Dr. Christopher Thornberg
Founding Partner | Beacon Economics, LLC

Dr. Christopher Thornberg has been called many things throughout his career, but his favorite thing to be called is correct. Notably, he predicted the collapse of the sub-prime real estate bubble in 2006 and the Great Recession that followed. During the Covid-19 pandemic he was one of the few economists on record to correctly push back against the forecasting community’s panicked predictions of a depression. In the past two years, he has again stood against the grain, and stood out, for accurately forecasting that there would be no recession. Dr. Thornberg left a teaching position at UCLA’s Business School in 2006 to found Beacon Economics, and under his leadership, the firm has become one of the nation’s most respected economic research organizations. He consults globally for private industry, cities, counties, and public agencies. A dynamic public speaker, he challenges audiences to question popular narratives – and to ask the right economic questions.

John Ascheman
3M Digital Performance Manager | 3M Company

John is a 3M subject-matter expert in estimating, materials management, data analytics, and front office repair efficiency. With a diverse background as an estimator, shop manager, insurance adjuster, and manager, John now leads in 3M Digital Solutions. His extensive experience provides him with a comprehensive perspective that considers all stakeholders in the collision repair process.

Doug Orr
Manager, AdjustRite | PPG Industries

After earning his bachelor’s degree in business management at Hodges University, Doug learned the family business of commercial estimating. Co-developing the system back in the early 2000’s, he grew from a database developer to now managing the AdjustRite website and resources.
Doug resides in northern Florida with his wife and two sons. Outside of work, he enjoys golfing, fishing, and billiards.

John Spoto
Director of Collision | Premier Truck Group

John Spoto started in the collision industry 53 years ago within a family-owned automotive, heavy-duty parts and paint stores in Western New York. In 1999, he went to work at Germain Motor Company as the Assistant Manager of their Collision Center. In 2005, he had an opportunity to begin a new career at 3M as a Territory Manager. In 2007, John joined the MSO Team (Multiple Store Owner). In 2013, he was asked to lead and oversee 3M’s commercial heavy-duty division as National Commercial Fleet Manager. During his time as National Commercial Fleet Manager, he used his experience to help improve collision processes, create up to date collision procedures, improve profitability, and improve (Cycle Time) throughput. In 2022, John retired from 3M, then realizing it wasn’t easy to walk away from the industry he enjoyed. In May of 2022, John came on board with the Premier Truck Group Dealership as Director of Collision. John currently oversees 13 collision centers across the United States. As a dealership group they continue to focus on procedures, processes, Cycle Time and ensuring to provide “A Safe and Quality Repair.” John also serves as an I-CAR Instructor in Southwest Florida.  I-CAR engages closely with the OEMs to develop knowledge of repair, skills to perform a complete safe and quality repair. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his grandchildren, weightlifting, exercising, and helping neighbors who refer to him as “Mr. Handyman”. He serves as a Sunday Greeter at church with his wife, Pinky.

Billy Eddy
Technical Claims Investigation Director | SPARK Underwriters

Billy has 40 years of experience in the Automotive Industry at the OE Manufacturer, Commercial Insurance, Automotive Dealership and Automotive College Instructor levels. 28 years of insurance claims experience with claim investigations involving vehicles, medium and heavy-duty truck, farm equipment and machinery, industrial equipment, marine, recreational products, motorcycle, HVAC, plumbing, residential electrical and solar power, commercial and residential structure fires, automotive and equipment fires, commercial and light automotive tires, product liability claims, crash data retrieval and accident reconstruction. Billy actively volunteers and participates with advisory boards for local High Schools and Colleges, NATEF Accreditation Committee, and is a SKILLS USA Judge at local, state, and national level events. Billy has the following designations: ASE Master Certified Technician, GM Certified Technician, American Honda Certified Master Technician, and 1st Place Winner of 2-National Trouble Shooting Contest with a reputable Automotive Manufacturer. Billy started his automotive career while enrolled as a fulltime student with his own business that rebuilt and repaired automatic transmissions. Billy earned an Associate Degree in Automotive Technology from Des Moines Area Community College. Billy is determined to being part of the solution, today’s technician’s shortage. He is the adjunct Professor, active/currently teaching Automotive Technologies at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park Kansas. Finding the time and commitment, to instruct, mentor and share your experience for tomorrow’s technician.

