Ladies of Collision: Christina Seckinger of Anson PDR
by Alana Quartuccio
Whether they were born into it, fell into it or signed up for it, the ladies of the collision repair world sure do prove that this industry isn’t all just about the men. Since this feature made its debut in Texas Automotive, we continue to celebrate the many women who live, breathe and eat up this work every day of their professional lives. This month, we reached out to Christina Seckinger of Anson PDR whose devotion for the industry and her family are evident.
Texas Automotive: Tell us about what you do and what your company does.
Christina Seckinger: I am the owner of Anson PDR. We provide paintless dent repair (also known as PDR) tools and accessories. Our headquarters is based in Burleson, Texas. We also have a location in Plano and one near Austin where we assemble lighting for automotive repairs.
TXA: Can you tell us more about how it got started and what led you to become a part of it?
CS: My grandfather, George Dyer, started the company back in 1996. My first introduction to this industry was coming up to Anson to visit my grandfather. At the time, my father, Craig Dyer, worked there selling tools. My father was also a technician. Growing up, I was able to learn about paintless dent repair, watching how it’s used to repair hail damage and also with collision damage as it can be used to repair larger damage without having to correct the paint in the process. I was able to see both sides of the PDR industry as a result.
TXA: Did you ever imagine you’d one day become involved with the family business?
CS: It was not my plan to work at Anson PDR or become the owner. When my grandfather passed away from a stroke in 2014, I entered the picture. I was working in the oil and gas industry, and I had a nine-month-old baby when my grandfather passed away. As a family, we had to figure out what to do about the business, and we made the decision to band together. So, I stopped paying for full-time daycare and brought my baby up to Anson with me. It was a lot of blood, sweat and tears from that point on to move forward and revamp it into what it is today. My dad had a business repairing cars, which he eventually left to come on board with Anson full time. My mother, Lisa Dyer, retired from teaching to come work here full time. It really is a family atmosphere with everyone we have working here. Whether they’ve been here a long time or not, they are part of the family.
TXA: What do you think are the biggest challenges women face in what is often perceived as a male dominated industry? Have you experienced such challenges, and what did you do to overcome them?
CS: I have to say about 94 percent of my customers are males. When one walks into our store looking for automotive tools, I’m likely to be the person who asks, ‘What can I help you with?’ There have been times when I’ve been met with, ‘Oh, I don’t need help,’ and then they’ll turn to a male and ask them instead. I’ve answered questions for people who then asked the same question to a male, next to me, to see if my answer was accurate and trustworthy. I experience it a lot less now, but it was a hurdle to get over. How I’ve remedied that situation is by going out and getting myself trained in paintless dent repair. I have four certificates. I’ve trained with some of the best trainers in our industry, and that has really helped bridge the gap between myself and my customers. In general, my customers respect that I’ve taken that type of care and effort into answering their questions.
TXA: What about the industry do you love the most?
CS: The community. Period. PDR may be a small side of the automotive and collision industry, but the community itself just looks out for each other. If I need anything, I have a list a mile long of people I can call who would be at my doorstep as soon as they could.
TXA: What is life like outside of the business? Any hobbies you’d like to share.
CS: I have two daughters who keep me very busy; my oldest is 11, and my youngest is eight. We enjoy traveling together as a family. I would say that travel is our biggest hobby, and we are blessed to be able to do that.
TXA: Any encouraging words you would give to other women who may be interested in getting into PDR or any other part of the collision repair world?
CS: Knowledge is power. Do the training. Ask the questions. Go put your hands on the tools. You don’t know what you don’t know and don’t let anyone – especially any males in this industry – make you feel like you’re less than.
Want more? Check out the March 2025 issue of Texas Automotive!