The Automotive Management Institute (AMI) and the Automotive Service Association (ASA) jointly announced today that Scott Schaefer, body shop manager of Schaefer Autobody, St. Louis, Mo., is the recipient of this year’s Richard Cossette/Gale Westerlund Memorial Scholarship.
Schaefer has worked in the collision industry for more than four years and is currently working on completing the necessary requirements to earn the Institute’s Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) designation. He is I-CAR trained and currently holds an ASE certification in damage analysis and estimating. When not working in the shop, he contributes his time to various community and industry organizations.
Richard Cossette owned Lehman’s Garage in Minneapolis, Minn., and was a charter founder of AMI and a $50,000 Charter Counselor contributor to AMI’s resource development effort EXCEL. He was the first chairman of EXCEL and was a recipient of AMI’s Annual Recognition Award in 1994. He was awarded an honorary Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) designation in 1997 to further recognize his commitment and dedication to AMI. He also held numerous leadership positions on the ASA board of directors and was active in several industry organizations until his death in 2002.
Westerlund owned and operated Gale’s Auto Center in Blaine Minn., and was a $25,000 Guarantor contributor to EXCEL. He earned the Institute’s AAM designation in 1993, and also served on the ASA board of directors for many years. He was an active member of ASA and other collision industry organizations until his death in 2005.
As the scholarship recipient, Schaefer will receive $1,000 to help cover expenses to attend educational sessions and view the latest repair technologies and equipment during the 2009 International Autobody Congress & Exposition (NACE), Nov. 4-7, in Las Vegas.
“As a recipient of this scholarship, it is a great honor to be recognized as a member of the collision industry. I’m grateful for the privilege to expand my knowledge through the training and networking opportunities offered at NACE,” said Schaefer.
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