auto body association of ct

What auto body association of ct does

Auto Body Association of Connecticut (ABAC), founded circa 1970 and operating as a private non-profit trade association, represents and supports independent auto body repair shops across Connecticut. The organization currently lists 91 member shops on its consumer-facing directory and is governed by an elected board of shop owners led by President Bob Amendola, Vice President Ashley Brunelle, Treasurer Samantha Griswold, and Secretary Kevin Clavette, with an Administrative Director (Heather Romaniello) handling day-to-day operations. ABAC's core deliverables are non-software: a Find-A-Shop consumer locator (Google Maps-integrated), consumer-education content on insurance steering, OEM vs. imitation parts, photo-estimate apps, and post-accident procedures, plus a bi-monthly ABAC News newsletter archived back to 2004.

The association maintains an active video library and consumer guides, hosts quarterly membership meetings, an annual social event, and an annual golf tournament, and partners with all seven Connecticut Technical High Schools for technician recruitment. ABAC also maintains affiliate relationships with national bodies SCRS and CCRE, co-sponsors teen driving-safety programming through Survive The Drive, and monitors Connecticut insurance and consumer-protection legislation in Hartford.

ABAC generates revenue entirely through annual membership dues of $500 per shop/supplier/other and tiered sponsorship programs (Platinum $2,500/year, Gold $1,500/year, plus per-event presentation sponsorships ranging $500-$2,000). Sponsorship is capped (e.g., Platinum limited to 6, Primary Sponsorship limited to 4 per year), and Platinum sponsor Buckley, Wynne & Parese and Gold sponsor Bald Hill Dodge Chrysler Jeep are disclosed on the site. ABAC has no external parent, no venture backing, no subsidiaries, no patents, no APIs, and no disclosed AI capabilities; its technology surface is a content website plus a Google Maps shop locator.

Name

auto body association of ct

Legal name

Auto Body Association of CT

Website

https://abaconn.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Auto Body Association of Connecticut (ABAC) is a non-profit trade association founded circa 1970 that represents 91 independent auto body shops across Connecticut, offering a Find-A-Shop directory, consumer education on insurance and repair rights, and tiered sponsorship programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New Haven

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: ABAC generates revenue through annual membership dues paid by auto body shops. The dues are $500 per year for body shop members, suppliers, and other categories.
2. Sponsorship Programs: ABAC offers various sponsorship tiers including Platinum ($2,500/year), Gold ($1,500/year), Primary Sponsorship with Presentation ($2,000), Co-Sponsorship with Presentation ($1,000), and Meeting Sponsorship ($500). These provide website recognition, newsletter recognition, quarterly meeting recognition, and presentation opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ABAC is a statewide non-profit trade association that supports independent collision repair professionals through member services, consumer education, and legislative advocacy. It offers annual memberships to body shops and suppliers ($500/year) and tiered sponsorship programs, while connecting Connecticut motorists to a directory of vetted member shops and providing guidance on insurance claims and OEM parts.

Product overview

ABAC (Auto Body Association of Connecticut) is a statewide trade association serving as a membership organization for independent auto body repair shops, not a technology product company. The organization provides consumer-facing services including a shop locator directory, consumer education on repair rights and insurance claims, and member benefits including newsletters, job postings, video resources, and sponsorship programs for automotive industry vendors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annual Membership Annual membership in ABAC for body shops, suppliers, and other industry participants at $500/year. Includes quarterly meetings, legislative updates, member benefits, and access to association resources and networking.
• Platinum Sponsorship Annual Platinum-level sponsorship at $2,500/year for automotive industry vendors. Provides website recognition for one full year, recognition in ABAC News, quarterly meeting recognition with signage, and a business/dealership article in ABAC News. Limited to 6 available.
• Gold Sponsorship Annual Gold-level sponsorship at $1,500/year for automotive industry vendors. Provides website recognition for one full year and ABAC Quarterly Meeting verbal recognition.
• Primary Sponsorship with Presentation Per-event primary sponsorship at $2,000 including a primary meeting presentation, recognition in ABAC News following the meeting, recognition at the sponsored quarterly meeting with signage, table setup for sponsor materials, access to ABAC membership contact list, and 4 meals included. Limited to 4 per year.
• Co-Sponsorship with Presentation Per-event co-sponsorship at $1,000 including a presentation (max 15 min), recognition at the ABAC Quarterly Meeting with signage, and 2 meals included.
• Meeting Sponsorship Basic per-meeting sponsorship at $500 for vendors supporting ABAC quarterly meetings.

Quantifiable outcome

• 91 independent body shop members across Connecticut representing a significant portion of the independent collision repair market
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered platinum, gold, core and minor.

• Buckley, Wynne & PareseplatinumGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum sponsor of ABAC. Law firm specializing in auto accident representation that sponsors the association's consumer education materials and provides free initial consultations. Co-sponsor of the Auto Accident Rights & Responsibilities booklet used for consumer education.
• Bald Hill Dodge Chrysler JeepgoldGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor providing financial support to ABAC. Auto dealership that supports the collision repair industry through sponsorship.
• Survive The DrivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABAC is a proud supporter of Survive The Drive, sponsoring teen driving safety presentations to schools and organizations throughout Connecticut. This partnership addresses road safety education beyond collision repair.
• Connecticut Collision Repair Association (CCRE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate sponsor of ABAC. Regional collision repair industry association supporting the Connecticut auto body industry.
• Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate sponsor displayed on ABAC website. National organization dedicated to representing and supporting collision repair professionals.
• Connecticut Technical High SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABAC supports recruitment through 7 CT Technical High Schools that train auto body technicians: Abbott Technical, Grasso Technical, Kaynor Technical, Platt Technical, Prince Technical, Wilcox Technical, and Wolcott Technical High Schools. This partnership addresses industry workforce development.
• NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)minorOthersABAC promotes NHTSA's safercar.gov resources for recalls and car seat safety, providing links from their website to NHTSA resources for consumer safety information.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS): SCRS is the national trade association representing collision repair professionals. ABAC lists SCRS as an affiliate sponsor, making it a direct higher-tier peer that operates the same membership/advocacy model at national scale.
• Automotive Service Association (ASA): ASA is a national trade association serving mechanical and collision repair businesses with advocacy, education, and member services. It operates the same member-based association model as ABAC but at a broader, multi-segment national scale.
• Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR): I-CAR is the collision repair industry's primary training and certification body, providing technical education that ABAC members rely on. It is a peer in the collision repair support ecosystem with a related but distinct training/advocacy role.

Direct peers

• Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF): CREF is a collision repair industry nonprofit focused on workforce development and technical school partnerships. It directly parallels ABAC's CT Technical High School partnerships and shared mission of technician recruitment and training.

Regional players

• California Autobody Association (CAA): CAA is a California-based state trade association for auto body and collision repair shops. It operates the exact same membership-and-advocacy model as ABAC in a different state, making it a structural regional peer.

Others

• Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (Auto Alliance): Auto Alliance is an industry trade association representing major automakers on policy and consumer issues. While not directly competing, it operates adjacent to ABAC in the broader automotive policy and consumer protection space.
• National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB): NICB is an insurance industry nonprofit focused on fraud prevention and vehicle crime. It sits adjacent to ABAC's consumer protection mission around insurance steering and improper repair practices.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/abaconn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/auto-body-association-of-connecticut

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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