ABOUT STAR OF ROCKFORD

Dan Williams, President and owner of Star of Rockford, has a heart for the Rockford community - and all the pieces that make it the special place it is. His body shop business, Star of Rockford, formerly known as CARSTAR of Rockford, was established by the Williams family in 2001 and eventually became an important part of the Rockford landscape.

Originally, the company had one successful location, Star Collision in Grand Rapids, but they knew that opening a second location in the ever-expanding community of Rockford would help serve their customer base.

“We found many of our loyal customers were coming from Rockford, and since our family and several of our employees were part of this community too, it was time to plant a second set of business roots in this great area,” shares Williams.

Williams points to the insurance community, agents, claims offices, and adjusters as having a big part of his company’s success.

“They understand our mutual job is to get our customers' cars back to their pre-loss condition in as timely a way as possible at a fair price without compromising on quality,” he shares. “At the end of the day we have to work together; that is our job so that everyone wins.”

Star of Rockford has not been the only Williams venture in the Rockford community. A gifted entrepreneur, Williams gave excellent customer service with River Valley Auto, River Valley Towing, and AllSTAR Glass. Through the years, he couldn’t lose sight of what was the most important business to him, however.

“In 2011 we decided to narrow the focus of our work and return the majority of our energy to what we are really great at - the body shop collision and painting side of the car business. It was then River Valley Towing was sold, and in May of 2018 River Valley Auto was sold.”

Both companies are now thriving with new local ownership and are enjoying the support for locally owned business Rockford residents love to give. Williams feels that loyalty is a Rockford community trademark.

“The Rockford community, and its surrounding area, are the reason we are successful today,” he shares. “They understand the importance of supporting local businesses. We at Star of Rockford truly appreciate this beyond what we can express. I feel if you do great work, offer competitive pricing, and get involved, this community will get behind you 100 percent.

There are many examples of this every year, and it shows in many aspects of the community. The residents are so blessed with a great K-12 school system that is consistently recognized for its quality at both the statewide and nationwide level. The Rockford Chamber of Commerce is totally focused on each business's success and constantly proves it with their actions. There really is no place quite like Rockford.”

Williams truly enjoys being able to do what his company does best in a place he loves.

“We already knew how to fix cars. Being connected to this community, earning their trust, and having the honor of helping people with their car problems is what we needed to do to thrive here. Star of Rockford wants to be your body shop here in Rockford. So, whenever you have that crunch, wrinkle, deer crash, roll-over, or any kind of automotive emergency, remember, ‘We rock when you roll!’”