Toronto, Ontario -- The Women’s Industry Network has opened nominations for its inaugural Founding Mothers Award, launching an annual recognition program honouring women working directly on collision repair shop floors.
The award was created by WIN’s six founding mothers — Frederica Carter, Geri Kottschade, Gigi Walker, Patricia Serratore, Kathy Mello and Marcy Tieger — to highlight women demonstrating excellence in repair work while supporting WIN’s mission to connect and advance women in the trade. Founding mothers Kottschade, Carter and Tieger are contributing input on the new program.
“When WIN was created, they had a goal in mind of creating a safe space where shop females were welcomed, giving shops a voice and to show shops can be leaders in the collision repair industry’s organizations. Also, wanting to give shops a voice,” says Laura Kottschade, WIN vice chair.
WIN outlined four evaluation criteria for the award: industry visibility and leadership, professional accomplishments supported by at least two years of full-time shop experience, mentorship and workplace support, and community involvement. The award is open to women actively working on the shop floor as refinish technicians or painters, with neither nominees nor nominators required to be WIN members.
WIN was founded 20 years ago by the same six pioneering women who recognized a need for connection, mentorship and opportunity for women in collision repair. Their work helped establish the organization’s long-standing mandate to empower women across all levels of the trade.
Nominations are open until January 19, 2026. WIN, nearing 1,000 members across Canada and the United States, will present the first Founding Mothers Award and recognize the 2026 Most Influential Women winners at its annual conference in Tucson, Arizona, from May 4 to 6, 2026.
For more information about the Founding Mothers Award and nominations, click here.
