AASP/MA Ready to Thrive in ‘25 with New Leadership
by Alana Quartuccio
Just mere weeks into the new year, and there’s already been loads of good energy surrounding the Massachusetts auto body association.
AASP/MA closed out 2024 with a big win! The year ended with news that an Auto Body Labor Rate Advisory Board will be established with one purpose and one purpose only – to study, review and recommend a fair and reasonable labor reimbursement rate. (See the January issue of New England Automotive Report for more details at grecopublishing.com/near0125coverstory.)
While this positive news began to spread throughout the Commonwealth auto body community, AASP/MA was in the midst of conducting its annual election for the 2025-2026 term, which resulted in new leadership and new synergy for the coming year and then some.
Matthew Ciaschini (Full Tilt Auto Body; West Hatfield) was elected to serve as president of the Alliance, while his predecessor Kevin Gallerani (Cape Auto Body; Plymouth) has committed to remain active with AASP/MA as immediate past president.
Doug Begin (Vendetti Motors; Franklin), an active member of the Alliance for the past few years, has been elected to serve as vice president.
“I really look forward to working with Matt and Executive Director Lucky Papageorg,” shares Begin. “We made some great strides in 2024, and it’s time to keep up the pressure into 2025 and beyond. If we keep moving forward, we can make some great headway in Massachusetts.” Adhering to the idea of “if you want to become wealthy, study what wealthy people do,” Begin seeks to study other associations that have also effected to create positive change on behalf of body shops and consumers for inspiration to help the association move forward with its ongoing efforts to improve the industry in the Commonwealth.
The membership re-elected Dana Snowdale (D&S Auto Works; Abington) as treasurer, Don Dowling (Marblehead Collision; Marblehead) as secretary, Brian Bernard (Total Care Accident Repair; Raynham) as legislative chairman and Dan Wenzel (Wenzel’s Auto Body; Pocasset) as collision chairman.
The election resulted in the return of many long-serving Board members and the addition of some newcomers. Most notably, the membership welcomed back Rick Starbard (Rick’s Auto Collision; Revere) to serve as a director. Starbard has decades of experience with the auto body industry in Massachusetts and has held leadership roles in the past with the former Massachusetts Auto Body Association and the former AASP National Board; most recently, he served on the Auto Damage Appraisers Licensing Board (ADALB).
“I look forward to getting involved with the association again, especially since I’ve been off the ADALB,” expresses Starbard. “I feel a bit out of the loop since I have not been as involved as I had been in the past, because I was involved in local politics, which took up a lot of my time. But now I’ve put that behind me, and I look forward to reconnecting with everyone and getting involved.
“When guys like myself and [retired Board member] Kevin Kyes got involved, we were the kids then,” he recalls. “Now, it’s the other way around, and the shoe is on the other foot. We got younger guys coming up, and it’s great to see some second-generation shop owners like Kevin Gallerani and Don Dowling getting involved, looking to grow their businesses and helping grow the industry. It’ll be fun to be back at it.”
Brian Stone (Anchor Collision; Hyannis) is eager to return for another term as a director. Stone, who also serves as vice president of collision operations for the Balise Auto Group, looks forward to working with the fellow Board members and their new president. “Matt and I share a lot of the same goals when it comes to quality repairs, holding yourself accountable, doing what’s right for the customer and getting paid the rate we should be getting paid for fixing these vehicles.”
Working toward improving the labor reimbursement rate is an absolute shared goal. His work with the Balise group – which has shops in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island – has allowed him to see the different landscapes in neighboring states, and he wants to see that change. “My shop in Springfield is literally 15 minutes away from Connecticut, and they have a totally different reimbursement rate, and it’s the same with Rhode Island. We have not had a voice in this matter like they have had in other states. We have one of the highest costs of living in the country and the lowest labor rate. I want to work to make things better.”
AASP/MA is divided into four zones representing different parts of the state. The following were elected to serve as Directors and Affiliate Directors:
Zone 1 (Southshore)
Directors:
Mike Penacho (Mike’s Auto Body; Fall River)
Brian Stone (Anchor Collision; Hyannis)
Jimmy Kelsey (Kelsey’s Auto Body; South Chatham)
Affiliate Directors:
John Studer (Whitman Body Works; Whitman)
Russell Oagles (Five Star Collision; Westport)
CJ Ellis (John’s Collision; Hyannis)
Zone 2 (Midstate)
Directors:
Brenda Lacaire (Steve’s Collision Center; Sturbridge)
Nick Franchi (Franchi Brothers Auto Body; Worcester)
Ray Belsito (Arnie’s Body Shop; Charlton)
Affiliate Director:
Tom Lucas (Wagner Certified Collision Center; Worcester
Zone 3 (Western)
Directors:
Gary Cloutier (Cloots Auto Body; Westfield)
Andrew Potter (North Amherst Motors; North Amherst)
McColl Rhodes (Nesco Sales; Bondsville)
Affiliate Directors:
Sarah Mazzaferro (Custom Auto Body; East Longmeadow)
Scott Thompson (Balise Collision Center; W. Springfield)
Mike Nawrocki (Geno’s Auto Service; Chicopee)
Rich Tanchyk (VIVE Collision; Holyoke)
Zone 4 (Boston/Northshore)
Directors:
Jeff White (North Andover Auto Body; North Andover)
JR Force (Repairs Unlimited; Georgetown)
Rick Starbard (Rick’s Auto Collision; Revere)
Affiliate Directors:
Dean Luther (Carlisle Auto Body; Carlisle)
Jayce Mitchell (Mitchell’s Auto Body; Tewksbury)
Gregg Tanguay (Marshall’s Auto Body Experts; Billerica)
Scott Varney (Westford Collision; Westford)
Want more? Check out the February 2025 issue of New England Automotive Report!