Photo caption, left to right: Wayne Kelly, Geri Kottschade, Laura Kottschade, Jerry Kottschade, Sabrina Thring and Damien Reyna
Geri and Jerry Kottschade, owners of Jerry’s ABRA in Mankato, Minnesota, recently added another accolade to their collection: ABRA Franchisee of the Year for 2023.
Franchisee of the Year is the highest award given in the ABRA family, and it represents the top performer in the ABRA network. This winner was chosen on criteria such as leadership among the ABRA network; excellent performance; mentorship of other franchise owners; and support for the entire ABRA family.
The 2023 Franchisee of the Year award year goes to an exemplary team who has been with the network since 2015. Geri Kottschade is a true trailblazer in the industry and one of the founders of WIN, the Women’s Industry Network. Now her daughter is integrated with WIN, an organization that encourages women to get involved and make their voices heard in a male-dominated industry.
The efforts to support the community haven’t stopped there. The Kottschades also have attended networking events, local career fairs and more, placing them as a pillar of guidance that their family of team members and other franchise owners can lean on.
The Kottschades brought a new approach to the industry when they joined ABRA years ago, creating a customer-focused environment that put customers at ease, creating cooperative relationships with insurance partners and taking on every task in the facility to get the job done.
“We are amazed with this award,” said Geri Kottschade. “It is truly an honor for our entire team to be recognized. It’s an incredible cap to a long, rewarding career. We have a retirement party coming up, so we’ll definitely celebrate then.”
Additionally, each year, this location partners with the Mankato MoonDogs to support local families affected by Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, and also supports NABC Recycled Rides. This location and its owner have been a community staple for more than 50 years, with an unwavering attention to their customers and community.
The awards were presented at a gala event where ABRA, CARSTAR and Fix Auto USA franchise partners gathered to celebrate the inaugural Driven Brands U.S. collision repair joint conference, along with Driven Brands team members, vendors and industry leaders from across the nation.
The Evolution 2023 conference ran Thursday, Sept. 28, through Saturday, Sept. 30, at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Kissimmee, Florida. The 2023 Driven Brands U.S collision conference featured two days of education, thought-provoking discussions and networking opportunities capped off with a charity golf event.
