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National Auto Body Council Announces 2004 Pride Award Recipients

LAS VEGAS, Nov. 19, 2004 -- The National Auto Body Council bestowed its 2004 Pride Awards on three individuals. The ceremony took place during the Industry Night of Achievement, held annually during NACE week.

"The awards are given to individuals or companies who selflessly give of themselves in order to improve the world in which we live," said Stacy Bartnik, Chairman of the 2004 Pride Awards committee. "It goes without saying that these people represent the best of the best that our industry has to offer. They bring credit to themselves, their communities and the industry as a whole.

"We received well over thirty nominations this year," Bartnik continued, "making the choices extremely difficult for the judges."

The first to be honored was Scott Tabak, a collision shop owner from Taunton, MA. Tabak, along with two police officers rescued a man and his pets from a burning building. Even though Tabak, wearing a paint mask to avoid breathing smoke, gallantly fought the blaze using fire extinguishers from his shop, located next door to the burning house, the house could not be saved.

By the time a shop sees a seriously collision-damaged car, the occupants are no longer in it. That isn't true for police and fire department personnel and Paramedics who are the first responders to these accidents. Todd Hoffman, a Houston-based safety instructor, created, developed and is teaching the FIRST RESPONSE training program for these people. His program places special emphasis on airbags and hybrid vehicles as they have the potential to pose the most serious safety issues to both rescuers and passengers. The program became Hoffman's passion. He gives his class to anybody, as well as teaches others how to present it. The only requirement is that there is never a fee for the class; even fees for personal expenses are waived. It is always presented free of charge.

Spence Price, a collision repair consultant for Southeast Toyota didn't expect to be saving a life as he was driving to an appointment with a Naples, FL area dealership. Neither did he expect to see a horrific accident. But both happened. When Price witnessed a tanker truck carrying a load of diesel fuel jackknife and slam into a concrete guardrail, he drove his car across the median. He found the driver, who had been thrown from the truck lying face down on the side of the road. The driver's clothes were soaked in fuel now leaking from the truck. He was able to pull the driver to safety. Price, who called the actions that put his own life on the line a "calculated risk".

"It is a risk," noted Bartnik, "that very few of us would willingly take."

"The National Auto Body Council's mission is improving the image of our industry," stated Doug Webb, NABC Chairman. "These people represent everything good the industry has to offer. I hope others in the industry look at them as role models, because that is how they deserve to be seen. I congratulate them for showing our industry in the best possible light."

For further information about the National Auto Body Council, its programs, such as the Pride Award program, visit the NABC website at http://www.autobodycouncil.org/.