Happy fall! October's Service Smart Saturday is on the 17th :)
Meet the Founders
Everardo and Claudia
Everardo's love for cars has been with him ever since he was a child. With some pals, he built his first car at age fifteen and they raced another team from a rival school. He attended and completed automotive technical school before moving to the United States. When Everardo first came over to the States he began working on Rolls-Royce and other high end luxury vehicles by day and attending the University of Houston by night seeking a degree in computer science. When the opportunity to own his own shop arose, he took a leap with his wife, and they became business owners.
Claudia's involvement with the automotive industry began when she was a child as well. Her father owned a successful parts store in Argentina. When she was young, she would often sort and pull various items or work the register (even before she could count!). When Claudia first came to the States, she was involved in Hotel Management, but when presented with a chance of becoming a business owner and specifically starting an automotive garage with her husband, she seized it.
The husband and wife team started Professional Auto Care back in 1983 and they continue to have a strongly felt presence in the day-to-day operations of the company. The duo has always felt that family is important and so they involved their children in the business.
Everardo and Claudia's 37th Wedding Anniversary.
Meet Karolena
2nd Generation and Leading the Future
Karolena has been at her parents' side since she was a child at the shop. Though she does much more nowadays than handing her father tools, the passion for the business her parents instilled in her has not changed. She is eager to challenge the service industry to create a standard for transparent service. You can learn more about Karolena and her mission by visiting www.maintenanceisamust.com .
Upon graduating St. Agnes Academy in 2007, she attended the University of Houston, Bauer College of Business. She received her bachelors' in business administration, double majoring in Entrepreneurship and Supply Chain Management with certificates in Logistics and Process Management. Karolena is an ASE Certified Service Consultant, ASE Certified G1 Maintenance and Light Repair Technician, licensed State Inspector, served as a member of the AAA Approved Repair Advisory Committee of Texas & New Mexico (AARAC), ASA (Automotive Service Association) board member (2011- 2016), ASA President Elect 2012-2013, and two time ASA Houston Chapter President 2014-2016. She's also a frequent guest on a couple local radio shows! Visit her blog for upcoming dates! In her community she served as a member of the St. Agnes Academy Young Professionals Board Member 2012- 2016. As well as her passion for the City of Sugar Land; member of the City Manager's Multi-Cultural Advisory Team, Member of the City of Sugar Land's Land Use Advisory Committee, Sugar Land 101 graduate and Sugar Land Citizen Police Academy graduate.
Karolena Serratos, SW Houston auto repair shop owner.
About Professional Auto Care
There is no such thing as over-night success
Our automotive repair shop has undergone many changes since the 1980s. When we first opened in 1983, the shop was half the size of today’s main building at 9916. Even this expansion proved insufficient so in the mid 90’s we purchased the lot of land across the street (9913) and constructed a much larger building – more than double 9916’s size! With all the space, we were able to store parts elsewhere and turn the parts room into an open concept office for our service consultants and writers.
In the early 2000’s, a concrete parking lot was poured down as more and easier client parking became necessary. When the concrete had just been poured, Karolena and Kimberly signed their names and pressed their hands into it. You can see their handprints and names on your way to our 9913 waiting room. The waiting room was built in 2007 and gave our clients much more space to relax and do what they needed while waiting for their vehicle to be maintained or repaired. Around 2012, we moved our inventory into two large containers. The containers have proved most useful because different manufacturers have begun to require specific fluids in recent years.
Fast forward a few years and we have three maintenance bays, one alignment bay, two dedicated Service Smart℠ check out bays, one dedicated inspection bay, two minor repair bays, five major repair bays, and two detailing bays, and a super comfy waiting room for clients.
The Serratos Family has owned Professional Auto Care since 1983.