Former MABA President Chris Colo Remembered as a Strong Consumer Advocate

by Alana Quartuccio

Christopher T. Colo, of Orange, will surely go down in Massachusetts auto body association history as being a fighter and an advocate for doing the right thing. 

The Massachusetts auto body industry is mourning the loss of Chris, who passed away March 1 at the age of 64 after a period of declining health due to Alzheimer’s dementia. Colo formerly owned Advanced Auto (Athol) and served as president of the Massachusetts Auto Body Association (MABA). 

During high school and college, Chris towed vehicles for Stan’s Autobody. He had a strong engineering background born out of his studies at University of Lowell. His first business was MC Electronics. He spent many years servicing and installing tanning beds and repairing gym equipment throughout the greater New England area – including installing a tanning bed for Tim McGraw and Faith Hill.

Chris’ father, H. Thomas Colo, was also a noted advocate, having served in the state House of Representatives. In 1991, they partnered to open and operate Advanced Auto where Chris performed mechanical and collision repairs. 

His colleagues throughout the Commonwealth remember Chris for his fighting spirit, especially on behalf of consumers. 

“He was an honest, upstanding guy,” shares Gary Cloutier (Cloots Auto Body; Westfield). “He’d give you the shirt off his back.” Cloutier became friends with Chris during their time with MABA. 

“He was definitely pro-consumer and pro-shop. Chris was on the right side of what we are always going after – making sure the consumer is compensated. Everything that we are still fighting for is what Chris was about. It’s a shame to see him struck down at such an early age.”

AASP/MA Executive Director Lucky Papageorg recalls his time with Chris during the MABA days. “He was a leader,” he recounts of Chris’ time as president which was during the tail end of Papageorg’s time as MABA executive director. He noted his electrical background: “Back then, having someone of that caliber involved in collision repair – which wasn’t nearly as technical as it is now – was an oddity.

“Chris was a very strong advocate for the consumer, and he was a chip off the old block as his father was also a huge consumer advocate. He’d raise questions just as Chris did. Chris didn’t take what the insurance companies tried to pawn off as a rule. If he felt he was in the right, he was adamant about pursuing it.”

Like his father who fought for many things, including getting then-ADALB [Auto Damage Appraiser Licensing Board] Attorney Victor Fanikos to write the sublet letter on towing, “that was the fabric Chris was cut from.” 

Rick Starbard (Rick’s Auto Collision, Inc.; Revere) has known Chris since the 1990s when they were both on the MABA Board of Directors. 

Starbard recalls Chris standing up for the right thing, whether it be battling it out at the ADALB or travelling the state with his father trying to help educate other shops. 

“Both Chris and his dad were great guys,” he recalls. “They put so much time into trying to better the industry that they made sacrifices in their own business. They were the good guys. They were in it for the customers and the shops. They tried to make the industry better for all of us.”

Starbard also noted Chris’ even-keel nature. Even in situations where things would be intense, Chris always had a “calm way about getting his message across.” 

Dana Snowdale (D&S Autoworks; Abington) admired Chris’ dedication, hard work and leadership. Snowdale served as treasurer when Chris was president of MABA at the turn of the millennium. 

“Wherever he was needed, he was there. He’d travel all the way from Springfield to meetings on the north shore or south shore. He thought outside the box, and we accomplished a lot under his leadership. Chris was easygoing and always open-minded. He was always there to help; he would always answer the phone when you called.” 

Chris is survived by his son Matthew Colo and his wife Xiaoyan of Painted Post, NY; his daughter Ashley Brouillard and her husband Jon of Ashburnham; his two stepchildren, Rachel and Stephen Gagnon; four grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends including his “almost brother” Peter Carter, his steady and compassionate caregiver who allowed him to remain at home until his passing.

Donations in Chris’ memory may be made to Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N Michigan Ave., Fl 17, Chicago, IL 60601 or online at alz.org. (When donating, one can specify if they would like the donation to be used locally in Massachusetts.) 

Want more? Check out the May 2025 issue of New England Automotive Report!