After nearly 40 years, Randy Pierce still loves what he does

Randy Pierce, owner of Pierce Auto Body in Washington, has been doing auto body work for nearly 40 years.

After graduating from Highland High School in 1983, Pierce applied for a job at Perdock’s, the Cadillac dealership in Washington.

“They were looking for a body man there,” Pierce said. “It was the first job I applied for just out of high school and got hired.”

He said he feels lucky that he landed the job.

“I did not go to school for this,” he said. “Right out of high school, I started there.

“There were two other guys in the body shop at Perdock’s that kind of helped me along the way and showed me things. I just took off from that and just really liked it.”

By 2001, Pierce felt it was time to branch out on his own.

“I got to a point where I was doing everything there, managing the shop and doing the work,” he said. “I decided that I could do that on my own.”

That October, the opportunity came up for him to buy the former Twin Automotive building on East Washington Street.

He converted it to a body shop and opened Pierce Auto Body in December 2001.

“When I first started, I was by myself,” Pierce said. “I did everything.”

By 2010, his business outgrew that building, so he decided to build a new, bigger building just down the street.

“I have two employees now,” he said. “One of them is my oldest son, Ryan, who I hope takes over someday.

“The other is Rob Hoback. They both do an awesome job.”

Pierce said he feels blessed to be able to do a job that he loves.

“I enjoy taking a wrecked car and making it look new again,” he said. “I’ve always enjoyed doing it.”