Amberson Receives Russ Verona Memorial IBIS Scholarship Friday, Nov. 2, 2007 By Leona Dalavai Scott, Editor-in-Chief ASA Collision Division Manager, Denise Caspersen presents Darrell Amberson, director of ASA’s Collision Division Operations Committee and NACE 2007 chairman, with the Russ Verona Memorial IBIS Scholarship. The Automotive Service Association (ASA) announced that Darrell Amberson, AAM, director of ASA’s collision division, president of Lehman’s Garage, Bloomington, Minn., received the Russ Verona Memorial IBIS Scholarship for the second year in a row during Friday morning’s general session at the International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE) in Las Vegas. The scholarship is named after the late Russ Verona, AAM, a longtime ASA member and leader and former NACE chairman, who died last year. In honor of Verona and his efforts to join the worldwide network of collision repair professionals together, ASA and the International Bodyshop Industry Symposium (IBIS) joined together in 2006 to establish the Russ Verona Memorial IBIS Scholarship. Verona owned East Rockford Collision Center in Rockford, Ill., for 41 years. He was known industry-wide as the “Godfather of Collision Repair.” He unofficially served as an ASA ambassador at worldwide collision events, including IBIS. “Russ was a friend to everyone he met. He was a progressive and innovative thinker,” said Denise Caspersen, manager of the collision division, in her presentation of the award to Amberson, who is this year’s NACE chairman. “Russ’s worldwide contributions will never be forgotten,” said Amberson. “Having known Russ, this award becomes extra meaningful to me because I know the strong mark he left on the collision industry.” The scholarship covers the expenses for Amberson to attend the IBIS 2008 event, which will be held in June at the Montreux Palace Hotel in Montreux, Switzerland. “Darrell is deserving of this scholarship, once again, for his leadership and efforts on behalf of the collision division of ASA,” said Ron Pyle, ASA president and chief staff executive. “In these challenging times for the collision industry, he has demonstrated a serious commitment in seeking solutions and improvements to important issues. He will represent us well at IBIS.”