Puget Collision expanded its footprint in the Pacific Northwest with the acquisition of Bob Thomas Auto Body, Inc., a high-performance and Tesla-certified collision repair shop in northeast Portland, OR. This marks Puget’s fourth location in Portland and its first Tesla-certified facility in the area, bolstering its service capabilities in one of the nation's top cities for EV adoption.
Puget Collision now operates 54 locations across Oregon, Washington, California and Colorado. Founded in 2022, the company has focused on acquiring CARSTAR and Fix Auto franchises throughout the West Coast.
Bob Thomas Auto Body, Inc., a CARSTAR franchisee, adds to Puget’s robust network and strengthens its offerings for EV owners in the Portland market.
“Deciding whether to sell the business and to whom was a really challenging process,” said Jeff Smith, owner of Bob Thomas Auto Body. “I have spent decades building out this team and our capabilities, and we chose Puget for their strong reputation as a service provider and employer.”
Smith’s tenure at the shop began in 2004, and he assumed ownership over the years, shaping it into a high-performance operator in the Portland area. Recognizing the growth of Tesla and EVs, Smith pursued Tesla certification in 2019, a decision that proved critical during the COVID-19 pandemic. Smith, along with his wife Karen and their production manager, used the pandemic’s disruptions to modernize operations and enhance facilities, positioning the shop for long-term success.
Karen and Jeff Smith were represented in the transaction by Focus Advisors.
“I’m glad I chose Focus Advisors to represent me,” Jeff Smith said. “They were essential in helping me understand the full value of my business and they negotiated for the terms that were important to me.”
Focus Advisors commended the Smiths’ accomplishments and the transaction’s outcome.
“Jeff and Karen are high-performance operators as well as great people,” said Madeleine Roberts Rich, senior associate at Focus Advisors. “It was very rewarding to see the market interest in Bob Thomas Auto Body, Inc., and then to help Jeff and Karen have a great exit that encompasses what they’ve built.”
