DAVEN LIN

Daven Lin wouldn’t be where he is today without the mentorship from CSN Elite staff, and CSN Elite staff wouldn’t be the same without his leadership. Starting as a detailer at CSN Elite, he currently serves as the location manager at CSN Elite’s 142 Fell Ave location in North Vancouver. With 764 Google reviews boasting a 4.9-star rating, CSN Elite Body Shop is in the top bracket for touch and cycle time. Daven was nominated for 30 Under 40 by his colleague, Jenna Bartok, who works in human resources at CSN Elite Body Shop, CSN Elite Xpress and OK Tire North Shore.

“I was super into cars so I thought I would take this opportunity by detailing at CSN Elite Body Shop,” Daven said. Over the years, he moved his way up the company, working as an advance repair planning tech, parts coordinator, estimator and the store’s production manager before stepping into his current role. However, Daven’s climb to the top wasn’t a solo journey, but rather one he was guided on by CSN Elite staff. “I was able to learn so much over a period of a few years,” remarked Daven.

His proudest career moment was when a brand-new 46G Machine Gray Mazda MX-5 was hit from the rear. “A day after delivering the car back to the customer, he came by, personally shook my hand and thanked the shop for a job well done,” said Daven. “I will never forget that moment and I strive for every customer to feel that way.” Customers aren’t the only ones who thank Daven for a job well done; his colleagues do too. “Since joining the team he has made me feel so welcome and supported,” said Jenna. “He inspires me every day to do better.”

Daven is passionate about solving the collision repair industry’s difficulty with properly writing and billing repair estimates to submit to insurance companies. “Insurance companies usually have their own rules of what can and cannot be billed, but those rules don’t usually follow the proper procedures set by the OEM,” said Daven.

“We’re currently conducting proper research for repairs and writing a sheet and we’ll sometimes get a call from the adjuster where they try to pick it apart. I call that phone call a mutual learning experience because they go over their rules and we go over the OEM procedures.” His outside-of-the-box thinking is a testament to his innovation and calm demeanor. “He doesn’t panic when something unexpected happens,” said Jenna. “Instead, he says ‘Let me try something.’”

“To stay ahead of the curve in this industry, you have to be fully immersed in it,” Daven explained. “We constantly take courses to keep our knowledge up to date.” Looking ahead, Daven believes the greatest opportunity for growth is in the body shop, specifically maximizing square footage in cities with a high cost of living. “I hope we can grow year over year and keep providing top-notch customer service while repairing vehicles to OEM standards.”

His outside-of-the-box thinking is a testament to his innovation and calm demeanor. “He doesn’t panic when something unexpected happens. Instead, he says ‘Let me try something.' - NOMINATED BY JENNA BARTOK, COLLEAGUE/HR