Not long after taking an inventory position at his parent’s yard, TripleJ realized there absolutely needed to be a better way.  His frustration motivated him to pursue a more efficient tool for vehicle inventory. Guided by his personal philosophy, “Find a problem, solve it. Find an inefficiency, improve it. Find a need and assist”—  TripleJ sought out a business partner with a shared passion for improving life for recyclers. TripleJ and Mike’s paths crossed at an IT

Mike brings extensive experience in automotive recycling, having worn every hat in the industry from sales counter to yard owner, YMS installer to industry consultant, all leading to his current role as Co-owner of Buddy Automotive. Anyone who knows Mike, knows that he is relentless and unwavering in his commitment to solving challenges within the automotive recycling space. In recognition of his years of service and dedication to the field, ARA named him the 2024 ARA President’s Award honoree. Convention and the rest, as they say, is history.

Before smartphones became commonplace, Buddy placed technology directly in the hands of recyclers, revolutionizing the processes of vehicle inventory and acquiring salvage. Since Buddy’s inception they have assisted Recyclers in processing 5,000,000 vehicles and performed over 10,000,000 bids.

Along the way they’ve forged partnerships, accumulated the best supporting talent in the industry, designed workflows and cultivated third-party relationships all with the intention of making things better for customers.  Over the past 20 years, their persistent pursuit of improvement has been driven by a single question: How can we make this better? This commitment to continuous enhancement remains at the core of Buddy Automotive’s mission