Jerry Gastineau
Senior Director, Collision Database Development | Mitchell

With over three decades of experience, Jerry Gastineau has become a leading authority on auto body repair and damage appraisal. In his current role, he oversees a team of more than 60 subject matter experts responsible for authoring the comprehensive collision database relied upon daily by North America’s top insurers, repairers and independent appraisers. The database powers Mitchell’s flagship solutions and includes over 135,000 unique vehicle configurations, 5.4 million labor times, 13 million parts and 4.5 million part and assembly relationships for the most popular passenger, commercial and specialty vehicles on the road today.

Matt Mesick
Director, EV Strategies | Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Inc.

Matt Mesick is the EV Strategies Director at Isuzu Commercial Truck of America creating resources, information, and solutions for the successful promotion, sales, and servicing of Isuzu’s zero emission products. With more than 25 years of experience in the automotive and truck industries on both the dealer and OEM side, Matt has been a part of successful teams and held key roles in service, parts, sales, and operations. His passion continues to be service oriented in finding proactive and innovative solutions to problems creating an improved foundation to build on.

Mark J. Claypool, AMAM
Executive Director | Automotive Management Institute (AMI)
President, SOP MD, A Division of K-Quest Inc.

Mark Claypool has worked in the fields of online web presence, marketing, occupational mentoring, training, workforce development, nonprofit management and business education partnerships for over 40 years. As an Automotive Management Institute (AMI) accredited master automotive manager (AMAM) he has founded five companies, two nonprofits and one foundation in his career. He is currently the President and CEO of K-Quest Inc. (of which SOP MD is a division). Mark is also the Executive Director of the Automotive Management Institute. In 2018 he was named AMI’s 2018 Training Provider of the Year.

Chris White
President | KECO Body Repair Products

Chris White has dedicated his career to advancing repair methods in the collision industry. With over 25 years of experience in engineering and entrepreneurship, Chris is passionate about making Glue Pull Repair (GPR) a mainstream solution for collision repair—including heavy-duty vehicles. Under his leadership, KECO Body Repair Products focuses on equipping technicians with innovative systems and tools, backed by comprehensive training programs that empower shops to adopt non-invasive repair methods and improve efficiency.

Tipu Chauhdary
Senior Vice-President, Business Development Manager Sr., ByLine Bank

Tipu has had a successful banking and finance career spanning 20+ years with the past 17 specializing in government guaranteed lending and small business finance. During this tenure he has mentored others and financed over half a billion in loans himself for a wide array of industries including automotive, manufacturing, childcare, healthcare, hospitality and oil and gas among others. His projects have included franchise financing, acquisition of real estate and business assets, financing of equipment, providing working capital needs as well as business expansion funds. Prior to his current position at Byline Bank, Tipu co-founded the commercial lending division for a boutique Chicago commercial brokerage firm, focusing on debt financing for his clients.

Carl Dumele
CEO | Aeromotive Services

Carl Dumele is the Founder and CEO of Aeromotive Services Inc. As the founder, with 40+ years of experience in electrical systems and wire harness assemblies, Carl played an integral role in creating and developing the startup of the automotive electrical field service market. As a result, there are over 100 companies providing this type of service. As CEO, in 2005 he set out to diversify the company’s portfolio and began building manufacturing platforms that now include the Automotive, Commercial; On road and off-road equipment, and the Av/Aerospace markets. Today the company has a balanced mix of each of these primary sectors. Over the course of 5 years, he successfully implemented quality control standards ISO9001-2015 and AS9100 Aerospace Standards throughout the organization. As result, today the company provides OEM Tier 1 manufacturers such as Ford, Navistar, Case IH and Case CE, Garmin, and others with quality “Build to Print” design, prototyping and manufacturing services. In 2010, Carl innovated the industry once again. Aeromotive set out to be the 1st in the Nation to offer a sustainability program for wire assemblies. Today, the “Remanufactured Wire Assembly Program” has successfully provided “Cradle to Grave” manufacturing to many of the customers they currently manufacture for on a Tier 1 level. This program has extended the life of equipment, retained valuable resources, and reduced environmental waste. Additionally, it allows for the customer to retain their equipment that may be reaching the end of production, end of service life, backordered material, or obsolescence. Today, Carl is positioning Aeromotive to stay ahead of the effect technological advances have on the architecture of the electrical system. For example, systems such as: ADAS, HVEV, communication and navigation, miniaturization of material and production tooling have led to a high impact/high probability of failure when it comes to service repairs and manufacturing operations.

