The auto body industry is a price-driven market, creating a need for education and consumer safety. As the Kansas Auto Body Association, we want the auto body industry and our customers to better understand the business and their rights as consumers. Kansas ABA feels there is strength in numbers and any individual auto body shop, who is in the state of Kansas, has standards to uphold. The more uniform we as auto body repair shops are the better our businesses will be.
Email: brody@kansasaba.com
Brody started working in a body shop at 14 after school and on weekends. He went on to open his own shop at age 19 that operated for 5 years before moving his family to KC. Brody worked in a handful of different independent and dealership shops over the next 10 years as a body and occasional paint tech. He started managing about 8 years ago. Before managing Randy Curnow Buick GMC, Brody ran an independent shop for 4 years. Brody is now the Collision Center Director of both locations, Chillicothe, MO and KC, both of which are I-CAR gold class shops. The KC store is on the GM Collision Repair Network.
Kena and her husband own Dacus Auto Repair in McPherson, KS. Kena graduated with an accounting degree in 2012 from Wichita State University. She joined her husband, Chris, shortly after they married in 2014. Both share a passion for collision repair and work hard to build on and improve the repairs they produce. They are I-Car Gold Class certified, use Sikkens products, and are involved in several performance and peer groups. They are very focused on PCE, following OE procedures, and providing the best customer experience from start to finish. Kena enjoys being a part of a group that shares ideas and works to find solutions to the challenges facing our industry.
In 1995, Joe started in the automotive industry and was encouraged by the owner of that business to expand and explore other areas of transportation in Kansas City. This led to the aviation field where Joe attained his pilot’s license, while still acquiring more knowledge and skills in the automotive industry. He was able to gain more experience in the automotive industry while managing two collision centers. His desire and vision, with much prayer, led to the launching of JW Consulting in 2012, a paintless dent repair company. Beginning in 2019, they rebranded and moved into their new storefront location on the West side of Shawnee, Kansas with their corporate base in Olathe, Kansas. His licensed and insured technicians bring over twenty-seven years of expertise and experience in this industry. It is Joe's privilege to serve on the KABA Board to continue to see this industry achieve and accelerate for years to come.
Brad has been in this industry since he was a little boy as it has been a family business. But started working in the business in 1985. While he never made a living as a technician, he has done a part in every aspect of this business. He is very passionate about this industry since it’s the only career he's ever had. He also has a bachelor's degree in business from Wichita State and chose to stay in this industry. He has managed Shelton Collision Repair since 1992 and has owned it since 1999. Apart from his work, he has sat on numerous boards or committees both in and out of the auto body industry. He believes our industry has been and will continue to get run over unless we all bind together and strive to work as one voice towards a very bright future. He considers himself a progressive thinker and therefore a progressive shop owner, and that means constantly changing and moving forward.
Jeff started in the Collision industry in 1998 as a detailer with a new car multi-line franchise in Wichita, KS. From there, his growth in both skills and responsibility has all been focused within the field of collision services. He oversaw production at Cameron Body Shop, Auto Masters, and Eddy's all of Wichita. Since his time with Brandon Steven Motors (Eddy's) Jeff has developed the facility and taken on an additional location in 2015. He has been ICAR trained since 2004 and has Manufacturer training back into the late 1990's. He volunteers with Skills USA for the state of Kansas and co-chaired the contest in 2018.
Starting in the auto body repair business in 1978, Brad began as a body tech at New Look Body Shop in 1978. He worked for this family-run business in northwest Kansas until 1991 when he purchased the company. New Look is a PPG certified facility with I-CAR trained technicians. Brad has served on the advisory board for Northwest Kansas Technical College for many years and continues today.
Jamie started working in the automotive industry when she was 15 years old but her love for the industry started when she was just 2 years old when her dad took her to work doing restoration and upholstery work. Her family has always been heavily involved in the automotive industry. Jamie is I-Car certified in welding and other disciplines. She’s also completed Dale Carnegie training as well as PPG Green Belt training. Jamie has been part of many great organizations including mechanical shops, independent adjusting firms, independent collision centers, dealership parts, service and body shops, as well as retail parts. Jamie has worked in almost every job in the industry up to managing a busy collision facility. Jamie is a founding board member of KABA and is enjoying the opportunity to work with NE and IA associations. Jamie says, "Being back on the board as a vendor is vital for positive change in the industry on both sides. I truly love helping people make positive changes".
Sabina has worked at Bienie’s Body Shop in Ottawa, KS since 2013 starting out in accounting. From there she became a mechanical service writer and obtained certification to perform hyrail inspections on BNSF & Union Pacific maintenance trucks, then moved to collision estimating and eventually became shop manager/collision estimator. For a short time recently, she took a break from the body shop and became a licensed adjuster for Snapsheet, which helped give her an inside view on the insurance side, but quickly found that it was not a good fit. It is more rewarding to fight for a proper repair for the customer rather than to help save money for the insurance company. She has always worked hard to ensure OE procedures are followed and looks to stay up to date on the latest technology and training. It is her hope that her career within the automotive field will continue to grow as she enjoys the challenges that she is presented with daily. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, reading and motocross.
Becky has been in the Collision Repair Industry for 30 years. She started out as an Administrative Assistant and worked her way up to managing 26 years out of the 30 years . She is the current I-CAR Kansas State Chair and has been for the last 5 years, including several I-CAR National Committees and a recipient of the I-CAR Founder Award in 2018. She has been on 2 Tech School Advisory Board and on both the Topeka and Wichita I-Car Committees. She currently is working at Dale's Collision in Olathe, KS. She is very passionate about the Collison Industry and very honored to be on the KABA Board of Directors.
Matt owns Rieger Collision, Inc. near Corning, Kansas. After graduating from Manhattan VoTech in 2003, he worked as a technician and painter for an independent shop for four years before opening his own shop in 2007. Matt and his team are focused on following OEM procedures, ensuring repairs are completed appropriately. Matt is married with two daughters, who all enjoy spending time outdoors.
Zack grew up frequenting a dealership body shop that his Dad ran for 29 years. Zack got a job running an Auto Body Supply store when he left college. He practiced with materials on the side to have a better knowledge of them for his customers. That practice grew into small side jobs, then grew into full blown restorations on the side. Eventually after seeing a restoration shop for sale , then trying to buy a collision shop for sale, he decided to start his own business from scratch. Now 13 employees strong, his dad works along side with him. They are Gold class shop with a Subaru certification. He enjoys all kinds of thrilling motorsports and being outdoors with his family.