Jerry Kottschade

Jerry Kottschade founded Jerry’s Body Shop in Mankato, Minn., on Oct. 15, 1971, after working at another Mankato body shop, and built its Madison Avenue facility in 1987. The shop was an early adopter of I-CAR training and in 2021 became the 10th in the nation to hold I-CAR Gold Class status for 30 consecutive years. He later brought the business into the ABRA franchise network as Jerry’s ABRA Auto Body & Glass, which received I-CAR’s Russ Verona Award. He co-owned the business with his wife, Geralynn Kottschade, a 2002 inductee, and retired in October 2023.