Shiny dreams require being #alwaysonthegrind

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Evan Stegar Mirror Finish 2017 06 26 08 04Evan Steger is a busy guy.

He was moving at a steady clip when we met him in Joplin last year at SuperRigs, and apparently he hasn’t stopped moving since. Steger, like his polishing equipment, seems to be a whirl of perpetual motion, constantly “on the grind,” and the hard work is paying off.

When we visited the shop in Chilton, Wis., last September, it was the only location Evans Detailing and Polishing had available. Evan and his crew made a name for themselves in the show circuit, often traveling to perform their magic on-site for participants in some of the most competitive truck shows in the country, but to catch him off-season required a trip to the land of cheese and beer.

No so anymore.

This year, “the grind” has extended itself to two new franchise locations and more on the way. In February 2017, Evan announced the opening of his first franchise in Hutchinson, Kansas, owned and operated by Philip Recker. Shortly thereafter, Zach Cambron took the brand to Superior, Neb., giving Midwest truckers a variety of spots to “get their shine on.” The exclusive use of Renegade polishing products, excellent customer service and a never-ending quest for knowledge about the trade, will be the core of each franchise Steger opens.

Evans Detailing And Polishing 2017 06 26 08 04An Indiana location is in final negotiations. Franchises in Ohio, Connecticut, and Florida are hopeful before the end of the year, and Evan doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon. An end goal of sharing his metal-polishing empire with the people who helped him build it is pretty indicative of Steger’s personality and general outlook on life.

As busy as he is with business, the past three years he and his crew in Wisconsin have hosted a charity golf outing on, or close to, Father’s Day weekend, which happens to coincide with Evan’s birthday. Several years ago, he decided to celebrate his birthday with a few friends, playing a round of charity golf, instead of having a party or celebration for himself. The idea became a yearly event, and like everything else he does, Evan, with the help of his sister, Ellen Korb, has since doubled the amount of money they’ve raised every year with their hard work and generosity.

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Steger researched charities, but quickly found a lot of the money (in a number of large, well-known charities) raised doesn’t go to help people, it goes to fund salaries and operations of the charity. He felt compelled to support a charity involving military veterans, and looked into raising money for his local VA, but was disappointed to learn that locally donated monies aren’t always used locally. He finally decided to reach out to his hometown community and customers and ask for wounded veterans who needed help, and voila, he found the benefactors for their golf outing charity.

This year, two wounded veterans will be helped, one with a service dog, and another with the funds to pay his insurance deductible necessary, so that he may begin treatment for cancers not covered by military benefits. Close to $10,000 was raised, and once again, Evan credits the trucking community. He says, “I think one of the most understated things about this industry is the generosity within it.”

We can’t agree more, and couldn’t be happier to see one of our favorite people sharing his success and expertise with all things shiny. Grind on, brother!

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