John Walcher
President | Veritas Advisors

John Walcher is the President of Veritas Advisors, Inc., an M&A, capital raising and strategic advisory firm that works with automotive aftermarket companies to help them achieve their growth objectives through acquisitions and real estate developments, or representing them in their pursuit of the ultimate milestone: the sale of their businesses. Mr. Walcher brings a wealth of knowledge to every engagement. During his more than 20 years in M&A, he has been involved in numerous collision repair transactions, including many MSO deals on both the buy side and the sell side. He also has led multiple deals in other segments of the aftermarket, including automotive service, paint distribution, equipment manufacturing, software and professional services. His background is supplemented by dozens of deals in health care, engineering & construction, manufacturing and various service industries, as well as transactions in China, Brazil, England and Canada. He provides expert witness testimony and valuation opinions, speaks on M&A trends and strategies, and has advised several large private equity groups on consolidation strategies. Prior to starting Veritas Advisors in 2009, Mr. Walcher spent many years in corporate M&A, doing deals for two Fortune© 500 corporations, as well as spending seven years at Caliber Collision Centers, departing in 2007 as its Vice President of Corporate Development and Governmental Affairs (during which time the company was ranked #9 on the INC. 500© list of Fastest Growing Private Companies). Before attending graduate school, Mr. Walcher was a senior staff economist performing econometric analysis as a U.S. Department of Defense contractor. Mr. Walcher holds a Master of Science in Finance from the London Business School and a Bachelor of Science in Economics cum laude from the University of California.

Chris Bishop
Manager of Outside Parts Sales | ISUZU Commercial Truck of America

Driven by a deep passion for the commercial truck industry, Chris currently serves as the Manager of Outside Parts Sales at ISUZU Commercial Truck of America. In this role, he leads a dedicated team responsible for supporting Isuzu products from the moment they leave the dealership. The Aftersales team provides comprehensive support to customers, including fleets and repair shops, handling parts, technical inquiries, and general assistance. With over 30 years of experience in the field, Chris’s career has been both extensive and diverse. For the past 13 years, Chris has been with ISUZU, where he has held several roles including District Service and Parts Manager, LBM (Regional Service and Parts), Aftersales Development Manager, and currently Manager of Outside Parts Sales. Originally from Wasilla, AK, Chris is a lifelong enthusiast of hunting, fishing, and outdoor sports. Additionally, he is passionate about restoring early 4×4 trucks and SUVs, a hobby that’s both challenging and rewarding.

Jason Garfoot
3M Global Portfolio Leader—Paint Application Systems | 3M Company

Jason brings a wealth of experience to the event, with a background as a painter and industry consultant on equipment and process efficiencies with paint companies. Now serving as 3M s global leader for paint application systems and processes, Jason offers diverse insights and expertise.

Dean Hancock
Industry Consultant | SOP MD, A Division of K-Quest Inc.

Dean Hancock’s passion is to help collision repair owners and managers be successful in their businesses. He has been in the collision repair industry for 38 years. For 14 of those years, Dean owned Bob Johnson’s Body Shop in Cayce, SC, where they specialized in heavy-duty and automotive collision repair. Dean’s experience in the industry includes the last two and a half years with an MSO, ten years working as an automotive and commercial paint technician, and another 12 years as a representative of a paint manufacturer. Dean has earned his Six Sigma black belt from Aveta Business Institute in October of 2012, became I-Car Platinum certified in 2019, and has also attended the University of Phoenix. Dean has been featured in FenderBender and Body Shop Business magazines. Dean was instrumental in developing the business council group for commercial collision repairs. Dean’s recognition of the need and benefit of a commercial vehicle business council, helped drive him to push for and help establish the business council group that persists today. Hancock served as president for the group. He has served on the HD Repair Forum’s advisory board since its inception, facilitates PPG Coatings Damage Analysis for commercial vehicles, and is a partner in SOP MD, where standard operating procedures for the heavy-duty collision repair industry are developed. His first-hand experience in both commercial and automotive collision repair offers a unique perspective on solutions, along with expertise in evaluating business processes and implementing lean practices.

