CARSTAR is saluting the veterans throughout its North American network on Veterans Day in the U.S. and Remembrance Day in Canada, both held on November 11, 2020.
“Through the CARSTAR family, many of our franchise partners and corporate team members served their country in the military,” said Dean Fisher, collision group president, Driven Brands. “We are proud to recognize them for their service and honor their roles today at CARSTAR. Military service builds skills, commitment, integrity and leadership, and these attributes greatly contribute to their success in the collision repair industry today.”
Here are just a few members of the CARSTAR veterans family in the U.S.:
Garrett Chapman, estimator and assistant manager, CARSTAR Von’s, Tucson, Ariz.
Chapman served in the U.S. Marine Corps as an E-4 Corporal in the VMAQ-3 Marina Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 3 with five years of active duty and several deployments to Afghanistan and Qatar. His job was MOS 6072 Aviation Ground Support Equipment/EA-6B Prowler Plane captain/shop NCOIC. He is a member of the North Carolina Good Ol’ Boys RC NC, which are a majority active duty/prior military group that shares an interest in supporting local charity events for the greater good.
Ronald G. Vallario, owner/GM, CARSTAR Superior Auto Body, Pinellas Park, Fla.
Vallario served 23 years in active and reserve duty in the U.S. Army Special Forces. He enlisted in 1972 and retired from the reserve component in 1995. He is now the owner/GM of CARSTAR Superior Auto Body established in 1967 by his late father Rudolph Vallario, who was a retired U.S. Army Lt Col. and a veteran of WWII, Korea and Vietnam.
Jeff Eddlemon, parts manager, CARSTAR Russom’s Dyersburg, Dyersburg, Tenn.
Eddlemon served as a combat medic in the U.S. Army for more than 37 years. He was stationed in Iraq as a medic during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Brian Emmons, production manager, CARSTAR Russom’s Rutherford, Rutherford, Tenn.
Emmons served in the U.S. Air Force for a year and a half in Anchorage, Alaska. In addition to his duties as production manager, he gives back to his local community by serving on the school board.
Chad Calder, estimator, CARSTAR Russom’s Cape Girardeau, Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Calder served in the U.S. Army for 13 years. He was deployed twice to Iraq and once to Afghanistan.
Luigi (Lou) Scola, owner, CARSTAR Scolas Collision Center, Chicago
Scola served in the U.S. Navy from 1981 to 1987 and was ranked as a Petty Officer 2nd Class. He served aboard the USS Independence CV-62 attached to VF-32 F-14 Squadron out of Home Port Virginia Beach, Virginia Carrier Group 6. He completed four cruises of nine months each and was awarded the Shellback, Cold War, Presidential Honorable Service and Honorable Discharge medals.
Dale DeGroot, owner, CARSTAR Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo, Mich.
DeGroot served in the U.S. Army Reserves from 1969 to 1975.
Amanda Baisden (Myers), office manager, CARSTAR ColorMagic Collision, Columbus, Ohio
Baisden served five years in the U.S. Army Reserve with the 1001st Quartermaster Company. She has been with CARSTAR ColorMagic Collision since March 2019 as the office manager and loves every minute of it.
Dave George, industry consultant and previous owner, CARSTAR Dynamic, Columbiana, Ohio
George was a paratrooper and demolition specialist in the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969. Upon returning stateside, he started building custom vans, which led to repairing collision-damaged cars. He was the owner of CARSTAR Dynamic, which has been in business in Columbiana, Ohio, since then and now is owned and operated by his youngest son, Nick. George has served on the local school board, a member of Rotary, the Masonic Lodge and the American Legion.
Justin Stubler, area manager of operations, CARSTAR Corporate Team
Stubler was in the U.S. Army for approximately three years before a non-combat injury ended his career. He likes to volunteer every year for Wreaths Across America and place wreaths on the graves at the Veterans cemetery.
“As someone who served in the U.S. Army for 20 years, I have great respect for these men and women who also served their countries,” said John Burns, vice president of operations for CARSTAR. “I’m proud to count them among our franchise partners, colleagues and friends.”
