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Our Team

FREE ESTIMATE

Dedicated to Auto Body & Collision Repair Excellence

Our team is dedicated to auto body and collision repair excellence. We demonstrate our commitment to excellence with a well-versed team defined by meticulous attention to detail and service execution according to certified quality. Our mission is to restore pre-accident structural integrity, appearance, and functionality. We provide exclusive auto body and collision repair services as the official body shop of Mercedes-Benz of Austin, First Texas Honda, Austin Subaru, and Austin INFINITI. Forging official body shop status requires a team of experts to complete programmed factory training. Choosing us extends peace of mind with comprehensive auto body and collision repair services from a team of certified experts in a state-of-the-art facility with genuine OEM parts. Continue learning about our team and certifications. Consider the careers at Continental Collision and apply today if interested.

Lonnie Hunter
Lonnie Hunter
General Manager
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Scott Branum
Scott Branum
Body Shop Manager
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gilbert-torres
Gilbert Torres
Parts Manager
Top Gun 2013
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Andres Morales
Andres Morales
Parts Manager
Top Gun 2012
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PJ Cohn
PJ Cohn
Production Manager
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Silvestre Alvarado
Silvestre Alvarado
Porter
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Mike Bonham
Mike Bonham
Blueprinter
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Caleb Bruggman
Caleb Bruggman
Estimator
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Christian Gaytan
Christian Gaytan
Estimator
Top Gun 2021
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Austin Hansen
Austin Hansen
QC Inspector
Top Gun 2017
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Dan Herrman
Dan Herrman
Estimator
Top Gun 2016
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Herminio Hernandez
Herminio Hernandez
Production Support
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Edward Listander
Edward Listander
Estimator
Top Gun 2020
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Phillip Rodriquez
Phillip Rodriquez
Estimator
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Manuel Flores De La Cruz
Manuel Flores De La Cruz
Shop Porter
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Nathan Carrasco
Nathan Carrasco
Shop Porter
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Kelsey Arp
Kelsey Arp
Estimator
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Mark Peralez
Mark Peralez
Body Shop Estimator
Top Gun 2022
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Craig Ritchie
Craig Ritchie
Blueprinter
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Cesar Sanchez
Cesar Sanchez
Parts
Top Gun 2014, Top Gun 2018
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Tristan Shorter
Tristan Shorter
Blueprinter
Top Gun 2022
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Gilbert Torres Jr.
Gilbert Torres Jr.
Blueprinter
Top Gun 2018
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Luis Pena
Luis Pena
Customer Service Rep
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Ellen Simmons
Ellen Simmons
Office Manager
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DeAnna Smith
DeAnna Smith
Customer Service
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Katelyn Acuna
Katelyn Acuna
Customer Service
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Team & Facility Certifications

Obtaining and maintaining our vast array of credentials requires rigorous employee training. Our team has completed the training standards set forth by I-CAR® Gold Class Professional™, Assured Performance™, and factory-certified by Mercedes-Benz, Honda/Acura ProFirst, INFINITI, Mopar®, and Nissan. We provide our team with the equipment and tools required for certification. We comply with certifications’ customer service standards by maintaining a customer communication database, issuing regular satisfaction surveys, and analyzing the results to improve our customer satisfaction index (CSI). We employ certified estimators and technicians. Our certified estimators guide you through the repair process, including direct communication with insurance adjustors to expedite claim approvals and schedule repairs. Our certified technicians specialize in their craft, including auto body repair, painting, and blueprinting. 

Careers at Continental Collision in Austin, TX

As a growing collision center dedicated to customer service excellence, we continuously monitor demand, customer satisfaction, and our staffing plan to introduce motivated employees as needed. Joining our team is a wise decision toward job satisfaction, security, and career development at a collision center with a healthy organizational culture. We invite you to consider the current job vacancies, employee compensation/benefits, and the essential duties and responsibilities. Apply online at your convenience or in person at the collision center during operational hours.

Our Hours
Monday - Friday
7:30AM - 5:30PM
Saturday & Sunday
Closed

Complimentary Amenities

Online Service Scheduling
Newspaper & Magazines
Snacks & Beverages
Certified Technicians
Genuine OEM Parts
Comfortable Waiting Area
State-of-the-Art Facility
High-Definition TV's

Get a Free Estimate at Continental Collision

Scheduling certified service from our team of experts starts with a free estimate. You can get a free estimate online or in person. Access the free online estimate form anytime to submit the necessary details alongside photos of the damage and the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Call us during regular service hours if you have questions for our knowledgeable advisors, and schedule an appointment.

