Meet WMABA Board Member Jill Michaels

by Alana Quartuccio

Jill Michaels (Surventis, formerly BASF) is one of the newest faces on WMABA’s Board of Directors.

Not only is she incredibly passionate about the industry, but Michaels also believes strongly in the power of strength in numbers, continuously advocating for association participation.

“In today’s turbulent market, I believe collision centers need to become more actively involved with associations such as WMABA,” she says. “I use every opportunity – and I mean every opportunity if they will listen to me – to educate shops throughout my market about the work WMABA is doing behind the scenes. This is particularly important in Maryland, which remains underrepresented within the association. Almost every shop I visit expresses frustration about the challenges affecting our industry. My response is always to encourage them to get involved. There is strength in numbers, and the more collision repairers participate, share their experiences, and make their voices heard, the stronger our industry will become.”

Perhaps Michaels didn’t initially intend to pursue work in the collision repair space but fate – or in this case, family – opened the door to a world she’s happy to be a part of.

“I was pulled into the industry by my twin sister – it’s always a family member, right? I started working part-time as a receptionist at the collision center she managed. Gradually, I took on more responsibilities, including rewriting estimates and ordering parts, until it became a full-time position when she purchased her own shop. During my time there, I handled production management, estimating, insurer negotiations, and parts procurement. From there, I transitioned into virtual estimating during COVID and ultimately landed in my current role with Surventis, which was BASF Coatings at the time.”

Now, Michaels is the account representative for Surventis covering Virginia, northwestern North Carolina, and most recently Maryland and Washington, DC.

“I feel extremely fortunate to have been given this opportunity, and I will always be grateful to have a boss who recognized my ability to succeed in the role despite not having prior field paint-sales experience,” she notes. “I’ll tell anyone that when I worked in a collision center, I didn’t focus much on the paint or where it came from. As long as the finished repair looked amazing during the final quality inspection, that was all I cared about. Since moving into this position, however, I have gained a much greater appreciation for the value a paint manufacturer partner can bring to a collision center. I truly enjoy helping shops improve their profitability while continuing to deliver high-quality repairs to their customers.”

Michaels recognizes the importance of staying on top of industry trends and events, which she does through social media in addition to her time out in the field. A true Gen X’er, she finds platforms such as LinkedIn and Facebook to be helpful tools to keep her informed about what is happening in the collision repair industry.

“I only wish I had more time to read all the articles I come across!” she admits. “Being a field sales representative also gives me the opportunity to speak directly with collision centers that are on the front lines and experiencing the industry’s challenges every day. Those conversations provide valuable, real-world insight into emerging trends, concerns and opportunities.”

Michaels credits John Shoemaker (formerly of BASF), for getting her involved with the Board.

“My paint-industry mentor, dear friend and current WMABA board member, John Shoemaker, was instrumental in introducing me to the association and encouraging me to become as involved as possible. Attending WMABA meetings and events opened my eyes to the tremendous value that auto body associations bring to their markets,” she relays. “I am proud and grateful to be a part of the organization.

“I am ready and willing to support the board in any way I can,” she continues. “Because I spend so much time in the field, I have the opportunity to speak with shops of all sizes, operating in very different markets and under a wide range of business models. I hope to bring their perspectives, challenges, and feedback back to the board whenever that information can help WMABA better support its members and advance the collision repair industry.”

Want more? Check out the October 2026 issue of Hammer & Dolly!