Spanesi Americas, a provider of body shop technology, has announced the appointment of Richard Gray Jr. to the Spanesi America’s team in the role of data collection specialist. Gray comes to Spanesi with more than 14 years of military service. During his career, he participated in the Marines and the United States Coast Guard, where he excelled in his many roles until he was honorably discharged in 2016. The Waterman, Illinois, native started taking courses at Waubonsee Community College after reading an article in the Chicago Tribune about how the school is building an “auto body repair dynasty.”

“Richard stands out through the dedication to his studies at Waubonsee Community College,” said Timothy Morgan, chief operating officer and managing director of Spanesi Americas Inc. “His military experience appealed to us as we look to employ individuals with strong leadership skills within the Spanesi organization. Richard’s instructors at Waubonsee Community College worked with us to make sure that he would be an excellent fit for the organization.”

Gray had some concerns about returning to college after his distinguished career in the military. “The most challenging aspect I’ve dealt with so far is the anxiety around being a little bit older than the average college freshman,” he explained. “However, after the first day I learned that age demographics do not matter, and that anyone who applies themselves and listens to what is being taught can do well.

“Thankfully while being a student at Waubonsee, I was able to network with my collision repair instructor, Andy Macdonald, and the team at Spanesi Americas in Naperville,” he continued. “If all goes well, I hope to be full-time once I graduate in August 2018.”