FOCUS Investment Banking Represents 1st Class Auto in its Sale to Quality Collision Group
Washington, DC, (November 12, 2025) – FOCUS Investment Banking (“FOCUS”), a leading middle-market investment bank, served as the exclusive financial advisor to 1st Class Auto in its sale to Quality Collision Group (QCG).
With this transaction, QCG continues its national growth, entering Florida as its 13th state through the addition of 1st Class Auto, a leading provider of certified luxury vehicle repair services.
Based in Pompano Beach, 1st Class Auto is South Florida’s premier destination for luxury auto body repair and refinishing, holding manufacturer certifications including Audi, Aston Martin, Acura NSX, Jaguar, Porsche, Range Rover, and Tesla. These certifications reflect rigorous training, advanced equipment, and repair procedures that ensure every vehicle is restored to precise factory specifications.
“1st Class Auto has earned a stellar reputation for precision, craftsmanship, and technological expertise,” said Blake Farley, Executive Vice President of Operations at Quality Collision Group. “Integrating 1st Class Auto into our national network allows us to continue setting the standard for premium collision repair.”
QCG’s expansion strategy focuses on building a connected network of premier repair facilities that elevate industry standards while ensuring every vehicle receives the highest level of repair integrity. Florida’s vibrant automotive market represents a natural next step in the company’s growth.
“It was a pleasure working with the team at 1st Class Auto to help them achieve a successful partnership with Quality Collision Group,” said Cole Strandberg, Managing Director at FOCUS. “This transaction underscores FOCUS’s experience in advising premium automotive service businesses and highlights the growing demand for certified repair organizations and strategic partnerships that drive growth.”
This transaction was previously announced on Autobody News.
Prior to joining FOCUS in 2022, Mr. Strandberg was director of business development for Autotality (formerly Filterworks USA), the leading provider of facility design, equipment, and service solutions for the automotive repair industry. During his time with Autotality, the company partnered with a private equity firm and subsequently made six add-on acquisitions, eventually quadrupling in size. Mr. Strandberg was responsible for the company’s growth efforts, including key account management, strategic sales & marketing, and various operational management functions.
Before Autotality, Mr. Strandberg was an associate on the equity capital markets team at Noble Capital Markets, a boutique investment bank focused on small cap emerging growth companies in the health care, technology, media, transportation & logistics, and natural resources sectors.
Mr. Strandberg’s deep automotive industry knowledge and network, combined with his significant transaction experience on both the sell side and the buy side, makes him a valuable asset to FOCUS’s Automotive Aftermarket Team.
Mr. Strandberg earned a Master of Science degree in entrepreneurship from the University of Florida Warrington College of Business and a Bachelor’s degree in business administration and finance from the University of Mississippi.
