A small loan from a retired bus driver and the dream of owning his own body shop served as the only fuel Eddie Lennox would need in 1976 as he set out to open the first Service King Collision Repair Center.
Four decades later, the business has grown into an industry icon with nearly 300 high-quality repair centers dotting 23 different states, as Service King officially commemorates its 40th anniversary in 2016.
“Eddie’s passion for building a model business that puts customers first still drives our team today,” said Service King President Jeff McFadden, who first joined the company in 1988. “It’s our duty to carry out ‘The Service King Way’ as we continue to evolve into the collision repair operator of choice. That commitment to excellence will ensure our proud heritage of integrity, community and family lives on for years to come.”
In recognition of its 40th anniversary, Service King introduced a secondary limited-edition logo commemorating the milestone. The logo incorporates Service King’s traditional colors and trademark crown while prominently incorporating the company’s 40-year history.
Lennox opened Service King’s first body shop in the spring of 1976 inside a modest tin building at 2515 Hardwick St. in Dallas. The young entrepreneur served as the location’s body technician, wrote estimates and answered the phones. In the process, he redefined traditional body shop service through placing the customer at the center of the repair process.
Soon, he introduced a free loaner car program, providing customers with a transportation option during the repair process. He also worked to establish trusted relationships with local automotive insurance carriers to streamline the estimate process – all moves that would transform the reputation of a traditional collision repair center. Lennox served as the CEO of Service King from 1976 through 2010 and chairman of the board until 2012, when it attracted investment from global alternative asset manager, The Carlyle Group. Today, Service King’s majority ownership is managed by premier global investment group Blackstone, which partnered with the organization in 2014, while Lennox still maintains minority ownership and serves on the board.
Lennox’s reputation for providing a superior repair experience spread as Service King grew to multiple locations across the area. By 2008, the business expanded to 22 locations across the Dallas-Fort Worth area and in 2014 completed the largest merger in industry history by partnering with Sterling Auto Body and its 62 repair centers.
Service King now repairs hundreds of thousands of vehicles a year all backed by a written lifetime warranty and the very promise Lennox built the company upon – placing the customer at the center of the repair experience. Today, the organization is led by CEO Chris Abraham and McFadden, who together combine for 49-years of tenure at the organization with hands-on experience at nearly every level of the operation.
In 2015, Service King was named the No. 1 Best Place to Work by both the Dallas and San Antonio Business Journals as it continues to strategically expand operations across the country while preserving the culture of superior customer service instilled by Lennox 40 years ago. For more information on Service King and to view a full history of the organization visit ServiceKing.com.
