Proudly Canadian and Family Owned since 2008
Our Legacy
Humble Beginnings. Bright Future.
Distinctive Auto Works first opened in Calgary in 1975 in response to the growing need for an auto body repair facility with the skills, experience and product knowledge to service luxury cars, and in particular, Mercedes-Benz. It was then purchased in 2008 by The Craftsman Group of Companies where Bill Hatswell would continue to apply his winning philosophy to the benefit of DAW.
In 2013, DAW expanded to a second location in Victoria, BC. This shop is the only Certified Collision Repair Centre on Vancouver Island for BMW Group (including MINI) and Porsche.
In 2014, DAW in Calgary rebranded to MB Autoworks and moved locations to reaffirm our commitment as a leading Mercedes-Benz body shop. As the sole autobody facility in Calgary that is certified by Mercedes-Benz, we handle all of Mercedes’ autobody repairs and related warranty claims.
In 2016, we have continued our growth to include a Distinctive Auto Works in Edmonton. This state of the art, 24,000 square foot facility is the newest Certified Collision Repair Centre in Edmonton for Audi, the BMW Group, Jaguar and Land Rover. In 2020, factory certifications across shops have been expanded to include Volkswagen, Nissan, Ram, Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler and Fiat.
In 2021, the Distinctive Auto Works brand continues to grow and has opened at the same location as our sister brand MB Autoworks. It is great news for Calgary drivers who can now have their fine automobile, regardless of make and model, repaired at the same luxury collision centre.
The Next Generation
A Heritage of Excellence
DAW is part of an organization with a long and respected tradition of autobody repair: North Vancouver-based Craftsman Group of Companies, which owns and operates an additional 40 multi award-winning auto body repair facilities in Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan.
The Craftsman Group is a family affair headed by Bill Hatswell, Owner and CEO along with his children Rick Hatswell, President, Melanie Allan, Vice President USA and Greg Hatswell, President, Real Estate. It is the largest privately owned and operated collision repair chain in Canada.
After 40 dedicated years at the helm of The Craftsman Group of Companies, Bill Hatswell decided to take a step back as President to focus on his role as CEO., making room for the next generation of Hatswell’s.
Our Mission
Driving Change
Our mission statement was written over 3 decades ago and is as relevant today as it was in 1977.
“At Craftsman Collision, our mission as industry leader is to endeavor to find new ways to raise the standards of quality and service in the autobody repair business.
We will strive to create outstanding customer satisfaction in everything we do, from our initial warm welcome to the tidiness of our workshop and reception areas.
We will continually upgrade the education of our staff in the most current management and technical skills available, and augment this learning with the best available technology to ensure that our quality of repair is unsurpassed in the industry.
We will back our repairs with a lifetime guarantee equal to or better than the best available, including complying with all applicable accreditation requirements.
Finally, because leadership entails good corporate citizenship, we will uphold a commitment to the highest standards of environmental safety and responsibility in all our operations, and when the opportunity provides, share our good fortune with deserving charitable causes.”
Making the Difference
Meet Our Team
Since he founded the Craftsman Group of Companies Bill Hatswell has been a man on a mission.
First, it was to modernize and clean up the autobody repair industry, bringing in professional standards and innovative practices to the company that now boasts more than 40 locations across North America, making it the largest independently owned collision repair organization in Canada.
The CEO’s son, Rick, progressed from detailer to auto body technician, shop manager then to the Craftsman Groups head office as general manager while completing his MBA. As President, he is responsible for overall operations and sales development. He also chairs the collision repair division of the Automotive Retailers Association. In his spare time Rick can be found mountain biking with his wife and two kids preparing for the Ironman Triathlon or his next international motorcycle rally.
After graduating from Sauder, he chose to learn the development business from the ground up, taking time to learn real estate and land development, while taking the time to learn his craft as a general contractor and managing a number of projects. He leads with a personal, people-focused approach to business. Greg’s love of the outdoors started at an early age and when he’s not working you will find him in the mountains backcountry skiing, camping, hiking or rock climbing. The wilderness is where he goes to find inspiration.
Holger has worked in the automotive industry most of his life and has been with The Craftsman Group since 2001. He’s responsible for the planning, implementation and managing of all the financial activities of the company, including business planning, budgeting, forecasting and administrative functions. When not crunching numbers you will find him ripping up the slopes in search of fresh powder.
Mike’s skills on the technical and people side have not gone unnoticed. Starting as a Craftsman Collision body technician in 1987, he was promoted to Estimator, Production Coordinator and then Manager in 1988. In 2011, he joined the Craftsman Groups head office as Operations Manager, was promoted to GM of Operations and is now COO. When not in the office building a successful team, you’ll find Mike pursuing his love of sports supporting youth and his sons as a coach for both hockey and box lacrosse.
Mark Greenberg is the Vice President of Business Development at the Craftsman Group of Companies, where he leverages his technical, sales, and business expertise. He began his journey with Craftsman in 1988 as a body technician, took a decade-long detour into real estate in West Vancouver, and returned in 1999. After managing two locations, he spearheaded the launch of Craftsman’s first site in Mainland China, eventually rising to General Manager of Business Development and now Vice President of Business development. Outside of work, Mark enjoys building motorcycles and spending time with his family and dog, Charlie.
Armed with an education from BCIT, several Microsoft certifications and more than 25 years of experience, our IT Director helps us maintain our legendary customer service by making sure all our shops and systems are tightly connected and running smoothly. Away from Craftsman HQ he’s still got cars on his mind, evidenced by a Ferrari replica he built out of Lego with his son. Other family activities he enjoys include board games, cards, travel (especially to Hawaii’s Big Island), and older (pre-2010) movies.
Over 20 years of Health, Safety and Environmental experience in Oil & Gas, Mining & Exploration and now craftsman Collision. She oversees workplace HSE strategies, training, program development and policy compliance. Cheryl loves spending quality time with family and friends. and has an insatiable need for speed; especially when it comes to chuckwagon racing. Loves travel, quality time with family and friends.