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Lonnie Hunter

General Manager | Hire Date: 5/6/2002

Lonnie was born in the beautiful hill country town of Llano, Texas. This fact helps us understand why he loves the outdoors and spending time hunting wild game. His favorite food is Bar-B-Que and the meat he really enjoys cooking is the game that he has brought home from his most recent hunt. His love for the outdoors inspires him to work diligently in his yard to have it perfectly manicured for all to see. Someday he would like to take his family on vacation in Rome. He is very proud and thankful that God has blessed him with a wonderful wife and son, which is evident by all the family pictures that decorate his office. He is also thankful to be working with The Continental Auto Group and believes it is the BEST company to work with.

Scott Branum

Body Shop Manager | Hire Date: 2/14/2022

Scott is proud to call Austin, Texas his hometown. His favorite thing about living here is spending time on the Greenbelt, riding his mountain bike, and checking out new restaurants. Working on cars has always been his passion, which is why he decided to step into the collision repair industry 22 years ago! Mountain biking and riding motorcycles are just a couple of things that Scott enjoys doing in his free time, but he says nothing beats a weekend of fishing in Port Aransas! Scott is always down to grab a bite to eat at Capital Grille, especially if steaks are involved! If he could travel to any destination, Scott would choose Alaska because he would love to take his motorcycle for a ride through the beautiful scenery. FUN FACT: At home, Scott has an African Grey Parrot named Leo!

Gilbert Torres

Parts Manager | Top Gun 2013 | Hire Date: 11/3/2003

Gilbert has been in the car business since 1993.
His experience includes: Detail, Buff, Prep, Parts and Shop Foreman.
Gilbert’s favorite part of his job is seeing the before and after of his work, “it never gets old.” He also thinks that the Continental Automotive Group is one of the best companies to work for.

Andres Morales

Parts Manager | Top Gun 2012 | Hire Date: 3/31/2011

Andres is a true car guy. He likes working on cars and learning new things. He likes to see how things are built from the ground up from start to finish. In is time off, he enjoys being around family and staying busy is a must for him.

PJ Cohn

Production Manager | Hire Date: 3/7/2022

PJ was born in Illinois and has been in Austin since the 1980s. He’s joyfully been a part of the body shop world since ’90 and is ecstatic to be on the team with Continental. PJ has a wonderful wife, four daughters, and one son. Outside of work, PJ loves racing cars! You might run into him at Little River where he’s been known to race his ’93 Fox-body Mustang – at a staggering 7.90s quarter mile, reaching around 200mph!

Silvestre Alvarado

Porter | Hire Date: 7/25/2006

Silvestre is one of the more dynamic technicians in the detail department. After winning the 1976 Pan-American Spelling Bee at the age of eleven, Silvo had a few bright years doing spots for Japanese day-time television. With deregulation in Uruguay, his family’s chocolate cookie empire crumbled in the late 1980’s, and Silvestre fell on some lean times. He moved to Austin from Lillehammer, France, at the Winter Solstice, 1997. He has been performing ‘Bye Bye Miss American Pie’ at company picnics since 2006.Rick has been a member of the Continental Automotive Group since 2002 and enjoys working with this company and its family atmosphere. He also appreciates how they care for their employees and customers. Cars are a passion of his and he is delighted to get to work with them daily!

Mike Bonham

Blueprinter | Hire Date: 11/18/2019

Mike is a born and raised Austinite. In fact, his parents still live at the same address, just minutes from Continental Collision! Mike went to Dallas Junior College and played some ball there, too! When he came back to Austin in ’98, he got right into the automotive body and paint world. Now, at Continental Collision, Mike loves that everyone at the shop is truly proud to be part of the team. He loves the way that he’s seen how helpful everyone is and how happy everyone is to be there. When he’s not at work, Mike enjoys hunting, fishing, and cooking. He especially loves to cook for his family, and is proud to say that he cooks everyday. Whenever he gets out to travel, he partially chooses the destinations based off of the foodie choices available there. FUN FACT: Mike’s dad was in the paint world and once tried to sell paint to Rick at the Collision Center. While we won’t disclose whether or not CC bought the paint, we will note that Rick was always grateful to Mike’s dad for his willingness and help over the years.

