1992, the Foundation created the Collision Repair Instructors Network (CRIN).

"CRIN has proven to be a valuable resource for instructors," said Larry Carter, President of Car-O-Liner in Wixom, MI and I-CAR Education Foundation Chairman Emeritus. "We felt that by helping the best career and technical school and college instructors get to know each other, we could create an association of instructors that would share ideas, learn from one another, and help each other to improve."

In the early years, CRIN members gathered twice a year for meetings that included workshops and speakers. More recently, technology has allowed CRIN members to get even more from the organization - without the time and expense involved in travel. Through an in-kind service from I-CAR, CRIN members began participating several years ago in "WebEx" meetings, interactive presentations via phone and computer. Topics have included workplace safety, pollution prevention, and ‘black box' technology.

In 2003, CRIN launched its own monthly e-newsletter; it regularly features a web site that will be of use to instructors, shares the latest information from I-CAR and the Foundation, and includes articles submitted by CRIN members.

Since 1997, CRIN also has had booth space - donated by the Automotive Service Association (ASA) - at the annual International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE). This gives CRIN the opportunity to recruit new members and gives CRIN members a chance to network with industry vendors at the show.

At the suggestion of CRIN members, the Foundation began presenting annual "Instructor of the Year" awards in 1996. The awards honor career and technical school and college instructors at qualifying schools who actively participate in CRIN and who actively recruit students and work to improve their training program.

Helping schools

CRIN is only one of the ways the Foundation has worked to improve the quality of collision repair training at schools around the country and internationally.

Back in 1991, many schools and instructors struggled with developing or maintaining effective, up-to-date collision repair curriculum. In one of its biggest undertakings, the Foundation developed its own comprehensive curriculum and made it available to schools.

Dozens of companies and individual contributors - including a $60,000 donation from State Farm Insurance Companies - rose to the challenge of raising the funds needed for the multi-year effort of developing the ADVANCE-TECH curriculum, eventually adopted by about half of the nation's 1,400 collision repair training programs.

Just as vehicle technology and industry trends continued to change, the Foundation recognized the need for change and updating of its school curriculum as well. As I-CAR shifted to a more modular system of training, with each CD-ROM based course more tightly focused on a specific topic with testing, the Foundation saw that this regularly-updated course material was well-suited for use in the schools as well. In 2001, the Foundation began assisting schools in shifting from the ADVANCE-TECH to the I-CAR Live curriculum. Today, more than 400 schools now use this training material, along with a Foundation-created supplemental program, to give aspiring technicians a more complete education.

"We are very proud of the Foundation's ability to provide schools with the latest and most up-to-date curriculum," said Larry Costin, Vice Chairman of CCC Information Services, Inc. in Chicago, IL and I-CAR Education Foundation Trustee Emeritus. "Students not yet into their professional careers are receiving the same training as professionals already working in the collision industry."

The Foundation has been getting additional support from I-CAR volunteer committees and individual volunteers to support events such as golf tournaments, awareness events, and other local events. These events not only provide some monetary general support for the Foundation but they also benefit local career and technical schools and colleges, supporting the schools with purchasing curriculum, scholarships for the students, and general school needs. As funding becomes more and more of a challenge for career and technical schools and colleges, volunteer efforts become even more imperative to the future of the collision industry.

Attracting students

Not all of the Foundation's efforts have focused on helping schools and instructors. "Our goal has always been to improve the quantity as well as the quality of entry-level technicians," said Ron Ray, who took the reins as the third executive director of the Foundation in 1998.

Scholarship funds have been a proven tool in student recruitment and retention, and the Foundation has developed partnerships with a number of industry organizations to create successful scholarship programs. As part of its "Most Influential Women in the Collision Repair Industry" program, for example, Akzo Nobel Coatings since 2003 has worked with the Foundation to present thousands of dollars in scholarships to female collision repair students at ASE-certified schools around the country.

More recently at NACE in 2005, CCC Information Services announced that it would work with the Foundation to present $25,000 in scholarships to assist collision repair students.

In 2005, the Foundation also launched two new web sites: www.collisionkids.org and www.collisioncareers.org. The sites - one aimed at high schoolers, the other at younger children - are loaded with age-appropriate games, activities and information to help introduce and attract students of all ages to the career opportunities this industry offers.

"The web sites are a fun and effective way to reach students in a way that this industry never has," Ray said.

