Meet Our Team
Kenneth Wrobel
Owner/Autobody Technician
Kenny earned his Auto Body degree from Anoka Hennepin Technical College in 1993. He has over 30 years of experience in the autobody industry. He is I-CAR trained which focusses on assuring complete, safe, quality repairs. He was featured in the autobody repair network (ABRN) magazine seven years straight for being in the top 3% in the country for productivity. His passion for cars started at a young age building model cars and trucks and then adding his own detail and touch to each and every one. Kenny worked as the lead technician at Thomas Auto Body for 6 years prior to purchasing the business in October 2017.
Gail Hoch
Office Supervisor
Gail earned her degree in Office Administration from the Minnesota School of Business in 1996. She has over 27 years experience working in the office setting managing all aspects of day to day operations including sales & marketing, accounts payable, accounts receivable, development and implementation of operational policies and procedures, as well as providing ongoing improvements in quality, productivity and efficiency. Gail started working with Thomas Autobody in September 2019 as the office manager.
Alexandra Halverson
Administrative Assistant
Ally graduated from Grand Rapids High School in 2011 and soon after entered the work force. She has 12 years of experience in customer service, and 6 years of experience in administrative and managerial positions that focused on managing a team and coordinating services between her employer and her customers. Ally’s love of people and desire to learn their stories guarantees an empathetic ear when voicing concerns and ensuring the highest quality customer care. When she isn’t at Thomas Auto Body, Ally enjoys working on her book along with other types of writing, reading, and spending time with her niece and nephew.
Zack Westling
Estimator
Zack, or ‘Leroy’ as the staff have fondly dubbed him, has been in customer service for 6 years, and has 4 years of automotive mechanical experience. He always strives for the highest possible customer satisfaction and is eager to help. Zack graduated Cooper High School in 2018 and joined the work force directly after. When he isn’t at Thomas Auto Body, you can usually find him playing softball for his team ‘The Hotdish Taters’, playing disc golf with friends or eating food.
Kyle Bohnert
Autobody Technician
Kyle “the kid” graduated from Cooper High School and soon after earned his Auto Body Degree from Hennepin Technical College. He has over 20 years of experience in the autobody industry and has numerous degrees, certifications and awards including his I-Car Platinum, Aluminum Certification, Structural Steel & Aluminum Certified Repair, Jaguar Land Rover Certification, and a “Top Performer Award” for the last 4+ years for being in the top 3% of Collision Technicians in the country for productivity. His passion for cars started at a young age and was cultivated by his father who was an autobody painter in the same building that Thomas Auto Body now operates in. He started in the industry as a detailer, and during that time he soaked up all the knowledge he could with an eager mind. Now, nearly 2 decades later, he is thrilled to be working not only in the same building where he got his start, but also for the same man that dubbed him ‘the kid’. When Kyle isn’t working, he enjoys spending time with his wife and 2 beautiful daughters, fishing, camping and other outdoor activities.
Manuel Saeteros-Lema
Autobody Technician
Manuel was born and raised in Ecuador. He went to school at Pio XII in Cuenca and graduated in 1986. Manuel has been in the autobody industry for over 15 years and has been with Thomas Auto Body for 2 of those years. During that time, he has earned his I-Car Certification and has proven his aptitude for autobody repair through hard work and dedication. Manuel has always enjoyed cars and is happy to be in an industry doing what it is that he loves. When he isn’t at the shop, Manuel enjoys a variety of things including bicycling, watching race cars, motorcycling sports and football. He also enjoys spending time with his beautiful daughter and makes time to call his parents in Ecuador every single day.
Nathanial Magdziarz-Rainey
Autobody Technician
Nate has over 6 years of experience in the autobody industry. He is also certified through AkzoNoble Sikkens in automotive paint application. He has experience and knowledge in metalworking, fiberglass and dent repair, welding, rustproofing and electrical wiring. He graduated from St. Louis Park High School in 2016 then began working in the auto body industry shortly after that. He places high importance on the integrity of the job. When he isn’t hard at work at Thomas Auto Body, he likes working on his 1971 chevy pickup, participating in PC games with friends, and heading out to his local breweries.
Justin Bancroft
Painter
Justin earned his degree from Hennepin Technical College in 2002. He has over 21 years of experience working as an automobile painting technician. He is skilled with all aspects of painting from start to finish. He is a dedicated painter who takes great pride in his work.
Justin has been with Thomas Autobody for 6 years.
Kongmeng Vang
Detailer
Kong grew up in North Minneapolis and graduated from Patrick Henry High School in 2015. He has always enjoyed cars, so entering the auto repair industry was an easy decision for him. He has almost 2 years' experience as an auto body detailer and quality inspector. When he isn’t hard at work with Thomas Auto Body, you can usually find him breeding fish, fishing and working on home improvements.