Adams Auto Body to host Aug. 2 open house to mark 60th anniversary
When Adams Auto Body and Service Center first opened, gas cost 25 cents a gallon and the average new home price was $12,750.
Much has changed since 1958, but for Adams employees, a constant remains: To work here is to be a part of the family.
In fact, at a time when record numbers of U.S. workers are job hopping, 10 of the 23 employees who work at the shop at 1811 W. Route 120 in McHenry, have been with Adams 10 years or more.
These include Office Manager Stacy Griffin, 15 years, Lead Estimator Dave Bauer, 22 years, and General Manager Rick Corso, 29 years - as well as six body techs, painters and other shop workers who boast a combined 99 years of service.
That's not to mention owner Jay Adams' longevity, which stems well beyond 1990, when he bought the business from his father and Adams Auto Body founder Jim Adams Sr.
One could say Jay's been a part since he was old enough to grip a broom back in his dad's Lincoln Road garage.
Even among the newest employees, readily recognizing talent fuels the next class of 10-years-plus veterans. Employee loyalty, and in turn customer loyalty, are great legacies to have as the shop celebrates its 60th year in business in 2018, GM Corso said.
Adams associates look forward to welcoming customers, insurance representatives and other friends to a combined 60th anniversary celebration and customer appreciation day from noon to 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 2.
The event will feature soft drinks, burgers, brats and tacos, as well as a chance to view the Adams-sponsored Mid-American stock car and truck operated by Team Corso, and possibly a few other classic cars owned by Adams employees.
Adams, Corso, Bauer and Griffin said they hope lots of longtime customers will visit.
"It's an honor to have served the McHenry community for six decades," Jay Adams said. "It's also an honor to employ such a loyal, dedicated and talented crew. We hope lots of people stop by Aug. 2 to say hello."
Crew comments on longtime Adams employment:
The average worker changes careers five to seven times during his or her career, and the median number of years workers had spent with their current employer was just more than four as of January 2017, U.S. Labor Statistics show.
But many at Adams Auto Body and Service Center are bucking that trend. We asked why.
General Manager Rick Corso, 29 years: "I'm proud to be part of 60 years of loyal McHenry service. Customers know that they're getting an honest repair. We treat them like family because we are all family here."
Painter Harry Mueller, 25 years: "It's a good place to work. People are fair and honest. There's dedication and pride. With a lot of us here for so long, customers can count on quality, because obviously if we weren't doing our jobs right, we wouldn't still be here."
Lead Estimator Dave Bauer, 22 years: "I love working in my own hometown and having relationships with local customers. It's a terrific place to work with a highly experienced staff and a great reputation."
Painter Calvin Roehrich, 21 years: "It's a tight-knit group of people. If an employee is that happy to be at a place for 20-plus years, it tells customers that the place is doing something right. It says these are good employees and there's a solid relationship between employees and owners as well as managers."
Office Manager Stacy Griffin, 15 years: "You feel like part of the family when you work here, as opposed to a more corporate-owned location. We have a little more skin in it. We really care about the quality of the job, making those relationships with the customer."
Body Tech Paul Heber Jr., 15 years: "We receive ongoing training. All the guys get along. There's teamwork. Anybody would help any one of us."
Body Tech Mike Styx, 10 years: "We're treated like family, but we're also expected to do a good job. Our techs are highly experienced, so customers can count on quality work."