From August 20-22, CARSTAR Canada hosted its 2025 Rise Conference at the Westin Harbour Castle in Toronto. Over 500 attendees, including CARSTAR franchisees and corporate team members, as well as vendor partners and other industry stakeholders attended and what a conference it was.

Over three days, attendees had the opportunity to take part in some highly informative general information and breakout sessions, be involved in some fantastic fund-raising activities, as well as celebrate exceptional achievements by stores within the network, not to mention having highly valuable networking opportunities.

 Slam Dunk Stroll

The event kicked off with the Slam Dunk Stroll in Toronto’s downtown waterfront area, in which a sea of attendees dressed in red tee-shirts made for a spectacular sight. Equally impressive was the $9,150 they raised in support of Cystic Fibrosis. The top 10 CARSTAR fundraising locations for this activity were:

1. CARSTAR St-Felix de Valois and CARSTAR Rawdon 
2. CARSTAR London East and West
3. CARSTAR TORCAM Group
4. CARSTAR Chavez Auto Group
5. CARSTAR Scarborough North East
6. CARSTAR Onoway
7. CARSTAR London Centre (Don Mor)
8. CARSTAR Johnny K Group
9. CARSTAR Saskatoon
10. CARSTAR Kenora

Following the charity walk the 2025 Rise Conference officially kicked off with an energizing welcome from the event’s Emcees, zone directors Collin Welsh and Andrew Northrup.

During the course of the event, the emcees energized the crowd and set the tone for an inspiring week. Following their introductory session, next on stage was Sabina Thring, Brand President. 

Executive update

In an Executive Update session, Thring delivered an inspiring and future-focused address, one that set a powerful tone for the future of CARSTAR. She welcomed the network with warmth and gratitude, reflecting on the accomplishments, momentum, and key opportunities that have shaped 2025 so far.

Thring began the session with her “My Why,” a personal message that highlighted her passion and purpose for leading the CARSTAR brand and supporting the people within it. She talked about “Rising Above the Rest,” emphasizing CARSTAR’s relentless commitment to excellence and how the network and its people continue to stand apart in what is today, a highly competitive collision repair industry.

Thring also emphasized the need to reinforce core brand values, built around Vision, Mission and Values. In terms of current market trends, Thring looked at how these are impacting the industry and how CARSTAR continues to move forward and meet changing customer and industry behaviours and expectations.

She also discussed projections going into the second half of 2025 including new unit growth, sales trajectories, expansion of DRP programs, as well as OEM certifications and fundraising goals for Cystic Fibrosis Canada.

Action and innovation

Thring also painted a vision for the future anchored in action and innovation, which continues to build upon initiatives first announced at last year’s conference in Victoria. These include Restore the Star, innovation targeted at creating a seamless and elevated repair experience across the network, performance and profitability initiatives, as well as CSAC and the Green Star Certified program.

As Sabrina looked to the close of 2025 and the journey into 2026, she emphasized the importance of staying focused on operational excellence, optimizing network performance, and delivering exceptional customer and claims experiences.

Thring closed with heartfelt acknowledgements to CARSTAR’s partners, sponsors, and franchisees, recognizing that collective success is only possible because of their commitment and support.

Fireside chat

A very special guest on the opening night was NHL and Toronto Maple Leafs hockey legend Darcy Tucker. He joined Dave Foster, CARSTAR Canada’s Senior Vice President of Operations and Development for an engaging fireside chat that really captivated the audience. Topics included the importance of teamwork, hard work, dedication, and resilience, drawing parallels between Tucker’s own experience in hockey and the NHL, as well as challenges faced every day in business. Through candid stories and meaningful lessons, Tucker and Foster delivered some incredibly valuable insights that truly resonated with all in attendance. Tucker and fellow NHL legend Doug Gilmour were also on hand that evening, providing a fun evening packed full of hockey history that enabled everyone to connect, share stories, network with industry leaders, and enjoy exclusive access to iconic NHL memorabilia and experiences.

Franchisee of the year

The opening night also recognized CARSTAR’s Franchisee of the Year, which in 2025 went to Mike Cherneta and MGM Group. Cherneta began his journey with CARSTAR not as an owner, but as an employee. By learning the business from the inside out, Mike gained invaluable firsthand experience that now guides his leadership approach.

With a strong focus on team culture, operational discipline, and strategic growth, Cherneta has grown MGM Auto Group from a single facility to an impressive seven-location MSO in just a few years. Cherneta continues to lead the industry with a forward-thinking mindset, a powerful brand presence, and an unwavering commitment to excellence—setting a high bar for not only his business and the entire CARSTAR network, but also the collision repair industry in Canada.

Stay tuned to Autosphere.ca for more coverage.