Brady Smith, assistant general manager of Zara’s Collision Center, has been selected to participate in the ’13-’14 class of Leadership Springfield. The announcement was made by Brad Zara, president of Zara’s. Leadership Springfield is an affiliate of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce.
Smith, a resident of Athens, Ill., began his career at Zara’s part-time in June 2008 while still a teenager. His experience at Zara’s has encompassed facility maintenance, vehicle detailing, paint prep for a range of makes and models, customer service, and bookkeeping. In February of 2013, Smith was named assistant general manager of Zara’s after earning his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Robert Morris University in Springfield.
“Brady completed an in-depth application process as part of the Leadership Springfield criteria,” said Zara. “He will attend classes one full day per month for nine months and participate in group projects outside of class time. This will be a great opportunity for Brady to form relationships with other professionals from the Springfield business environment and learn more about our community in general.”
Leadership Springfield exposes participants to critical issues affecting the Springfield area. The class will meet community leaders and decision makers who will share perspectives on significant problems and opportunities. Topics in the curriculum:
- Business and Economic Development
- Government
- Social/Family Issues and Education
- Aging and Health Care
- Human Services
- Law Enforcement and Justice
- Arts, Religion, and Philanthropy
- Community Groups
- Community History
Zara’s, now in its 27th year of business, is located at 3117 Wide Track Drive in Springfield, one block south of Dirksen Parkway and South Grand Avenue East. The shop’s 12-month customer satisfaction rating is 93.4% as reported by the CSI Complete survey firm. Zara’s is Honda Motor Co.’s only ProFirst collision repair facility in the Springfield area and the only Springfield-area shop to have Chrysler’s Assured Performance certification. Zara’s Benevolence Program has given away 25 refurbished vehicles to deserving individuals in the 14 years of the program.