Doug Spiller
Director of Collision & Diagnostic Sales | Chief & Rotary Solutions

Doug Spiller plays a pivotal role in sales, development & business growth for the Chief brand and its family of collision repair products. Doug worked as Heavy Duty Product manager for Rotary Lift for over 15 years. In that role he worked closely with large transit & fleet companies, architects, and end users to analyze and address their specific needs for product improvements for servicing class 3-8 vehicles. Spiller’s unique combination of engineering expertise, field sales, product management and customer service experience have enabled him to help convert customer needs and feedback into innovative engineering designs and process improvements, resulting in products that are feature rich, faster, and easier to use. Spiller has completed a master of business administration (MBA) degree from Webster University, St. Louis. He holds a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in engineering mechanics from the University of Missouri at Rolla. He is also a 2nd generation Eagle Scout and a two-time Grand Champion BBQ’r.

Kirby Stephens
Business Development Manager, National Accounts | Norton|Saint-Gobain

With over 35 years of experience at Norton Abrasives, Kirby Stephens has built an extensive career spanning manufacturing and sales. Starting in the abrasives manufacturing facility, he gained hands-on expertise that laid the foundation for his deep understanding of the industry. Today, he leverages that knowledge to support customers with innovative solutions and best practices, making him a valuable resource in the HD repair space.

James Garibay
Trainer / Technical Database Developer | Celette

James Garibay is an accomplished automotive industry expert with over 42 years of experience in the heavy truck and automotive sectors. His career journey spans multiple roles, starting as a Body Technician, and Paint Technician, where he honed his technical skills before advancing into leadership positions as a Body Shop Manager and Corporate Trainer. For 24 years, James dedicated his expertise to the auto-auction industry, taking on various roles that deepened his knowledge of the sector. His extensive experience has made him a versatile and highly skilled professional, capable of navigating the diverse challenges of the automotive world. Currently, James serves as a Trainer and Database Developer at Celette, where he operates out of the North America Headquarters. In this capacity, he develops and delivers specialized training programs and manages key database projects that support the company’s objectives across North America. James also was an I-CAR and Vocational Instructor and continues to contribute to the automotive industry by sharing his wealth of experience and technical knowledge with colleagues and future leaders in the field.

Joe Lauritsen
Trainer | Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC

A veteran service professional, Joe’s career spans over 35 years in the commercial vehicle industry. He has held key customer-facing and management roles in field service, quality engineering, service engineering, and production engineering for multiple CVS segments. Joe has been a member of the Bendix field service engineering team since 2014, delivering top-rated customer technical and troubleshooting assistance and conducting private and public instruction covering the Bendix product and technology portfolio. A highly regarded customer advocate, Joe has developed and judged national, regional, and fleet-level service competitions. Joe holds an associate’s degree in business from Kilgore College, Kilgore, Texas.

Marc Brune
Business Development Manager | Mentor Mentee

Marc is a Business Development Manager for Mentor Mentee and helps service centers across the U.S. implement technical mentoring programs that improve retention, accelerate productivity, and develop entry-level technicians into long-term professionals. Coming from a family of independent auto business owners and as a product of mentoring himself, he understands the challenges of building and keeping a skilled team. His work focuses on practical, scalable solutions that help businesses train, retain, and grow their workforce efficiently.

