Giving as good as he got
By Chris Woodka, The Pueblo Chieftain, Colo. | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
But that's not all that drives owner
"It's important to give back to the community," said Wilson, who at 55 is the sole owner of the business. "I grew up here, was born and raised here. My dad worked at the steel mill."
Wilson started the business with a partner in 1990, but became the sole owner in 1991.
His interest in cars goes back further than that.
"I've always enjoyed working on cars and fixing them up," Wilson said.
After helping a friend restore a car, Wilson decided to earn an automotive and collision degree from
"We started out doing anything in restoration," Wilson said. "Now we work mostly on collision insurance stuff."
The 18,000-square-foot shop, located on three acres at
Earlier this month, for instance, his crews replaced a chassis on a Jeep. With the engine here, the body there and the frames on lifts in the process of switching, it was not a scene for the squeamish.
"Most people don't come back to see their cars being worked on," Wilson mused.
While the collision work for insurance companies is the bread-andbutter of the business now, it wasn't always so.
Aspen Paint & Body used to paint boats, from the time when Wilson was a partner at Outboard Marine & Ski in
Still, not every job is routine.
In the last few months, the business donated its resources to paint the South High School Colt -- yes, the one on the top of the school -- and to repaint the cannon after South reclaimed it from East.
"We've done a couple of old tractors," Wilson said. "You have to match the colors."
Then there was the Morgan.
"The customer had gone to
It was no ordinary fix-it job. The Morgan was handmade at a factory in
"We had to order all the pieces from
When asked about his favorite automobile, he
gives a very political answer, because a lot of his work is for local dealers.
"I don't really have a favorite. One of the biggest things about our business is that we can fix anything," he said. "I have really good people who work for me and a good team of techs. When you do 4,500 cars a year, and never have many callbacks, the work has to be good."
The shop has received numerous awards, the latest being the Premier Customer Service Award, which is based on industry customer surveys. The award means
More locally, the business placed first in the Best of
"Our customers are some of the best people we could ask for," Wilson said. "
As for his own family, his wife Cindy operates a commercial and residential rental business, and his daughter Lindsey is studying to become a medical doctor.
In the community, Wilson supports local schools,
"We have to give back to the city that has been good to all of us," he said. [email protected]
___
(c)2014 The Pueblo Chieftain (Pueblo, Colo.)
Visit The Pueblo Chieftain (Pueblo, Colo.) at www.chieftain.com
Distributed by MCT Information Services
Wordcount: | 661 |
Citizen to join ethics commission
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News