Chatham Collision Repair has new owners who were previously employees of the business, and the former owner is still working there. Ken and Debbie Shawgo recently purchased the business from Kevin Daugherty, who now works as the operations manager at the auto repair shop, located at 332 Williams Lane in Chatham.
Ken Shawgo has worked at Chatham Collision for 20 years as an automotive painter and his wife, Debbie, joined the company about six years ago. I had worked previously with State Farm for 17 years handling auto claims, until they closed my office, she said. Then I came to work at Chatham Collision as the office manager so I could start learning that side of the business. My husband had always had an interest in owning the business someday.
Debbie said she and Ken approached the owner about selling the business, and Daughterty agreed to do so but also stay on with the business to provide some training for them.
Now were just trying to grow the business as much as we can, she said. We bought a good, solid business and we want to keep it growing.