10/13/2026
CUTTING EDGE DIAGNOSTICS AUTO BODY REPAIR
Sarasota’s best-kept secret has a story worth knowing.
Behind Cutting Edge is nearly four decades of hands-on automotive experience, and an owner who has never stopped learning.
Most people know me simply as Che. I’m the founder of Cutting Edge Diagnostics Auto Body Repair, born in Boston, Massachusetts, with roots in Cabo Verde.
I started working on cars around 1988. By 1990, I was at JAC, learning bodywork, metalwork, frame repair, painting, and mechanics from the people around me. To everyone who took the time to teach that curious young kid: you know who you are. Love you all.
By the time I was 13 or 14, I had a little shop of my own. I was repairing and painting cars, doing engine swaps, and learning something with every job. High school classes with Mr. Partingjer, followed by manufacturer training and I-CAR education, helped turn that curiosity into a career.
My goal was to gain experience across different manufacturers and repair operations. To understand their vehicles, their procedures, and how their shops worked.
That journey took me through:
* Coggin Chevrolet/Honda Collision, under the leadership of Jorge Magluta.
* Courtesy Toyota and Parks Lincoln Collision.
* Athens Chrysler Jeep Dodge in Georgia, under the leadership of Ed Papazion, where I continued building my manufacturer experience.
* Sterling Collision Centers in St. Petersburg, where I learned another approach to collision repair production.
* David Maus Toyota in Sanford, where, under the leadership of David, Charlie Smith, and Anthony Villanueva, I served on a committee that helped the facility reach approximately $1.2 million in monthly business.
* Service King, where I became an apprentice instructor and worked as a lead technician at a Tesla-certified repair facility.
Every stop taught me something. Repair manuals, teachers, coworkers, questions, mistakes, and years of getting my hands dirty all helped shape the technician, and business owner, I am today.
That experience is the foundation of Cutting Edge.
Our approach centers on manufacturer repair procedures, careful damage assessment, skilled workmanship, and clear communication. We bring that same attention to everyday vehicles, luxury cars, EVs, hybrids, and commercial fleets.
To insurance companies and the teams at Tesla, Lucid, Rivian, and Polestar: we would welcome the opportunity to introduce our shop, show you our capabilities, and discuss your requirements for repair referrals and potential partnerships.
Visit us near Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport. Meet the people behind the work. Review our equipment, repair approach, and customer feedback.
I thank God, my family, my friends, and everyone who helped me along the way.
If we worked together, grew up together, or I ever repaired your vehicle, leave a comment and share a memory. You’re part of this story, too.
Never stop being curious. Never stop asking questions. Never stop learning. 🙏
Take it to Cutting Edge!
