How One Platinum™ Technician Turned Training Into a Trip to SEMA 2025

Structural technician Chad Bornhoft, a 27-year industry veteran, isn't someone driven by the kind of recognition that comes with an I-CAR spotlight - if anything, the attention makes him a bit uneasy. What he is driven by is the recognition that truly matters: Platinum™. Nothing speaks louder about the quality and consistency of his work than his Platinum status, along with the OEM certifications he's been able to pursue because of it. He's proudly maintained Platinum since 2019, helping support the Gold Class® standards of Woodhouse Auto's Omaha collision repair center. 

Bornhoft has always valued education. He learned the fundamentals of collision repair in a community college technical program which helped him land his first job with a small independent shop in the late 1990s. But with vehicle technology evolving quickly, he knew he would need an environment that kept his skills current, so he transitioned to dealership-owned shops. It was a good fit. He thrives on the fast pace and excellent earning and he loves that he's been able to set his own hours. At his current role in one of the three body shops operated by Woodhouse, a large Nebraska-Iowa dealership, Bornhoft works from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. and can pick up weekend hours if he chooses.

Platinum and the I-CAR welding certification were required to fulfill Bornhoft's aspiration to work on the high-end vehicles sold and serviced by Woodhouse Auto. “It was a lot of work and a lot of training,” he reflects. But the rewards were significant. Bornhoft took a specialized route, and he is now a certified technician for Porsche, Bentley, Maserati, and other vehicle makes.

“I've furthered my career with Platinum. It took me to the next level,” Chad Bornhoft says. Never did the structural technician expect it to take him as far as the Las Vegas Convention Center to attend SEMA.

One opportunity Bornhoft never expected from Platinum was an all-expenses-paid trip to SEMA 2025 as the winner of I-CAR's Platinum Experience SEMA Giveaway. Attending SEMA, the world's largest automotive specialty products trade show, is probably on the “bucket list” of most collision repairers. That's why I-CAR chose a SEMA experience for its giveaway promotion, and based on its success, future opportunities may be offered to reinforce and acknowledge the work that goes into maintaining the Platinum credential.

“I've heard stories about SEMA and always wanted to go,” Bornhoft says. “I just never had the opportunity.” Long shot or not, Bornhoft entered the random drawing for I-CAR's SEMA 2025 Giveaway package.

“When I found I won, I was honestly in shock. I've never received anything like this before, so it took a moment to sink in. Opportunities like this just don't happen to me, so it was incredibly exciting and humbling all at once.”

We caught up with Bornhoft during his stop at I-CAR's booth, where he networked with I-CAR representatives and tried out one of the booth's main attractions: a virtual reality demo of an ADAS calibration tool, a distance sensor. It was a preview of I-CAR's “Dynamic Calibration of a Front Radar” course now in development. Plans to introduce it to technical schools are underway, and the industry release is scheduled for 2026 as early as the second quarter. (Look here for updates on new courses.)

“I've never used virtual reality before in my life,” Bornhoft says. “Once you get used to it, it's awesome.” Bornhoft is excited about this innovation in I-CAR's training because entry-level techs will be able to learn advanced repair procedures by virtually practicing them. When mentoring at his shop, he is careful to keep his apprentices engaged and motivated by assigning them a variety of tasks. “I don't like to just give them the grunt work. I like to give them some good stuff to learn too.”

Bornhoft says I-CAR's virtual training “will especially benefit young people entering the industry. They've grown up with it. It's part of the technology of their generation.”

As a SEMA attendee, Bornhoft saw I-CAR in a different light, with a reach far beyond the local instructors he knows and the training he's taken in Nebraska. “I never thought about I-CAR being all over the country and just how big it is.” I-CAR's presence at SEMA got extra attention when it was honored with the Media Choice Award for its Mixed Attachment Methods course to be released in early 2026.

A major part of Bornhoft's four days at SEMA was spent on the immense exhibit floor full of the latest product innovations. He was particularly interested in tools that could reduce cycle time like a pneumatic portable pull tower used to pull minor dents in the tech's stall. “It would be a lot faster than having to put a vehicle on a frame machine. When you're on commission, you need to move to make money.”

He took photos and compiled a SEMA equipment wish list to bring back to the shop that included “cutting-edge diagnostic tools and a state-of-the-art paint system that promises to improve efficiency and output at the shop.” SEMA offers more than just products—it offers valuable connections with industry professionals. Reflecting on the many networking opportunities,” Bornhoft says “I was able to connect with several manufacturers and fellow collision repairers, which could lead to valuable partnerships and insights for our shop.”

There was also time for some fun. “Entertainment was plentiful. There were some exciting drifting events. I made sure to check out some custom-built cars as I had hoped. The creativity and craftsmanship on display were truly remarkable, making the experience both enjoyable and inspiring!”

Bornhoft came to SEMA intending to see everything. Even halfway through his visit, he suspected, “I don't know if you can see everything at SEMA.” On his last day, there was still far more to see than the day would allow.

Bornhoft returned to his job energized without any concern he'd be facing a same ol', same ol' tedium. In collision repair “every day is different,” he says, “because no two cars are ever hit the same way.” Life is good for this Platinum technician who has what it takes to “take a wrecked car and piece it back together and make it right again.”

Of course, SEMA will be back in November 2026. Would Bornhoft go again if he had to finance the trip himself? “Absolutely!” he says without hesitation.