The Godfather

ALL SPORTS HAVE LEGENDS. In baseball, we have players like Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, and Mickey Mantle. Football has Joe Montana, Payton Manning, Kurt Warner, and that one guy that played for the NE Patriots and then went to play for Tampa Bay - whatever his name was. Without these players, the game would not be the same. Although there aren’t many similarities between the auto service industry and professional athletics, they each have their respective legends who shape what the industry looks like.

The auto service legend I am thinking of did not have multiple stores, or a facility the size of a strip mall. Like many shop owners, he enjoys the love and respect of all of his customers. Due to his hard work, he has gained the love and respect from the industry peers he has worked with throughout his career. Once you meet him, it’s easy to see why. This man is humble and never boasts about his accomplishments. He is the millionaire next door, silently donating to charity without drawing attention to himself.

Who am I writing about?

This is my friend Jerry Holcom. The "Godfather of VISION". If it were not for Jerry and Doug's "VISION" we would not have the "VISION Training & Expo" today.

Jerry is on a first-name basis with the who's who of the auto repair industry. I can still remember the first time I learned who Jerry was. I was just a young shop owner, reading as many publications as I could and absorbing every detail. One day I read an article featuring Jerry and S&S Service Center in Kansas City and thought, ‘Wow, look what this guy has accomplished. If only I could be a better leader, boss, tech, and shop owner like him.’

10 years later he is my mentor, my friend, and a MWACA board member. I am still working on my Jerry skills. He sets the bar high! It was during Jerry’s term as president, (me his vice president) that MWACA was created.

I can't say enough nice things about Jerry. He is so humble, so genuine, and so respected by anyone he crosses paths with.