Petrane for President: Maaco names Frank Petrane as new brand president
Toronto, Ontario — Maaco has announced that it has appointed Frank Petrane as the company’s newest brand president. As noted in a recent press release, before assuming his current role, Petrane served as senior vice president of fleet programs at Driven Brands. He first began his career with Maaco in 2006 as a national account […]
Making Milestones: UniglassPlus celebrates milestone 100th store opening
Toronto, Ontario — UniglassPlus has announced the opening of its 100th location after having opened three new stores in June 2024 to bring the brand to this milestone. “This achievement marks a significant step in the company’s ongoing growth and commitment to expanding its market presence and redefining the auto glass industry in Canada,” wrote […]
Distribution Deal: Driven Brands announces sale of Canadian distribution business to PGW Auto Glass
Toronto, Ontario — Driven Brands Holding Inc. has announced the sale of its Canadian distribution business, primarily operated under the PH Vitres d’Auto brand (PH), to PGW Auto Glass. This transition was effective as of August 31, 2024. While the terms of the transaction are not being disclosed, the Financial Post noted that the sale […]
Recap in Rhodes: A lookback at day two of the 2024 IBIS Global Summit
Rhodes, Greece — Day two of the International Bodyshop Industry Symposium’s (IBIS) 2024 Global Summit drew leaders from around the globe to its “Transforming Tomorrow Together” event, and to celebrate the success of industry members such as Canada’s own Michael Macaluso, Group President and EVP-Paint, Collision and Glass Business, Driven Brands who received the Lifetime […]
Editor’s Note: Key takeaways from AIA Canada’s National Conference 2024
By Allison Rogers This was my third year attending the Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA Canada)’s annual National Conference, and there was an overwhelming sense of change in the air. There was, of course, the literal change of Chair for the AIA Canada Board of Directors, which welcomed a familiar face for our readers, […]
Five Alive: Driven Brands collision group celebrates $5 million milestone in cystic fibrosis fundraising
Toronto, Ontario — Driven Brands collision group, consisting of Abra, CARSTAR Canada, CARSTAR U.S. and Fix Auto U.S., have announced a charity milestone of $5 million raised for cystic fibrosis research, care and advocacy. CARSTAR first began fundraising for cystic fibrosis in Canada over 25 years ago when a franchise partner’s granddaughter was diagnosed with […]
Hello to Harmon: Driven Brands adds Damien Harmon to Board of Directors
North Carolina, United States — Driven Brands has announced the election of Damien Harmon of Best Buy to its Board of Directors, effective Jan. 1, 2024. Harmon is the senior executive vice president of customer, channel experiences and enterprise services for Best Buy Co. Inc., where he is responsible for the end-to-end customer experience and […]
Bringing Home the Hardware: Driven Brands unveils 2023 franchisee award winners
Toronto, Ontario — With one week now separating us from a fantastic Driven Brands inter-company conference in Montreal, let us now take the time to recognize the many franchisee award winners from the past year. Driven Brands has many companies under its belt, and with a portfolio as large as it has, there is a […]
Awarding Ancaster: A conversation with CARSTAR Franchisee of the Year, Joe Saputo
Montreal, Quebec — CARSTAR Ancaster is this year’s CARSTAR Franchisee of the Year, Driven Brands announced at last week’s Canadian conference in Montreal. Joe Saputo, who owns and operates CARSTAR Ancaster, accepted the award at the event’s prom night-themed awards night. CARSTAR Ancaster has a long history with its franchising brand; Joe’s father, Sam Saputo, […]
Final Flourish: Driven Brands closes out EVOLUTION conference with prom-themed gala
Montreal, Quebec — Thursday marked the final day of the highly anticipated Driven Brands Evolution Conference, concluding the event with a flourish. The day began with a delightful breakfast from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., fostering a warm and energizing atmosphere. At 8 a.m., the conference commenced with opening remarks, signalling the start of a […]