Bosch continued its tradition of honoring exemplary auto repair shops by presenting its 2026 Shop of the Year award to Justin Becker, owner of SSA European Auto Repair in Kingston, Massachusetts, during the Bosch After Hours event at SEMA on Wednesday.

“It means a lot of hard work is completed by not just me but my staff and everybody else in the company,” Becker said before taking the stage to accept the award.

Becker, whose shop received an honorable mention in 2025, credited his staff of 20 full-time associates for guiding the business’s success.

“I’m where I am today, and so honored to be here again, and just amazed that I’m up on the stage with Bosch because of my staff,” he said during his acceptance speech. “And I listen to them and what they want to do, and I empower them. I’m letting them make the decisions, and because of that, we are where we are, and we’re not just fixing cars.”

Todd Herzler, Bosch North American regional president, said the award recognizes independent repair shop owners who make a difference for their customers, employees, communities, and the broader automotive aftermarket.

“It's a way for us to recognize those independent repair shop owners that go above and beyond to service their customers, their associates, and their communities, in addition to supporting the greater automotive aftermarket industry, which has treated all of us so well over the years,” Herzler said.

Bosch evaluates nominees based on sustainability, community engagement, and their contributions to improving the automotive repair industry and customer experience. The 2026 honorable mentions were:

• Atlantic Motor Car Cente
• Prestige Auto Tech
• First Stop AutoCare
• Eurotech Auto Service

Bosch also recognized Sean Cattrell, an educator from Yermo, California, as the winner of its inaugural Teacher Appreciation Initiative. The initiative celebrates educators who spark curiosity, passion, and trade skills in classrooms across the country.