The Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) held its annual reception during the SEMA Show in Las Vegas.
The foundation informed attendees about the organization’s efforts to support high school and postsecondary collision students, highlighted 2017 donors and supporters and announced the winners of the 2017 Ultimate Collision Makeover school grants.
The foundation announced Rosalinda Pop-Pablo as the Student of the Year, celebrating the achievement of outstanding students training for a career in the collision repair industry.
Greene Technology Center of Greeneville, Tenn., and Tidewater Community College of Chesapeake, Va., each received $25,000 Ultimate Collision Education Makeover Grants.
The featured collision instructor was Ken Cook of Norwalk High School in Norwalk, Calif., whose school has received more than $200,000 in support from the Collision Repair Education Foundation.
Industry members had the opportunity to meet and greet attending collision school instructors.
“I think attendees saw how the foundation is helping the industry bridge the gap between schools and productive entry-level employment as we showcased the industry’s generous support of the next generation of collision repair professionals,” CREF Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode said.