Helping businesses and the industry

In addition to helping schools and attracting students, the Foundation throughout its 15-year history also has looked for other ways to help the businesses that hire entry-level technicians coming out of collision repair training programs.

A growing number of students arrive at the business with I-CAR points that can help the shop earn or maintain its Gold Class Professionalsstatus and individuals earn or maintain their Platinum Individual designation. Since 2001, schools that have qualified and applied for the I-CAR Industry Training Alliancecan offer students those points. As of 2006, 109 schools have joined the Alliance and a total of more than 40,000 I-CAR points have been redeemed by students.

In recent years, the Foundation has also expanded its job-preparedness program, originally underwritten by a grant from State Farm, and now in use at 72 schools. "People Actively Creating Employability through Short-Term Task Training," better-known as PACE + ST³, is designed to more quickly give students the basic skills the industry has identified as needed to become a productive helper working in a collision repair business. It includes a web-based documentation system that helps the school and business learn and implement the program effectively, and helps the school, business, student, and the Foundation track progress and success.

"PACE + ST³was an important step for the Foundation to address the real needs of the repairer", said Don Askew, President of Askew Enterprises in Mount Gilead, OH and I-CAR Education Foundation Chairman Emeritus. "Through this program, students are taught and trained to be productive from their first day on the job. This is a very important step in meeting the needs of the industry."

Recent news

As the Foundation celebrates its 15^th anniversary this summer, Ray reported on some of its most recent activities and accomplishments during the I-CAR International Annual Meeting in San Jose, CA. The past year brought the first state-wide endorsement of the I-CAR curriculum. North Carolina now requires the use of the curriculum in all of the state's high school collision repair programs.

"We also continue to recognize the growing number of companies that have consistently supported our mission through financial contributions for at least 10 years," Ray said. "We feel it is important that the industry understand which companies - and there are now more than 20 of them - not only understand the critical need to address the shortage of qualified entry-level technicians, but are willing to invest their resources to do so."

That support, Ray and others involved with the Foundation say, is vital because there is still much work to be done.

The Fifth Annual I-CAR Education Foundation Golf Tournament was held at Coyote Creek Golf Club in Morgan Hill, California on Thursday, August 3. Ninety-two golfers hit the fairway for a good cause - to help bring more qualified technicians into the collision industry.

"A big thank you to Toyota for sponsoring the event in addition to our many other sponsors," said Michelle Shotkoski, I-CAR Education Foundation, Planning & Project manager. "And many thanks to our volunteers, we could not have had as successful of an event as we had without them."

All golf award winners listed below earned a Best Buy gift card.


	Tom Moreland of Akzo Nobel won the Closest-to-the-Pin contest. Pictured here, from left to right: Robbie the Racer; Tom Moreland; and I-CAR Education Foundation Board Chairman, Clark Plucinski.		Teresa Hutchinson of University of Phoenix Online won the contest for the Longest Drive in the female category. She's pictured on the right with I-CAR Education Foundation Planning and Project manager, Michelle Shotkoski.

	Roland Taube of Akzo Nobel Canada won the contest for the Longest Drive in the male category. He's pictured here on the left with I-CAR Education Foundation Board Chairman, Clark Plucinski.		Stace Nicholson of I-CAR, Tony Harrison of I-CAR, and Gene Scambray of Copart Auto Auctions walked away with the best team score. They are pictured here with Robbie the Racer standing behind them.

The Program Instructor of the Year for the Western region is Carl Peet.

The Program Instructor of the Year for the South Pacific region is Tom Behr.

The Program Instructor of the Year for the Southern region is Terry Brewer, accepting on his behalf is Doug Middleton. I-CAR Field Operations manager, Jeff Peevy is pictured to the left.

The Program Instructor of the Year for the Southeast region is James Kelvin Brown, accepting on his behalf is I-CAR Southeast Regional manager, Jerry Sopkowiak.

The Program Instructor of the Year for the Northeast region is Ken Miller.

The Program Instructor of the Year for the South Central region is Geoffrey Overley, accepting on his behalf is Dave Cottrell.

The Program Instructor of the Year for the North Central region is Joe Doyle.

The Program Instructor of the Year for Canada is Mark Hodgins, accepting on his behalf is Sam Pezzullo.

The 2007 I-CAR International Annual Meeting will be held July 25-28, 2007 at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate in Orlando, Florida.

Stay tuned to future e-newsletters and I-CAR online for additional information!

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