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5 5 teAM ppG Gipe Automotive was honored by PPG Refinish as its 2012 Platinum Distributor of the Year at this year's PPG Platinum Distributor Conference in Scottsdale, Ariz. Tom Gipe, president of Gipe Automotive, Inc., accepted the award along with key members of his management team who were also in attendance. "To be named Platinum Distributor of the Year is quite a surprise and very humbling," said Gipe. "I'm accepting the award on behalf of our entire company. I'm happy for all the people at Gipe Automotive. They're top quality, great to work with and the reason we've received this honor." PPG HAils toyotA of orlAndo As reciPient of toyotA's toP AwArd PPG Automotive Refinish recently honored Toyota of Orlando during a special event celebrating the dealer's 2012 Toyota Certified Collision Center Triple Crown Award. A PPG customer, Toyota of Orlando was the top- performing dealer from its sales group of 190 Toyota Certified Collision Center dealers nationwide. Collision centers are evaluated on a point system based on customer satisfaction; manager, estimator and technician certification; facility and equipment requirements, and other benchmark achievements. Scott O'Connor, Toyota of Orlando collision center manager, cited PPG and its MVP Business Solutions program as making important contributions in helping the collision center achieve its goals. As part of the recognition ceremony, all Toyota of Orlando shop personnel received commemorative gifts from representatives of PPG and Ben's Paint Supply, a Daytona Beach, Fla.-based PPG Platinum Distributor. Established in 1931 and headquartered in Owensboro, Ky., Gipe Automotive is a fourth- generation family-owned auto paint and parts supplier, with 82 employees in 11 sales and warehouse locations across Kentucky and Indiana. Gipe Automotive became a PPG Platinum Distributor in 1995. The company has been heavily involved with the MVP program and has taken advantage of PPG's many support and training programs. Although not located in a mandated low-VOC area, Gipe Automotive is actively encouraging customers to convert to waterborne technology. Thus far some 35 of their customers' collision centers have made the change, with ENVIROBASE ® High Performance now the company's top selling refinish system. GiPe AUTOMOTiVe: PLATiNUM diSTRibUTOR OF THe yeAR Accepting the award for Gipe Automotive from left: Jay eberlin, refinish sales manager; tom Gipe, president, and Alex Gipe, business development director.