Karl Schneider
Sr Training Instructor | Bosch

Karl Schneider brings over 30 years of experience as a technician and shop owner, holding multiple certifications, including ASE Automotive Master L1, L2 truck specialist, and AAM accreditation. His training career began in the late 1990s, leading to roles in program development for the Massachusetts inspector certification program and work with automotive manufacturers and tool suppliers. Since joining Robert Bosch LLC in 2012 as a Senior Training Instructor, he has specialized in diesel systems, ADAS, and program development. He also contributes to the Diesel Helpdesk and collaborates with ASE on test development, solidifying his impact on automotive training and industry advancements.

Matthew Marks
Director of Insurance Services | Duncan Systems by Lippert

Matthew Marks has led Duncan Systems’ RV Estimating software for over a decade, bringing extensive expertise in insurance services and claims management. Before joining Duncan, he served as an RV Claims Manager at a top 5 P & C insurer, with hands-on experience as both a claims handler and field adjuster. Matthew’s deep industry knowledge and practical experience make him a trusted leader in RV insurance solutions.

Greg Peeters
CEO | Car ADAS Solutions

With over three decades of management and operational experience in the dealer-owner and conglomerate body shop group industry, Greg Peeters has dedicated his career to the collision and ADAS calibration industry. He is a highly motivated and results-driven automotive executive and has extensive experience in strategic planning, business development, competitive market share expansion, and operations management. Focusing on OEM-Centric processes, Greg is excited to share relevant knowledge from his experiences and the relationships between passenger vehicles and HD Trucks.

Jeff Deskin
Director of Vehicle Technology | Car ADAS Solutions

With 22 years of experience in automotive diagnostics and repair, including a focus on medium-duty (MD) and heavy-duty (HD) trucks, Jeff Deskin brings a wealth of expertise to his profession. He spent eight years specializing in Land Rover and Jaguar vehicles and then two years at Allen ISD, where he diagnosed and repaired the school district’s MD trucks and school buses. Additionally, Jeff collaborated closely with product engineers as a Tier 1 Agent at Toyota’s Technical Assistance System for two years and served as the calibration supervisor at asTech, where he developed processes and gained expertise in properly calibrating vehicles.

Denis White
Education Manager | TEXA

With 40 years of experience in the heavy-duty truck and automotive industry, Denis White has built an extensive career rooted in expertise and innovation. His deep understanding of vehicle diagnostics, repair, and technology has made him a trusted professional in the field. For the past eight years, Denis has specialized in ADAS calibration, training technicians, and playing a key role in the development of new products and procedures. His dedication to advancing industry standards and educating others has helped shape the evolving landscape of vehicle safety and diagnostics.

Blake Franko
Information Manager | ATA’s Technology & Maintenance Council

Blake Franko is the Information Manager at the American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC). He publishes TMC’s quarterly magazine, Fleet Maintenance & Technology, the Council’s newsletter, Fleet Adviser, and the Trailblazer, TMC’s technical journal of general meetings. Blake has worked as an editor for the past decade.

Jil Marchand
Director, Product Management | International Motors

Jil Marchand is a seasoned product management leader at International Motors, specializing in commercial vehicle parts. She ensures Fleetrite collision parts deliver durability, reliability, and value to repair professionals. Join her session to learn where to buy Fleetrite products and how they can enhance your repair process.

Bill Kahn
Senior Principal Engineer | Peterbilt Motors

Bill Kahn is a Senior Principal Engineer at Peterbilt Motors and is the Manager of Advanced Concepts. An engineering graduate (BSME) of Texas A&M University, he has over 40 years of experience in the trucking and aerospace industry. His last 25 years while at Peterbilt have been dedicated to evaluating emerging technologies and developing timelines for their viability within the Peterbilt product. His Group’s work includes innovation in the areas of autonomous vehicles, next generation combustion engines, electrified vehicles, hybrid powertrains, alternative fuels, and lightweight materials. Mr. Kahn’s Group at Peterbilt has been responsible in the past for fielding an industry leading 200 L4/L5 Autonomous Vehicle Platforms for ADAS Development, and over 20 all-electric vehicles in support launching Peterbilt BEV Development Program. Of late, work is focusing on Hydrogen as a transportation fuel. Mr. Kahn is a member of the University of North Texas Faculty Advisory Board, and the Society of Automotive Engineers among other groups. He also has six patents for innovation in automotive technology.