CARSTAR, North America’s largest premier network of independently owned and operated collision repair facilities, recognized the top CARSTAR franchise partners in Canada and the U.S. for their leadership and performance at the opening ceremonies of the CARSTAR Conference 2022 on July 13, 2022, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center.

In the category for top system award winners, Dean Fisher, Collision President, Driven Brands, presented the Canadian and U.S. Franchisee of the Year award, which is the highest award given in the CARSTAR system. The winners were chosen on criteria such as using all vendors possible, attending the annual conference, commitment to the EDGE program, being image compliant, submitting reports on time online, and delivering consistently high CSI for the month and quarterly periods.

Canadian Franchisee of the Year

For Canada, the 2022 Franchisee of the Year is the CARSTAR Centennial Auto Group, led by Ezra, David and Robert Kember. The Kembers are a proud CARSTAR family with deep roots in their community. They continuously give back, whether through supporting local sports teams, church or cystic fibrosis fundraising initiatives. The Kembers are guiding their organization through explosive growth, expanding from a six-store MSO to eight locations through acquisition. They recently built a new 9,000-square-foot facility to replace an aging store and will be adding a ninth purpose-built facility by the end of the year. All of the locations provide exceptional customer service and deliver best-in-class performance in their communities.

“It’s a little too early to feel the full effect of this award, but we are honoured,” said Ezra Kember. “We joined CARSTAR with two facilities in 2004. In those early days, CARSTAR’s support with the direct repair partnerships was a key step in our success.”

Support

“We feel very supported by our CARSTAR family,” added David Kemper. “Our Zone Director, Dave Meery, has driven a lot of our growth through informing us of new purchasing opportunities. He does a lot of work with us to help smooth out any transitions or industry challenges.”

“We are so proud to honour the Kember family at CARSTAR Centennial Auto Group,” said Fisher. “Their commitment to growth, excellent performance, involvement in their community and loyalty to the CARSTAR brand are incredible. They exemplify the CARSTAR culture and legacy over our more than 30-year history.”

In the U.S., the 2022 Franchisee of the Year is Jason Wong, owner of CARSTAR Auto World Collision in the Bay Area with locations in San Francisco and San Jose. Wong generates outstanding performance across all CARSTAR KPIs, from the length of rental to CSI scores. He is known for providing superior customer service, community philanthropy and industry leadership, all with a humble attitude and engaging smile.

Visit CARSTAR.ca for more information.