Caleb Bruggman

Estimator | Hire Date: 9/2/2021

Caleb is from Houston, Texas and was drawn to Austin as it’s the Live Music Capitol of the World. Caleb is very musically inclined, so he enjoys strumming a guitar, or listening to someone else do the same. He loves attending Austin’s annual ACL Music Festival and The Notorious B.I.G., aka Biggie Smalls, is by far his favorite artist. While any place with clear water crashing on hot sand is ideal to Caleb for a vacation, he’l admit that he had the best whiskey he’s ever tasted out in Ireland. Caleb spends some of his free time rooting for the Green Bay Packers, rewatching his favorite movie – Tombstone, and playing video games like Rocket League and Call of Duty on his Xbox.

Christian Gaytan

Estimator | Top Gun 2021 | Hire Date: 1/20/2015

Christian was born in San Benito, TX. He’s been in the automotive industry for 9 years and counting. He started here at Continental Collision in detail and has worked his way up from there. When he’s not hard at work, he enjoys playing video games, watching movies and building legos. His favorite band is a rock band from Argentina called Soda Stereo. Christian also loves to travel, and his favorite vacation was a cruise to Cozumel and Progreso where he got to see the amazing Chichén-Itzá. FUN FACT: Christian’s favorite restaurant is Wingstop. He loves all wings!

Austin Hansen

QC Inspector | Top Gun 2017 | Hire Date: 1/6/2014

Austin was born in Dallas, TX – which means he is a Dallas Cowboys fan; it comes with the territory. He enjoys being with his family and his favorite food is anything his wife cooks! Dream travel destinations include Denmark & Austria.

Dan Herrman

Estimator | Top Gun 2016 | Hire Date: 7/13/2015

Dan came to Austin in January of 2014 from California. He enjoys a lot of sports and his main teams are: The Dodgers, The Lakers, and The NY Giants. Dan also really likes traveling, and has been all over Europe, and explored around the Marshall Islands (about 500 miles from Guam). He is very happily married as of October 2015, with quite a fun wedding in Vegas! They also have an adorable Boxer named Max. Previously, Dan was an insurance adjuster, and now he has been enjoying working for the Collision Center.

Herminio Hernandez

Production Support | Hire Date: 12/5/2005

Herminio was born & raised in Mexico and moved to Austin in 1994. During his time off, he enjoys being outdoors and spending time with his children. He is a dedicated family man and this includes his work-family. He started with Continental Collision Center detailing cars nine years ago. His hard work & focus on getting the job done right enabled him to move up to his current profession.

Edward Listander

Estimator | Top Gun 2020 | Hire Date: 2/13/2017

Edward grew up in Highland Park, IL and moved to Austin in 1985 after having visited it here, and deciding to stay! He’s been in the automotive industry since he was 17 years old, and has been into paint and body work, trade school, and later became an estimator in 2000. One of Edward’s favorite things to do when he’s not working is to scuba dive! He’s been to Cozumel, Monterey Bay, Lake Michigan, Lake Travis, Reveille Peak Ranch, and is always in search of more great places to dive. Apart from scuba diving, Edward also enjoys spending time with his wife of 20 years, their dogs, and racing around with RC cars!

Phillip Rodriquez

Estimator | Hire Date: 02/19/2024

Phillip was born in Elgin, TX. Eight years ago, his best friend got him into the automotive industry and he never looked back! In his free time, he loves to spend time with his family outdoors. He has 5 kids – Ava, Ethan, Blake, Dax, and Aubree. He also has two pit bulls, Bruno and Mia. It’s one big happy family! When it comes to sports, Phillip roots for the Dallas Cowboys and the San Antonio Spurs.

Manuel Flores De La Cruz

Shop Porter | Hire Date: 7/31/2023

Manuel is passionate about cars and looks forward to this opportunity with Continental Automotive Group!

Nathan Carrasco

Shop Porter | Hire Date: 03/05/2024

Nathan was born and raised in Georgetown, TX. You can always find him jamming out to his favorite band, The Eagles. Nathan dreams about traveling to Japan to experience the beautiful culture there. When it comes to sports, he roots for the Los Angeles Lakers. Nathan also has one Frenchie at home named Mr. Traumatic.

Kelsey Arp

Estimator | Hire Date: 11/27/2023

Kelsey comes to us from a small town in Minnesota called Otsego. She’s super outdoorsy and enjoys living in Austin for the endless amount of fun activities to do, as well as the active culture. When she’s not busy working, Kelsey enjoys hanging out at Zilker Park, paddle boarding, hiking, and swimming. Her favorite meal is Tex-Mex and she loves cheering on the Green Bay Packers during football season.

