In 1970, Jim Overholser was repairing his own vehicles. As he progressed with the repairs, it became obvious to him that repairing vehicles was an interesting and fulfilling career. Overholser made the decision to change careers and opened Eureka Body & Fender Inc., in Wyandotte, Mich.

Eureka Body & Fender has been a family-owned and family-operated shop since its inception. Overholser and his father-in-law originally started the business. "I purchased my father-in-law's half 15 years ago. Today, my wife, Pat, son and son-in-law are all employed here," said Overholser. He said the advantages of being family-owned and operated are that if you are not there, other family members are looking out for your interest and taking care of your investment in the business." According to Overholser, there is a downside to having family working so closely together - occasionally business and personal lives become intermingled. This is to be expected but the business has never been affected.

Now 26 years after officially opening Eureka Body & Fender, Overholser is preparing to retire and pass the successful business onto his son, Ken, and son-in-law, Mike Paquette. According to Overholser, his son and son-in-law have pretty much been running the business for some time. "I am still CEO of the business and I am here every day performing the duties that are necessary for us to meet all the challenges that come up every day," said Overholser. He is quick to point out that without a dedicated and hard-working staff, the business would not be as successful.

"When I purchased our building, it was only 5,000 square feet and we rented out half of it," said Overholser. He was the owner and painter for the first few years until the business built its customer base. As business began to grow, more space was needed. Overholser has added two additions and purchased the business next door to accommodate this growth.

Overholser has taken the business from three part-time employees to its current 17 full-time member staff. Eureka Body & Fender averages 25 collision repairs per week. In addition to collision repair, the shop also performs front-end repairs. This portion of the business produces 20 repairs per week.

Throughout the expansion of this family business, Overholser has not lost sight of his customers. Eureka Body & Fender strives for the best service and quality of repairs. The business provides customers with a professional facility and continually invests in the latest equipment and training to maintain its goal of complete customer satisfaction.

"If I could change one thing about our industry, it would be that technicians be regarded as skilled tradespeople," said Overholser. Ongoing technician training is a top priority to Overholser and his staff. The shop's employees are continually sent to seminars and training events to remain on the cutting edge of automotive repair. Eureka Body & Fender is an Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) Gold Class facility and has been an ASA member for more than 20 years.

Overholser began serving on the ASA-Michigan board of directors six years ago. At that time, he ran for the position of treasurer and believed he would dedicate one year to the association. However, six years later, Overholser has held numerous positions on the affiliate board and currently serves as ASA-Michigan chairman. "I continue my ASA membership and board involvement because of the knowledge I get from the association and its members," said Overholser.

In addition to association involvement, Overholser is committed to his community. He has served on the local Jaycees board of directors. He is also active in the local Exchange Club and is chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals in the city of Gibraltar.

Future plans
Overholser is moving more toward his retirement but plans to remain active in the business and ASA. He is very optimistic about the future of Eureka Body & Fender and has complete confidence in his son and son-in-law and their abilities. At this point in his life, Overholser wants to take it easy and watch his successors carry on the family tradition of Eureka Body & Fender.

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