John Loftus

John J. Loftus Jr. was the founding executive director of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists, serving from its formation in 1982 until his retirement in December 2000. He began in the parts department of a Los Angeles Chevrolet dealership, worked as an insurance adjuster and owned Hawthorne Autobody in Hawthorne, Calif., for 13 years. He helped form the California Autobody Association and was its president in 1976. At SCRS he promoted technical training, management education and repair quality standards, traveled to 44 states and 20 countries, and helped develop the “Insured Motorists Rights” consumer brochure. After retiring he represented the California Autobody Association in Southern California. He died Jan. 28, 2026, at 94.