AUTOINC. ONLINE - Shop Profile

Exterior of Cascade Auto Body in Vancouver, Wash.

In 1932, six-month-old Paul Mabie came in contact with one of the most influential men in the automotive industry. Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Co. and employer of Mabie's father, bounced young Paul on his knees when he visited the family home. According to Mabie, Ford took a personal interest in his father, who worked for Ford long before Paul was born until he retired as plant manager of the St. Louis Lincoln-Mercury plant in 1954.

Some 70 years later, Mabie actively participates in changing the industry as well, operating Cascade Auto Body Inc., a 21,000-square-foot collision repair facility in Vancouver, Wash. Celebrating its 27th year this month, Cascade Auto Body has seen an exponential growth in sales from $350,000 in 1976 to $2.5 million last year, capitalizing on the 30 repairs the shop performs each week.

"I can't say enough about this business," Mabie said. "From the time we entered it, we have met so many outstanding, warm people who have been willing to share their ideas and experiences."

The growth and success of the shop can't be attributed to Mabie alone. With 19 employees, the shop maintains a high level of expertise. Mabie's wife, Dorothy, and two daughters, Dawn and Michelle, are very active in the business as well. Dawn is the shop's general manager and handles marketing to insurance agents. Michelle manages the financial side of the business while operating her own market research business. Dorothy is the human relations specialist and is considered "mom" to shop personnel.

Pictured is the staff of Cascade Auto Body: (top row, l to r) Scott Standiford, Fred Pruitt, Martin Parmentier, Warren Davenport, Allan Blankenship, Scott Degrande, Kent Kearney, Ryan Carr, Sean Griffiths, Brandon Green, Christopher Bryan and Tony Wolfe; (bottom row, l to r) Ginny Schmunk, Shannon Bennett, Dorothy Mabie, Dawn Mabie, Paul Mabie, Michelle Fennimore and Gene Dunlap.

"We enjoy working together and hold biweekly board meetings to make sure we are all on the same page and that the business is progressing as planned," Mabie said.

Keeping the business progression on track is not an easy endeavor for any collision repair facility. "We are always in a continual state of change, looking for new and better ways to improve our business," Mabie said. "This is a major reason we participate in local ASA meetings, Sherwin-Williams A+Vision Group, and attend NACE. It's through organizations such as these that we are able to obtain the information on the state of our industry and formulate decisions that will determine the success of our business."

The shop's business philosophy parallels what Mabie calls the Rotary Four-Way Test: Is it the truth?; Is it fair to all concerned?; Will it build good will and better friendships?; and Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

tations of its customers. "We continually try to exceed the standards of our industry. It starts when a customer walks into our shop," Mabie said. "Often their first comment is, 'Wow, I can't believe this is a body shop.'"

It's this image that Mabie and his staff use to market their shop to the motoring public. Mabie finds cable television is the best medium to market his shop. However, the shop also advertises on the back of city buses.

The community outreach of the shop is very important to Mabie. Paul teaches a junior achievement class. Dawn is on the board for the local Red Cross chapter and has been active in the Vancouver Rotary Festival of Trees fund-raiser. Michelle helps out at the Humane Society and also acts as a mentor to a 15-year-old girl.

But it's the efforts of every member of the shop that contributed to Mabie's receipt of the 2002 National Auto Body Council Pride Award. As Mabie and his wife were leaving the shop in December 2001, they came across a single mother in need of repairs to her vehicle. Mabie decided to have the labor and parts donated to repair the woman's vehicle. The entire shop wanted to be a part of this outreach effort and enthusiastically jumped in and did more than was expected. This effort is now an annual project that Mabie and his staff have undertaken.

"I received the Pride Award this past year by the grace of God," Mabie said. "I just happened to be in the right place at the right time to help a young lady in need. My employees deserve a major part of the credit for this award. I hope that by winning this award, we have set an example for others and that if the opportunity arises they won't hesitate to help someone who is truly in need, especially in these difficult times."

But the Pride Award wasn't Mabie's first award for excellence. In 1996, Cascade Auto Body received the "Collision Repair Shop of the Year" award recognizing its technological advancement, employee education, professional ethics and commitment to setting higher standards for the industry.

Estimator Shannon Bennett examines a customer's vehicle.

"We all work very hard to be the best we can be," said Mabie. "And knowing that there are a lot of qualified shops out there, it is truly an honor to know that for at least one moment in time, what you had worked for was considered one of the best. I also consider it an honor to be accepted into this club of winners who are setting new standards in our industry."

And although the award was received in 1996, Mabie continues to adopt and set new standards within the industry. His shop recently launched a new Web site (www.cascadeautobody.com), enhancing his shop's marketing presence. According to Mabie, "I am a sucker for new and innovative products and enjoy being a leader in the pack." With the help of AutoWatch, customers and insurance companies can log in and get a visual status report of a vehicle under repair. The endeavor has been successful since its initial launch.

As CEO of Cascade Auto Body, Mabie enjoys the job of being the "visionary" and determining the direction of the business. "To be a true visionary requires lots of traveling," said Mabie. He and his wife have traveled to Greece, Holland, Germany and Australia, visiting shops in each country. In May, the two are heading to China.

Although Mabie is semiretired, he recently took over the production side of the business in order for his daughter to spend more time on the marketing of the shop. He's been "having a ball" and has watched production increase over the past couple of months.

And although he grew up in the automotive business and has unequivocal experience in the industry, he is still going strong. "I just turned 70 and I am looking forward to sharing many new experiences with both new and old friends in the future," Mabie said.

Shop Stats

Name: Cascade Auto Body Inc.
Location: Vancouver, Wash.
Square Footage: 21,000
No. of Employees: 19
Web Site: www.cascadeautobody.com
On the automotive industry: “ I can't say enough about this business. From the time we entered it, we have met so many outstanding, warm people who have been willing to share their ideas and experiences.” - Paul Mabie, owner

After 27 Years in Business, Washington Shop Owner Sets High Standards for the Industry

Shop Stats