C.J. Vermaak
Production Manager
Dan’s Paint & Body, Tucson, Ariz.
What accent is that?
I’m from South Africa. You know, where all the good golfers and swimmers come from.
Are you a big golf fan?
No, I’m more into rugby. South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, England we’re all rivals and go back and forth with the world championship.
Have you ever played rugby?
Yes, through college.
It’s a rough sport, isn’t it?
Yes, you pay for it the older you get: knees, shoulders, neck, etc. But it’s a fun game.
What’s the worst injury you ever got from playing?
I broke my nose and cracked my cheekbone, so I was out for awhile. That pretty much ended my rugby career.
When did you come to the U.S.?
I moved here nine years ago when I got married. I was a professional hunting guide in South Africa, and that’s where I met my future wife, who would take hunting trips there with her father and mother. Dan, her father, owns Dan’s Paint & Body.
How did you go from hunting to collision?
The parts manager who worked for my father-in-law quit and walked out, so he said I needed to come and help out. I started in the back lot checking parts and ordering parts and eventually became parts manager.
Are you a big hunter?
Yes. My great-grandfather had a cattle ranch that got passed down through the generations. And when you work on a ranch, when you’re not working cattle, you’re hunting.
What’s the best animal you ever bagged?
There are a lot, to be honest. I got a very big African leopard all by myself when I was 18. That was a big accomplishment for me.
Do you have a trophy room?
Yes. My wife is an avid hunter, too, although she prefers to archery hunt more than rifle. I do both.
Did you ever have any “close calls” while hunting?
I had one incident where an African leopard bit a guy next to me, but we eventually killed it and that was the end of it. But I got lucky and didn’t get a scratch.