Driven Brands Collision Group Kicks Off “Limitless 2024” Conference with Abra, CARSTAR, and Fix Auto USA in Dallas

The first day of the conference opened with a Texas Two Step charity walk, raising more than $6,000 for research, care, and advocacy for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Next, five deserving Dallas families received NABC Recycled Rides® vehicles, donated by GEICO and refurbished by CARSTAR, along with support from Abra and Fix Auto USA. The vehicles were given to veterans and families impacted by cystic fibrosis.

The opening ceremonies were held Tuesday evening and featured an executive update from Sabrina Thring, Brand President, Driven Brands Collision Group. Thring shared the collision segment’s performance in 2024 and outlook for the industry in 2025.

Thring also announced the top award winners – the coveted Franchisee of the Year award – to recognize the exemplary owners of 2024, including:

• Abra: Jeremy and Matthew Buller, owners of Abra Auto Body Bismarck, Abra Auto Body Mandan, and Abra Auto Body Minot

• CARSTAR: Heath Harris, owner of CARSTAR Arnold

• Fix Auto USA: Selvi Rizk, owner of Fix Auto Brea, Fix Auto Chino, and Fix Auto Moreno Valley

Day one concluded with dinner and entertainment at Gilley’s Dallas, including karaoke, live music, armadillo racing, and charitable fundraising events throughout the evening.

Day two of the Driven Brands conference features Damien Reyna, U.S. Collision Chief Operating Officer, who will discuss system performance and growth; Melissa Kwiatkowski, Vice President of Marketing, who will touch on brand performance and consumer trends; and keynote speaker Jon McNeill.

McNeill is the CEO and Co-Founder of DVx Ventures, and has operated and scaled companies with a focus on growing revenue and improving operations. He was President at Tesla and then COO at Lyft, where he helped prepare and take the company through its IPO.

After the morning sessions, breakout sessions will feature topics like how to leverage technology to enhance capacity management, driving volume with CCC’s latest tools, and a profitability panel with top performers from Abra, CARSTAR, and Fix Auto USA. The vendor trade show will close the day, showcasing the latest services and tools.

The final day of the Driven Brands conference opens with Brian Newberry, Vice President of Development, who will lead a discussion with MSOs on how to thrive in this industry. Brandon Eckenrode, Executive Director of the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF), will discuss hiring strategies for collision centers. The morning will close with Bart Mazurek, Vice President of ASG Consulting and Services, who will share insights from his more than 23 years of experience in automotive and P&C insurance markets.

Breakout sessions will follow and include coaching strategies to win more business, leveraging fleet opportunities, and a panel on scanning and calibration. The final day is capped with the awards gala celebrating top franchise partners.