I-CAR, the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair, announced the 2021 recipients of its annual Jeff Silver and Russ Verona I-CAR Awards that recognize one individual and one collision repair shop for advancing technical education and professionalism in the collision repair industry. The awards were presented at the 2022 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.
The Jeff Silver Memorial Award, honoring an I-CAR Platinum individual who demonstrates true passion for training and professional growth, takes on special meaning this year as a memorial to the beloved industry leader. Silver, who served as CEO of I-CAR from 1985-1996, had a deep passion for training and professional growth. This award has been renamed the Jeff Silver Memorial Award, following Silver’s passing in September.
The 2021 Jeff Silver Memorial Award was awarded to Bill Condron, fixed operations director at Sawgrass Ford Collision Center in Sunrise, Fla. Condron has been a Platinum-recognized individual since 2012 and holds a paint supplier certification. In his role at Sawgrass, Condron is very involved with training while also overseeing all the service, parts, and collision operations.
As a demonstration of his commitment to training, Condron encourages every employee at his collision repair center to invest in their career development and take as many courses as they’d like. In 2000, he got involved with a local school district and an I-CAR committee. He’s been serving on a county school board advisory committee, where he was instrumental in getting I-CAR curriculum adopted in area schools. He serves I-CAR’s Broward County, Florida, committee as education chairman, and for approximately 15 years was active on the former Wyo-Tech Recruitment Board. Condron is also a member of the Collision Repair - Voice of the Customer Council.
The Russ Verona Memorial Award, honoring an I-CAR Gold Class shop that actively promotes technical training and a positive image for the collision repair industry, was awarded to Eveland Brothers Collision Repair, Inc. in Merriam, Kan. Bill Eveland, president, accepted the award for this family-owned and operated business, which has adhered to I-CAR’s Gold Class standard continuously since 1993. 2023 will mark its 30th year as a Gold Class shop, making it one of a very small group of shops in the country to reach this significant milestone. This has resulted in a premier repair facility, enabling the shop to grow into one of the largest independently owned collision repair facilities in the country. A two-time recipient of the NACE National Collision Repair Business of the Year award, Eveland Brothers also invests heavily in the education of its staff, who hold I-CAR Platinum credentials and are certified by ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) and approximately one dozen OEMs. Eveland Brothers is committed to the betterment of the industry and is a Gold Pin participant of the Collision Industry Conference. Bill Eveland is a past board chair and original member of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) and a past board member of Mitchell International. Additionally, he is involved in the broader community where Eveland Brothers operates, giving back by sponsoring programs that serve individuals in distress, including the Hope House, a therapeutic residence for teenage girls; Miracle of Innocence, support for release and reentry into society of innocent prisoners; and Uplift, a mobile street outreach for the homeless.
Both awards were presented by John Van Alstyne, I-CAR CEO & president. “I-CAR is proud to recognize and honor both Bill Condron and Bill Eveland for their leadership, dedication, and deep commitment to training that supports the development of the next generation of collision repair industry professionals,” Van Alstyne said. “These longtime industry leaders recognize the importance and benefits of training, knowledge and education in helping to deliver complete, safe and quality repairs for the ultimate benefit of the consumer.”
