Industry & Services >> CEO Interviews >> October 9, 2000
TERRY SMITH is President and Chief Executive Officer of The Boyd Group
Inc. Mr. Smith founded Boyd in 1990 and through his entrepreneurial
skills, marketing philosophies and management expertise, is widely
credited as the architect of the company's growth and development. In
the late 1980s, Mr. Smith believed that the collision-repair industry
represented a consolidation opportunity and that it would become
increasingly difficult for the smaller operator to keep up with the
level of management expertise and technology required to maximize the
efficiency and profitability of an auto body business. Mr. Smith formed
Cross Canada Collision Centers Limited Partnership to provide a
structure whereby investors could contribute capital to acquire auto
body shops that were undervalued, underperforming or that had attractive
potential. In November 1990, under the direction of Mr. Smith, the
Limited Partnership purchased the assets and business of Boyd Autobody,
a single location, $500,000 in annual revenue auto body shop in
Winnipeg, Manitoba and then embarked upon a plan to build a multi-
location collision repair business. In February 1998 Mr. Smith took the
business public on the Winnipeg Stock Exchange, establishing The Boyd
Group Inc. as the first publicly traded collision-repair business in
North America. Mr. Smith has been recognized as Entrepreneur of the Year
by Manitoba Business Magazine, Boyd was named the fastest-growing
company in Manitoba in 1994, and in 1995, 1996 and 1997 was recognized
by the Financial Post and Arthur Andersen as one of Canada's 50 best-
managed companies. Profile
Inc.?
Mr. Smith: The Boyd Group, Inc. owns and operates collision-repair
centers in Canada and the United States. The
