HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. – The I-CAR Education Foundation announced the slate of Trustees and Executive Committee for 2010.
The following representatives will serve on the Executive Committee:
· Chairman, Doug Webb, CSi Complete;
· Vice Chairman, Bill Daly, Allstate Insurance Co.;
· Secretary, Terry Fortner, LKQ Corp.;
· Treasurer, Chris Northup, GD and C;
· Member-At-Large, Geralynn Kottschade, Jerry’s Body Shop;
· Member-At-Large, Tim O’Day, Gerber Collision & Glass;
· Member-At-Large, Joseph Allen, CCC Information Services Inc.; and
· Immediate Past Chairman, Chris Evans, State Farm Insurance.
In addition to the Executive Committee, the Foundation Board of Trustees consists of:
· Mark Algie – 3M Co.;
· Terry Angell – Warren Tech;
· Guy Bargnes;
· Stacy Bartnik – CARSTAR;
· Domenic Brusco – PPG;
· Mary Knapp – Dennis Technical Education Center;
· Nick Notte – Sterling Collision Centers;
· John Saia – Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc.;
· Rick Tuuri – Audatex, a Solera Company; and
· John Ward – Enterprise Holdings.
Trustee Emeriti consist of:
· J. Laurence Costin – CCC Information Services Inc.;
· Lirel Holt;
· Frank McGiboney;
· Chuck Sulkala – Acme Body and Paint Inc; and
· the late Russell Verona – East Rockford Collision Center.
Chairman Emeritus is Clark Plucinski – True2Form Collision Repair Centers.
“In early 2009, the I-CAR Education Foundation staff, board and volunteers began working in earnest to fulfill our new philanthropic mission of assisting high school and college collision programs and their students. In a remarkably short time, and thanks to the industry’s generous support, the Education Foundation was able to provide schools with $1.7 million in support,” noted Scott Kruger, Education Foundation executive director. “Our board has been very prescient in identifying what the industry needs from our educational system and we will continue to work tirelessly at supporting collision repair businesses with the best-possible future employees that we can promote.”
Kruger added, “The addition of Bartnik, Tuuri, Notte and Brusco to our board of trustees will only strengthen the strong representation we have from all of the industry segments on our board and in turn help provide even more support to the schools and students. These efforts require the support of the entire industry as well as from those outside our industry interested in seeing technical education thrive again in this country. This is a large task before us, but we are off to an excellent start.”
Education Foundation Board of Trustees Chairman Doug Webb said, “I am pleased and excited to have been elected chairman of the I-CAR Education Foundation. The work previously done by Chairmen Clark Plucinski and Chris Evans have placed the Foundation on solid ground to enhance our mission as a stand alone 501(c) (3) tax exempt charitable organization. We will reach out to all segments of the collision industry family seeking both monetary donations and in-kind product donations in order to support worthy students with scholarships and schools with needed materials and equipment. Thus, our goal of supplying the collision industry with knowledgeable and well-trained graduates will be met. With the leadership of Executive Director Scott Kruger, his staff and the newly elected Foundation Board Executive Committee, I am confident that the fundraising goals we have set for 2010 will be achieved. I ask that all collision industry members be receptive when Scott or his staff request donations, as providing well-educated collision graduates to the marketplace is in all of our best interests.”
