May 2026 Blog Posts
Homegrown Talent Continues Legacy of Family Shop
05/07/2026 by I-CAR
It’s in a farm family’s DNA to pitch in wherever and whenever needed. In the case of the Kottschade family, who also operate an independent Gold Class® body shop in Mankato, MN, pitching in meant that their son Dan and daughter Laura spent a lot of time at the shop. Laura, who is the youngest, regularly helped her mother Geri in the office. “It felt natural and a part of life,” she says. Yet, it was quite a different thing from folding laundry or helping with chores on the farm. Early on, it was evident Laura had quite a knack for it.