WMABA Awards Tool Grants to Aspiring Technicians

SCC served as an opportunity for WMABA to celebrate hard working students who are committed to making collision repair a career.

Executive Director Jordan Hendler and President Kris Burton took to the SCC stage to present four tool grants to students from the association’s two “adopted schools” – Center of Applied Technologies North (Severn, MD) and Northern Virginia Community College (Wakefield, VA). 

“We are excited about new people coming into our industry,” shared Hendler. “Our industry is so much bigger than the general population understands. One of the biggest things we can do is provide tools to new people coming into our industry to help get them off to a good start and hopefully prevent them from starting their careers with ‘tool debt.’

“Our association partners with our two adopted schools to create a process where our shops and the schools can connect, so students have a work environment to go into,” she continued. 

Funds from annual fundraising events, such as the annual golf tournament, help grow WMABA’s Jerry Dalton Memorial Fund to make grants like this one possible, she explained. 

Miles Keegan and Brian Mattern of Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) were each presented with $2,000 from WMABA in addition to $1,500 worth of tools each from Milwaukee Tool for a total of $3,500 each in tools. “Milwaukee Tool really dove in to help us make this possible for our students,” stated Hendler. 

“WMABA has been amazing to us,” said Laura Garcia-Moreya, program head for the automotive and collision program at NVCC, who spoke with gratitude of the support the program has received which has kept it from being cancelled. “This means a lot to us – the instructors – and also the students. Thank you Milwaukee and WMABA.” Instructor Warren Barbee called both students “brave and smart enough to go out into the field on their own, taking their skills and turning them into a career. I look forward to seeing them work hard and continue to grow.” 

Keegan and Mattern both expressed their gratitude for helping them see a bright future ahead and for helping to set them up in the right direction. 

In addition, tool grants in the amount of $2,000 each toward Harbor Freight tools were presented to Steve Benetta and Emma Giles of Center of Applied Technologies North, who were unable to attend the award ceremony. 

Want more? Check out the June 2025 issue of Hammer & Dolly!