In St-Félix-de-Valois, the name CARSTAR is synonymous with commitment, expertise and complementarity. At the helm of this thriving family business is an inspiring duo: Jessy Dufresne and Éric Hénault, co-owners and partners in life and work.
Eric’s passion for bodywork
It was as a teenager that Éric discovered his vocation: bodywork. At 14, he became familiar with the tools of the trade, and at 18, he founded his first company. After a decade of perfecting his know-how as an employee, particularly in chassis straightening, he felt the need to take on new challenges. He then chose to reconnect with entrepreneurship, with the most precious of allies at his side: Jessy.
Jessy, the administrative cornerstone of the company
If Éric embodies technical mastery, Jessy is the administrative and relational backbone of the shop. A former technical assistant in a pharmacy, she left her profession and joined the company in 2007.
Today, the company has two body shops with 30 employees. Part of their staff is made up of foreign workers as well as young people with difficulties (ADD, dyslexia, etc.), valuing their potential and loyalty.
A high-performance family team
Ariane and Maxime, their two children, are also part of the CARSTAR team. Their son, who joined the group more than eight years ago, has risen through the ranks. Through his perseverance and commitment, he first became an appraiser, then gradually took over the management of the shop. Ariane first worked as a teacher, an asset that she now uses to continue to structure the company and improve human resources management.
Get involved in the community
Despite her professional activities, Jessy – with Ariane’s invaluable support – orchestrated the very first CARSTAR golf tournament in Quebec, raising $35,000 for cystic fibrosis research, a cause that is dear to her. She sits on the administrative committees of the Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA) and the Corporation des Carrossiers professionnels du Québec (CCPQ).
Together, Éric, Jessy and their children form much more than a team: a model of boldness, solidarity and commitment.
