Like Father, Like Son: Ultimate Collision Repair’s Jerry and Anthony McNee Both Earn Recognition
by Alana Quartuccio
The Ultimate Collision Repair (Edison) team has had lots to celebrate in recent months!
AASP/NJ’s Immediate Past President and current Collision Chairman Jerry McNee (owner of Ultimate Collision) learned he was inducted into the association’s Hall of Fame during their October Annual Meeting. Just two weeks later during SEMA week in Las Vegas, he watched his son Anthony be recognized with the FenderBender Best Repair Planner/Estimator Award during the Collision Industry Red Carpet Awards.
“There is not a guy out there who is more passionate about this industry than Jerry,” AASP/NJ President Ken Miller said upon accepting the award on his predecessor’s behalf during the Annual Meeting. Miller noted Jerry’s commitment to the industry which includes national-level outreach and his willingness to help others.
“I was honestly flattered,” shares Jerry about being inducted into AASP/NJ’s Hall of Fame. “I was just happy to see what was happening in the industry,” he says of the early days of working with the Board. “I really didn’t think I had anything to add, but I guess others felt I offered something that would benefit the members and the association. I’m grateful someone somewhere thought enough of me to think ‘we need a guy like this on the Board.’ I’m happy to help out in any way shape or form that I can or to offer any suggestion I may have based on my own personal experience to help the industry overall.”
Being involved at the Board level helped him see the challenges that exist out there. He strongly believes a lack of knowledge is the problem, and that’s why he is so hellbent on education. “My goal has always been to help educate the industry. I know what shops need. I am a shop owner; I have been living, eating and breathing this stuff my whole life.
“We’ve all heard ‘you’re the only one,’ but I know I’m not the only one,” he laments about the common pushback from insurers. “I don’t make the repair procedures. I’m not an engineer, so who am I to question what the OEM says needs to be done? If eight out of 10 shops are not doing things properly because they are uneducated and don’t understand that proper repairs need to be done, why should those two shops doing things correctly be treated and looked at as the ‘big bad wolf?’ That is a problem.”
It all comes down to making sure things are being repaired properly, which is why he makes sure his staff is trained and educated to be at the top of their game.
His son Anthony surely shares that same work ethic and passion for education as is proven by him taking home the inaugural Best Repair Planner/Estimator Award. “The goal was to refer to OEM repair guidelines and not-included repair operations,” expressed Jay Sicht (FenderBender) as he explained to the SEMA audience how Mike Anderson (Collision Advice) and his team worked with the panel of judges on the estimate exercise. “The competition and estimate exercise was close, but what made our winners stand out was the critical safety related inspection items. Our winner has been tireless in his efforts to keep the shop up to date with researching OEM repair procedures and processes and has multiple OEM certifications.”
Getting this recognition was a huge honor for Anthony, who took his first estimating class with Anderson. “To be nominated to participate in this competition and be chosen winner was very special for me.” Growing up around the family business, Anthony would work at the shop during the summer. He started sweeping floors and moved into invoicing for parts and later began writing estimates. He’s now consistently worked at Ultimate Collision Repair for the past 10 years.
He fully recognizes the importance of writing and documenting every single detail of the repair process, and that is required on every single vehicle. “I document everything I do, and I do it in an organized fashion.”
Jerry points out that it wasn’t the final value of the repair bill that made Anthony stand out as winner in this competition. It all came down to the accuracy of the estimate. “Anthony was able to hit every single mark of what was required to repair that car properly with every safety feature, with notes and explanations. I’m happy to have him on my team doing what he is doing.”
Want more? Check out the January 2025 issue of New Jersey Automotive!