I-CAR, the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair, won the small company category in the 2026 Auto Care Education (ACE) Awards presented by the Auto Care Association during its Auto Care Connect event in Atlanta.
The ACE Awards recognize automotive aftermarket companies and organizations for employee education, workforce development and technical training programs.
I-CAR, a collision repair training and technical education organization based in Appleton, Wis., was recognized for its training programs, hands-on instruction and industry credentials.
According to the association’s ACE Award materials, I-CAR recently expanded its Gold Class program, increased its course catalogue to more than 550 courses, introduced a Platinum recognition path for advanced driver assistance systems technicians and launched a two-year U.S. Department of Labor-registered apprenticeship program. The organization also expanded partnerships allowing technicians to earn I-CAR credit for courses completed through Industry Training Alliance partners.
Christian Brothers Automotive, a Houston-based automotive repair franchise company, won the mid-size company category. FleetPride, an Irving, Texas-based heavy-duty truck and trailer parts distributor and service provider, won the large company category.
The association also presented the 2026 Mort Schwartz Excellence in Education Award to William Babcox, chief executive officer of Akron, Ohio-based Babcox Media, an automotive aftermarket media company. The award recognizes an individual who demonstrates a passion for advancing education and continuing education in the North American automotive aftermarket industry.
The Auto Care Association is a Bethesda, Md.-based trade association representing the automotive aftermarket industry. The awards were presented during the Auto Care Connect conference, held May 11-14 at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta in Atlanta.
