Vendor Affinity Program Spotlight: I-CAR

by Katie Agnello

The Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) is an educational institution focused on training collision repair professionals in the latest and most significant information, equipment and techniques.

Established in 1979, I-CAR boasts over 45 years of experience and centers its mission on the fact it was founded by the industry and for the industry to help technicians serve their communities with complete, safe and quality repairs.

Thousands of shops and technicians go to I-CAR for their training, all leading up to Gold Class Recognition, the highest training designation in the industry. This acknowledgement signifies that a shop has expert technicians as they’ve received the most recent and relevant training possible. Once a shop and/or technician receives this designation, the training does not stop there. I-CAR prides itself on aiding in the continuing education of shops as the industry continues to evolve and change over time.

I-CAR’s Associate Vice President of Collision Repair Terry Ticel shared why I-CAR’s training programs are so important in the ever-changing automotive industry: “The industry is more complex than ever.”

He described the “technical tsunami”of AI and advanced computer technology coming to the automotive repair business, specifically through the influx of electric vehicles. “Ongoing training is essential for safe and quality repairs. Additionally, ongoing education like I-CAR courses is paramount, given the grid base of the automotive technology that’s coming out in new vehicles.”

Ticel not only described this commitment to education, but I-CAR’s devotion to their customers as well. “I-CAR is not just a vendor; we’re a partner, and our mission is to ensure that every collision repair professional has the knowledge and skills to perform complete, safe and quality repairs.”

I-CAR recently became a MABA Vendor Affinity Program Platinum Sponsor, a commitment that the educational company takes very seriously. “It comes down to shared values and purpose,” said Ticel. “MABA is fighting for the Massachusetts shops every day, and I-CAR’s whole reason for existing is to make sure that the technicians in those shops have the knowledge and skills to repair vehicles safely and correctly.

Those missions go hand in hand,” he continued. “When I-CAR supports MABA, we’re telling every shop owner and technician in the state, ‘We see you.’ We’re invested in your success, and we’re here for the long haul.”

The large presence of the automotive industry in New England has allowed I-CAR to make such a commitment to training technicians in the area. “There are over 1,000 registered auto body shops in the New England-Massachusetts area, and we’ve been working with the shops across that region to provide training that keeps their technicians current with the latest vehicle technologies,” stated Ticel. “We have more than 100 Gold Class shops throughout Massachusetts, and our goal is to grow that footprint and make sure that every shop in the New England area has a clear path to training that helps them sharpen their knowledge and skills contributing to repairing vehicles completely, safely and correctly.”

Want more? Check out the May 2026 issue of New England Automotive Report!