WMABA Winner’s Circle: WMABA Celebrates Phil Rice for his Passion, Generosity and Participation

by Alana Quartuccio

Phil Rice (Huber Motor Cars; Fredericksburg, VA) has worn many hats over the years. No matter which role he plays, those around him can rest assured that Rice will give nothing less than his very best. That is especially true when it comes to WMABA. The longtime Board member was honored this past May during the Southeast Collision Conference as the 2023 WMABA Board Member of the Year. 

During the award ceremony, WMABA President Kris Burton noted the many roles Rice has played over the years, from family-business owner to I-CAR instructor and jobber, emphasizing his passion and generosity. WMABA Executive Director Jordan Hendler echoed sentiments about Rice, pointing out, “He’s usually the first one in and last one out at every event. He participates in everything we do. He loves to greet the members at our WMABA events, so he’s always at the registration table.” She also noted Rice’s “super generosity” in his commitment to ride his bicycle hundreds of miles at a time in support of charitable organizations.

“I was shocked,” says a humble Rice about the recognition. “I’m kind of a behind-the-scenes type of guy. I get involved in a lot of things, but I don’t do it for recognition or notoriety. If I was a dog, I’d be a labrador retriever. I have a lot of fun and love to help. That’s my general personality, and to be recognized for it on a stage of that caliber, I was just awestruck.” 

A second-generation business owner, Rice’s passion for the industry began at an early age. “My father owned a shop. I worked as a kid and then came on board full time in 1985. My dad took me to my first WMABA meeting back in 1987. He said, ‘Son, if you are going to be successful, this is something you are going to need to be involved with.’” Soon after, “he turned the torch over to me at an early age.”

He recalls the many things that came about over the decades he’s spent in this industry. “I was there when DRPs first came out. I’ve watched the evolution of that. Then I became an I-CAR instructor in the 1990s, and I spent many years teaching.” 

When Hendler came into her role as WMABA’s executive director, Rice decided it was time to get more involved. He’s always volunteered his time in some way and has been an active member of the Board for the past 10 years. 

“It’s one of those jobs where, if you’re looking for glory, it’s not the right place. But if you are looking to pay it forward, there is no better place to be. It’s an opportunity to put like-minded people together and talk about ways to make the industry better. That’s what I love about WMABA. It’s not about how Phil can run his shop better. It’s about how any business owner can improve, and here are the tools to help with that.” 

He’s proud of the things WMABA has been able to accomplish. Topping that list is their work with the state legislature to not allow caps to be put on paint and material rates. “It was awesome to be part of an association that made that happen. It made lives better for every collision repairer in Virginia. To this day, we still forward that published language to insurers if they try to cap these rates.” He’s also proud of WMABA’s involvement on the national level with the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) and their work with things like the blend study which has been “instrumental to the financial health of a lot of collision centers.

“It’s great to be part of an organization that works locally and nationally,” adds Rice. “I may be a bit partial, but I don’t think there’s a better association than WMABA.” 

What he truly loves most about this industry is the people and how they work together to make a better environment.

“When I come to work each day, I don’t think about how I can put more money into my pocket. I think about how we can build a better environment that has fair pay, good benefits and – first and foremost – inspires all parties to want to fix cars correctly.

“That’s one of those things that we, as a Board, work well together on, to emphasize the importance that we have to fix these cars correctly,” he adds. “We didn’t always know how to do that. When I started in this career in the mid-80s, there wasn’t a rule book or repair guidelines. You pretty much did it however you wanted to. Then I-CAR came about, and manufacturers came out with repair procedures; now, we are able to really identify what it’s going to take to fix these cars correctly before we figure out what our bill needs to look like.” 

When it comes down to the things and the people Rice loves most, he is sure to give it his all. Just like with his recent completion of the Tour Divide, a bicycle race that spans 2,700 miles from Canada to Mexico along the Continental Divide that required him to filter water and purchase and carry his food along the route. He was also challenged to find suitable places to camp for five or six hours of sleep each night amid rugged terrain and unpredictable weather. 

“For me, riding is not just about exercise. I love nature. I love to work hard. You can’t ride far and fast without working hard.”

Want more? Check out the September 2024 issue of Hammer & Dolly!