Jay Commander
Jay has over 30 years’ experience in the accident repair sector. He started his career aged 18 as an industrial paint sprayer, before joining a local coachworks as painter. Jay progressed to paintshop foreman/workshop controller and stayed with the business for 18 years.
He moved to Apollo Industries as a sales/technical rep. After 18 months, JCA Coating’s Richard Steer took over, and Jay became account manager for JCA Coatings in Southampton, looking after the Seward Group, Cosham/Apollo Group and many of the south London based accounts.
He took the role of group process manager at Seward Accident Repair Centre in July 2007, with responsibility for implementing PAS 125 throughout the group, staff training, health and safety, manufacturer approvals, environmental issues and various insurance and work provider audits.
Jay joins the bodyshop awards jury for 2011.
David Cresswell
David is chairman of the ABP Club which he formed in September 2004. The ABP Club has over 1,650 members including motor insurers, accident management/credit hire companies and bodyshops.
In April 2010 he voted as the new chairman of the PAS 125 Working Group. David is a highly experienced speaker and moderator with events for Allianz, AXA, Post Magazine, Audatex, Ai Claims, Accident Exchange, Helphire, IBIS, bodyshop, Standox, BMW, Circle Leasing, Innovation Motorcare and Morelli. David was deputy managing director of Audatex UK from 1988 to 1998, followed by managing director of Miller Fisher Motor Claims division from 1998 to 2003.
Previously an awards assessor, David joins the bodyshop awards jury for 2011.
Paul Cunningham
Paul is the commercial director at Fix Auto Dagenham (AJC Wilson Bodyshop). Paul joined the repair industry back in 2002 in AJC’s transport team. Within a year he had progressed to a role in the customer frontline team, quickly taking charge of all five members.
Paul shortly became acting bodyshop manager, then bodyshop manager in 2005. By 2006 AJC Wilson had expanded and moved to its current 21,000 sq ft location and joining the Fix Auto network.
In 2008 Paul was asked to join the board as a director and shareholder, in the role of operations director. By 2010 AJC Wilson had won the local Borough Business of the Year Award with Paul picking up finalist of Business Person of the Year. At the beginning of 2011 Paul moved into his current role of commercial director.
Paul joins the bodyshop awards jury for 2011.
Kelly Dalwood
Kelly has been working for bodyshop since 2006. Kelly studied English in Leeds, then had a brief stint as a primary school teacher, next spent a year completing an English Literature MA, before returning to Buckinghamshire to join the bodyshop team.
Over the past six years, Kelly has pretty much travelled the world, interviewing key industry people from the bodyshop, insurance and vehicle manufacturer industries. Kelly has a keen interest in all things automotive and has bodyshop blood (her dad is a Porsche repairer).
This is Kelly’s third year on the bodyshop awards jury.
Phil Ewbank
Phil has been in the motor industry for 37 years. After leaving school Phil started an apprenticeship as a technician at Spillers. Following redundancy in 1981, Phil joined Commercial Contract Engineers (CCE) at its inception, acquiring shares 12 months later. In 1986 he became MD and owner.
Today Phil is chairman of CCE and still has an active part in the business. He is also chairman of Fix Auto Rochdale and Fix Auto’s Advisory Committee. Phil decided CCE should join Fix Auto in 2006, to develop the car repair side of the business, alongside the successful commercial vehicle repair operation. Phil was instrumental in developing the CCE Training Academy over the past five years.
CCE has had a raft of successes at the bodyshop awards: finalist in the CV Bodyshop of the Year category five times and winner three times. CCE also won the Bodyshop Training category in 2008 and 2009 and won the Innovation award in 1999. Phil has been on the bodyshop awards jury since 2010.
Gordon Grant
Gordon has over 20 years’ experience in the accident repair industry and spent eight years at Carter & Carter, where he was a business unit director. During this time, Gordon was responsible for multiple vehicle manufacturer programmes and projects. He was a director with Accident Exchange from 2007 to December 2010 when he left to start his own business providing automotive consultancy and support services. Current clients include major insurers, vehicle manufacturers, paint companies, distributors, an independent repair network, a large incident management company and a specialist telematics manufacturer. Gordon lives in the west of Scotland – but only at the weekends.
Gordon has been on the bodyshop awards jury since 2010.
Georgina Herman
Georgina’s career in the body repair sector has covered several aspects, giving her a broad understanding of the industry. After achieving a BA in Communication Studies, Georgina began her career at JC National (now JCA Coatings) where she worked for several years in sales and marketing and later as assistant to the sales director.
In 2005 Georgina took a marketing and branding position with Fix Auto UK, and then in 2007 she joined her father’s business, the Parkford Group. At Parkford Georgina has been instrumental in introducing new processes throughout the business and to its subsidiary, Windsorian Accident Repairs.
Winner of the Customer Care award in 2008 and a finalist for Customer Care in 2009, Georgina joins thebodyshop awards jury for 2011.
Chris McKie
Chris has worked in the body repair sector for 26 years. He started his bodyshop career as a panel beater but soon became involved with all aspects of the repair process. Moving to VWG in 1989 was the start of strong manufacturer relationships. In 1993 a move to a multi-franchise business with responsibilities for Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Seat and Volvo strengthened this further. In 2001, Chris was recruited by Clarkes Accident Repair Centres. Still with Clarkes, in 2009 he was appointed network development manager for Vizion Network, conceptualising several new initiatives for write-off avoidance programmes and recycling projects. More recently, Chris assisted Ford with its Accident Management program via his role within Ford’s AWG subcommittee.
Chris joins the bodyshop awards jury for 2011.
Peter Millis
Peter Millis joined Ageas Insurance in 1999 as the motor engineering manager and is now operations manager – vehicle damage. Peter was responsible for the operational development and now management of the Solutions Centre Concept, working with Ageas’s approved repairers to provide exemplary customer service, maintain a low cost base ethos and react innovatively to the changing needs of the industry.
With a technical background and having spent 17 years working in the motor arena, Peter has extensive knowledge of all aspects of the industry having worked in bodyshops, service, parts and even sales. Peter is a member of various Thatcham advisory groups including the Engineering Technical Committee.
Ageas has been a finalist in the Insurance Company of the Year category three times and won the award in 2010. Peter joins the bodyshop awards jury for 2011.
Adam Murray
Adam has 40 years’ experience within the motor repair and insurance industry, starting his career as an apprentice panel beater progressing through various roles to his current position as motor technical manager with Aviva UK, where he has spent 21 years.
Adam is actively involved in various industry steering groups including PAS 125 and ATA VDA expert working groups. He is a past president of the Institute of Automotive Engineer Assessors (IAEA) and past chairman of the Institute’s Education Group. Adam is also a current member of the Audatex Technical Committee.
Aviva was a finalist in the Insurance Company of the Year category in 2010 and Adam joins the bodyshopawards jury for 2011.
Martin Norbury
Martin set up a software business in April 1991, and then joined a small software company (BodyMaster), following its merger with his own IT sales organisation.
In 1997, following the acquisition of BodyMaster by Glass’s Guide, Martin went on to hold a number of senior positions at Glass’s including sales, marketing, business development and strategy. Martin was headhunted into Innovation Group plc in 2004, where he was appointed MD of the Motorcare Services business which he successfully ran for six years.
In 2010, after 20 years in the UK and European accident repair/motor claims industry operating at various senior management levels, Martin set up his own business. Martin’s various business investments include: leadership and management development (LMI), a national non-executive support program (Advocate), and a social media operation.
Martin has been on the bodyshop awards jury since 2010.