Education Foundation - About the Education Foundation: News: 2003 Press Release

ROLLING MEADOWS, IL - November 23, 2004- The Collision Repair Instructors Network (CRIN) and the I-CAR Education Foundation are proud to announce the 2004 Instructor of the Year. The Honoree is Charles M. Pack Jr., a collision repair instructor from the Academy of Careers and Technology in Beckley, West Virginia. Pack received an expense-paid trip to NACE in November, where he was honored at the CRIN Breakfast Meeting.

Pack began his career by attending Raleigh County Vocational Technical Center and earning a Collision Repair Certificate in 1981. He continued his education by attending West Virginia University Institute of Technology and earning a Bachelor of Science in Vocational-Technical Education in 2000; and most recently attended Marshall University for a Master of Arts Educational Leadership.

Pack has worked tirelessly to secure grants that would benefit his collision program. The money he has secured helped the school purchase a computerized measuring system, respirators for graduates, and the I-CAR Enhanced Delivery Curriculum offered by the I-CAR Education Foundation.

Pack is an ASE-Certified Master Technician, and the Academy of Careers and Technology is ASE Certified to the NATEF standards in Mechanical and Electrical, Non-Structural Analysis/Damage Repair, Painting and Refinishing, Plastics and Adhesives, Structural Analysis and Damage Repair. In addition, Pack has done volunteer work for the Red Cross, Boy Scouts of America, and is active in his church.

MaryEllen Vaught, Principal at Academy of Career and Technology states that: "Charles Pack personifies what an outstanding career and technical educational teacher should be. He radiates a positive attitude, exhibits qualities of leadership, and demonstrates a keen sense of responsibility to the goals of our district and our school. He is thoroughly committed to his students, our school, his profession, local industry, and the community. As faculty representative and spokesperson, he is a sincere and dedicated ambassador for career and technical education. He is recognized and appreciated throughout our county and state as an educational leader. We are extremely proud of him."

CRIN is sponsored by the I-CAR Education Foundation and is designed to facilitate the exchange of technical and professional information among collision repair instructors, school administrators, and industry partners. The final selection of the award was made by the Executive Committee of the Education Foundation’s Board of Trustees.

Ron Ray, Executive Director of the Education Foundation states that: "The Trustees had a challenging selection to make this year. We have a number of CRIN members that are outstanding in their field, and wish we could honor all of them. Charles does an exemplary job of preparing students for entry-level positions in the collision industry, and goes above and beyond the call of duty."

The I-CAR Education Foundation, founded in 1991, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of entry-level employees for the collision industry.