Mark Peralez

Body Shop Estimator | Hire Date: 3/2/2022

Mark was born and raised right here in Lockhart, Texas. Back in ’95, Mark would deliver paint to CCC and he’s overjoyed to be a part of the team here now. Mark enjoys spending time with his wife, three sons, and his daughter. They love going fishing, hunting, and great BBQ – noting that they love to enjoy “anything off the pit!” Mark is also a die-hard Cowboys fan. He knows that one of these years, they’ll win a Super Bowl… maybe!

Craig Ritchie

Blueprinter | Hire Date 10/16/2014

Craig was born in San Antonio, Texas and moved to Austin, Texas in 2007. In his spare time, he enjoys playing games, camping, hiking, grilling, and learning new things. His favorite movie is “Guardians of the Galaxy”. If he could meet anyone ever it would be Carl Sagan. His favorite celebrity is Neil deGrasse Tyson. He has a Pembroke Welsh Corgi named Einstein. His dream car is a 2001 Nissan Skyline GTR R34. Craig is truly thrilled to be part of our team, making our customers happy.

Cesar Sanchez
Parts | Top Gun 2014, Top Gun 2018 | Hire Date: 12/16/2010

Cesar was born in Mexico & has been in Austin since he was 19 years old. He has two sons, one daughter & has been married for eight years. He loves his family very much, and hopes to have another child soon. His favorite sport is soccer, but with any sport, he likes to cheer for who ever is winning! Cesar, himself, is also a great sport and we’re glad to have him on our team.

Tristan Shorter

Blueprinter | Hire Date: 3/22/2021

Tristan was born and raised in West Virginia. He was ready to move as soon as he got out of college there and likes being in Austin now where it’s definitely better than WV. Tristan enjoys getting out to play defense in hockey games whenever he has the chance and also loves cooking up all kinds of dishes. One day, he wants to go to Europe (in 20 or so years) and would love to see all kind of places there – he’s not too picky.

Gilbert Torres Jr.

Blueprinter | Top Gun 2018 | Hire Date: 10/28/2015

Gilbert was born and raised right here in Austin, Texas. He enjoys being with his wife and daughter in his free time and also likes watching the Cowboys, Spurs, and Longhorns.

Luis Pena

Customer Service Rep | Hire Date: 4/21/2014

Luis was born in Corpus Christi, TX and moved to Austin in the summer of 2001 while attending school in College Station. In his spare time he enjoys spending time with his wife, training muay thai at Pinnacle Training Center, and wasting away as much time as is humanly possible on the couch. He hopes to one day be able to travel and spend a few months in Thailand training muay thai at various gyms around the country. Because he is somewhat masochistic, he is a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan.

Ellen Simmons

Office Manager | Hire Date 1/23/2023

Ellen was born in New Rochelle, New York, but she got to Texas as fast as she could! She moved to Houston when she was 10 and has loved it here ever since. Her journey in the automotive business began around 1991 when estimates were written from crash books and nothing was on computers yet. In her free time, Ellen loves to read, tend to her patio garden, and visit her daughters in Colorado and Oklahoma. She recently welcomed her first grandchild and she absolutely adores him! When it comes to food, Ellen can’t pick just one favorite. She loves Mexican food and a good steak, and she is a total chocoholic. She loves all kinds of music, except for jazz, and her playlist is extremely random. Her grandmother was a concert pianist, so she loves listening to piano music to wind down, but she also loves listening to Morgan Wallen and Nine Inch Nails if she feels like getting hyped up! Ellen absolutely loves Greyhounds – she was part of a Greyhound rescue for 20 years and has fostered many of them. Currently, she has one Greyhound named Kosta (aka “Kostalottamoney”), and he was a very successful racer who was forced to retire after having to get a broken toe amputated. FUN FACT: Ellen’s dog has his own Instagram page, and she has built friendships through it with so many fun people! Her office is completely decorated with dog artwork she has received as gifts, as well as many photos of dogs she adores. Ellen even has a nameplate that says “crazy dog lady”!

DeAnna Smith

Customer Service | Hire Date 05/04/2023

Bio coming soon!

Katelyn Acuna

Customer Service | Hire Date: 01/12/2024

Katelyn is from Georgetown, Texas. She has been on a cruise to Mexico and would recommend it to anyone as it is the best vacation she has ever had! Katelyn is a huge fan of pasta dishes and will never turn down an invite to Olive Garden. While she doesn’t have a favorite movie, she tends to gravitate towards horror movies more than anything. At home, Katelyn has two huskies – a boy named Zeus and a girl named Rhea!