Jeff Brown, 31, is a collision repair leader at Don-Mor Automotive Group who combines operational efficiency with community responsibility. Nominated for 30 Under 40, he's addressing critical industry gaps in ADAS understanding while advocating for collaborative stakeholder engagement to advance the collision repair sector.
Career Path: Started working with his grandfather in a Niagara Falls body shop, progressed through CARSTAR Canada and AkzoNobel, now general manager at Don-Mor Automotive Group
Key Focus: Raising industry awareness about ADAS operations, which many shops struggle to identify and implement correctly
Industry Involvement: Appointed to 2025 CCIF Steering Committee, holds ASE B6 Collision Damage Analysis & Estimating certification, moderating ADAS panel at CCIF Calgary
Leadership Philosophy: Emphasizes collaboration over silos, invests in soft skills and staff training, committed to balancing business operations with community engagement
Community Commitment: Active partnership with Humane Society London & Middlesex demonstrates dedication beyond industry operations
Jeff Brown’s pursuit of a career in collision repair began with his grandfather, the manager of a body shop in Niagara Falls for nearly 40 years, who would take Jeff to the shop on the weekends to ride in the tow truck. After finishing school, Jeff started his career working with his grandfather and after working with CARSTAR Canada and AkzoNobel is now the general manager at Don-Mor Automotive Group, overseeing all of the businesses under the Don- Mor Automotive Group umbrella.
Jeff was nominated for 30 Under 40 by Don Morton, the founder of Don-Mor Automotive Group. “He successfully balances operational efficiency with community responsibility, demonstrating that modern collision repair leaders can excel in both business operations and community engagement,” said Don. “At age 31, Jeff represents the kind of leader the collision repair industry needs—one who can bridge traditional values with modern approaches while maintaining strong community connections.”
It’s those early years working with his grandfather that Jeff is most proud of, a time when he says he was fortunate enough to learn the old-school way of doing things first. “When I started, we still had ledger books, carbon copy work orders and faxed supplement sheets to insurance companies,” said Jeff. “When he retired, I ultimately moved on and forged my own path, but the early years of my career working with my family are some of my most cherished moments.”
Jeff believes the industry’s understanding of ADAS is just scratching the surface. “A very large percentage of shops are still struggling to identify when these operations are needed and are often overlooking them,” Jeff said. “Because of this, insurers are faced with inconsistency— they’re not sure why a calibration is necessary when the last five estimates they looked at for a similar repair didn’t include a request for that operation.” To help raise industry awareness, Jeff will be moderating a panel at CCIF in Calgary featuring ADAS experts this fall.
To stay ahead of the curve, Jeff dedicates time to education, relying on industry associations for technical information, independent training groups and information directly from OEMs. “It’s also more important than ever to spend time working on soft skills—leadership training for you and your staff to exercise your people management skills is critical,” he said.
Jeff was appointed to the 2025 CCIF Steering Committee and has an ASE B6 Collision Damage Analysis & Estimating certification. Beyond this, he remains committed to the community through an active partnership with the Humane Society London & Middlesex. “His rapid career progression, technical knowledge and commitment to both operational excellence and community involvement make him an outstanding example for the next generation of industry leaders,” concluded Don.
For Jeff, future opportunities in the collision repair industry depend on stakeholders working together. “If any of the industry’s stakeholders start working in a silo, we won’t be able to move forward at the rate we need to, and we will fall behind,” said Jeff. “It’s ultimately all about collaborating with people; there’s no room for pride and ego in this next chapter.”
“He successfully balances operational efficiency with community responsibility, demonstrating that modern collision repair leaders can excel in both business operations and community engagement.” - NOMINATED BY DON MORTON, MANAGER
