The National Auto Body Council (NABC) announced it has created an NABC Military Affairs team led by veterans to help continue its long service to military members and veterans in need, primarily through the NABC Recycled Rides program. The team will be led by Tim Bates, executive vice president for SolutionWorks and a decorated U.S. Army and Air Force veteran.
The NABC Military Affairs team includes collision industry professionals, military service leaders and military advisers:
• Maj. Gen. Chuck Swannack (U.S. Army retired), Speedway Motorsports, Inc.
• Maj. Gen. Kevin Pottinger (U.S. Air Force retired), Freedom Mobility Foundation
• Maj. Mark Lear (U.S. Army retired), Return to Base of Missouri, Inc.
• Sgt. Frank Pickering, (U.S. Marine Corps), Western New York Heroes
The NABC Military Affairs team, which includes distinguished military leaders, both inside and outside the collision repair industry, will work with national and state military affairs departments, Veterans Administration offices, military service organizations and military focused charities to support these groups’ efforts to serve military members and veterans in need, primarily through the NABC Recycled Rides program. The program has gifted more than 3,500 vehicles since 2007, with some 75% going to military members, veterans and veterans’ families.
“At the National Auto Body Council, we have a long history of working to give back to our country’s military members and veterans, primarily by providing reliable transportation through our NABC Recycled Rides program,” said Tom Wolf, chairman of the NABC Board of Directors. “It’s an honor to build upon our relationships with these military leaders, through whom we’ve been working for a number of years, to create a focused team engaged with the military community. And we’re proud to name Tim Bates as the leader of this team and look forward to his guidance as we expand our work serving military members and veterans in need.”
Bates had a distinguished military career prior to joining the automotive industry. A native of Kansas, he joined the U.S. Air Force after high school, trained as a satellite systems communications operator and then was stationed in Misawa Air Base in Japan. He served in support of Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. After Desert Storm, he returned to Kansas with his family to become a corrections officer and enlisted in the U.S. Army National Guard, then re-enlisted in the U.S. Army and regained his active duty status. While stationed there, he worked in the car dealership business and determined that was his new career path.
But when 9/11 occurred, he answered the call and went back active duty in September 2001 to support Operation Enduring Freedom, after which he received an honorable discharge, once again. He retired as a staff sergeant.
“It was an honor to serve my country over the years,” said Bates. “It provided an incredible foundation on which I’ve built my career, and I learned to truly value duty, honor and commitment to service. It’s equally an honor to work with the National Auto Body Council and the NABC Recycled Rides program to give back to veterans in need of reliable transportation. I look forward to collaborating with these distinguished veterans on the NABC Military Affairs team to continue to build our relationship with and services for the military and veteran community.”
Bates returned to the car business and moved up to general manager. He joined the paintless dent repair business in late 2009 as an independent adjuster to work a large hail storm in Melbourne, Australia, for seven months. After returning to the U.S., he became a regional manager with Catastrophe Solutions International which, after a merger with Auto Works, is now SolutionWorks, in his current role.
