The longtime owners created an environment that put customers at ease and built cooperative relationships with insurance partners.
Geri and Jerry Kottschade, owner of Jerry’s Abra in Mankato, MN, are legends in the collision repair industry, earning accolades and accomplishments as trailblazers in collision repair. They recently added another to their collection: Abra Franchisee of the Year for 2023.
Franchisee of the Year is the highest award given in the Abra family, representing the top performer in the Abra network. The Kottschades were chosen on criteria such as leadership among the Abra network, excellent performance, mentorship of other franchise owners and support for the entire Abra family.
Abra’s Franchisee of the Year award year goes to an exemplary team who has been with the network since 2015. Geri Kottschade is a true trailblazer in the industry and one of the founders of WIN, the Women’s Industry Network. Now, she has gotten her daughter integrated with WIN, which encourages women to get involved and make their voices heard in a male-dominated industry.
The efforts to support the community haven’t stopped there. The Kottschades have also attended networking events, local career fairs and much more, placing them as a pillar of guidance their family of team members and other franchise owners can lean on.
The Kottschades brought a new approach to the industry when they joined Abra years ago, creating a customer-focused environment that put customers at ease, creating cooperative relationships with insurance partners and taking on every task in the facility to get the job done.
“We are amazed with this award,” said Geri Kottschade. “It is truly an honor for our entire team to be recognized. It's an incredible cap to a long, rewarding career. We have a retirement party coming up so we'll definitely celebrate then."
Additionally, each year, this location partners with the Mankato MoonDogs to support local families affected by Alzheimer’s and dementia, and also supports NABC Recycled Rides. This location and its owners have been a community staple for more than 50 years with an unwavering attention to their customers and community.
The awards were presented at a gala held as part of the inaugural Driven Brands U.S. collision repair joint conference, Evolution 2023, Sept. 28-30 in Kissimmee, FL.
