MIKE JOHNSON
Mike grew up locally here in Hanover, Massachusetts attending, and graduating, from South Shore Vocational Technical High School focusing on Auto Body Technologies. Right after high school Mike immediately started his career working in the automotive industry back in 1986. What transpired over the course of the next 35+ years was a fire to firmly understand and grasp the automotive industry from every angle and to continuously learn and educate himself in order to better position himself for future career opportunities.
The 1990's
In the 1990's Mike was eager to progress in the industry and worked on everything and anything he could get his hands on. During this decade Mike worked for collision shops, a rental car company, and as a licensed independent appraiser writing for some of the largest insurance companies in Massachusetts. At this time of Mike's life, he was responsible for work such as estimation/appraisals, fabrication, restoration, heavy duty frame work painting, welding, body work, quality control, vendor relations, parts/order shipments, negotiations for repairs with vendors and insurance companies, electrical work, and mechanical work. Mike not only worked on your typical vehicles but handled buses, big rigs, and even appraisals for campers.
​Mike's Auto Body teacher Sam Walkama Jr. with Mike at dinner for South Shore Vocational Tech auto body alumni.
The 2000's
The 2000's brought Mike a vast insight of the industry due to his position as General Manager of Acme Body & Paint Co. In this position, Mike worked closely with Acme's owner Chuck Sulkala who mentored him. Mike was in charge of purchases, building and equipment maintenance, shop management, sales projections, budget, company expenses, and many more responsibilities. The shop was a part of Sherwin Williams A+ 20 group comprising of top producing collision shops in the country. Due to his success, Mike was able to travel throughout the country to collaborate and learn with other top producing shops.
The 2010's
Towards the end of the 2000's and for half of the 2010 decade, Mike transitioned into the sales side of the automotive business, taking a job with Sherwin Williams Automotive. Mike was in charge of representing sales accounts in Masschusetts and Rhode Island. Mike not only sold a wide array of Sherwin Williams' supplies but also trained his customers on how to use their products and services. While at Sherwin, Mike was hand picked to help develop Sherwin's new hiring and training program "VR Sales Rep Orientation and On-Boarding Guide."
After Mike's near decade long stint with Sherwin Williams, he moved on to a new opportunity that kept him closer to home on the South Shore, working for local MSO Collision Centers. Recently, these collision centers were the top ranked OEM certified body shops in all of New England, encompassing 15 OEM certifications including I-Car Platinum status. In his new managerial role, Mike was responsible for blueprinting, operations, production, compliance, facility maintenance, and renovations.
The 2020's and into the future
In his mind, the start of a new decade was the perfect time to take his dynamic knowledge of the industry, combined with his desire to be his own boss, and start his own business. Mike's dedication to mastering his craft over the course of the last three decades has inspired him to take this entrepreneurial leap forward to set himself, and his automotive peers, up for success as the industry continues pushing it's technological boundaries into the future. Though the automotive industry may continue to change as the years go on, newer and more complex solutions will need to be found and Mike Johnson is prepared to tackle those issues head on.