CREF Promotes Brandon Eckenrode to Exec. Director

The Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) announced the promotion of Brandon Eckenrode to executive director. Eckenrode was formerly the foundation's managing director.

Eckenrode's collision industry career began in 2002 in I-CAR's marketing department. He joined the Foundation's team as associate director of development in 2009 while the organization was "transitioning from distributing curriculum to collision school programs to becoming the philanthropic focused organization it is today," he recalls, identifying his early responsibilities as "educating the industry on the new focus and showcasing how CREF is uniquely positioned to facilitate industry support to collision programs in need."

As director of development from 2012 through 2021, CREF says Eckenrode was heavily involved with its successful growth through his management of various projects and events that helped the organization gain visibility within the industry and beyond. For the past two years, he has served as the foundation's managing director, a role that has required him to "work closely with CREF's Board of Trustees, staff and our partners to execute the organizational goals and strategic mission," CREF adds.