Non-Discrimination Policy
The Academy for the Art of Metal Shaping Inc., a 501c3 non profit corporation, does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities, classes or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers and students, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, clients, volunteers, subcontractors, vendors, and students.
I take this art very seriously and because of that I have been able to reach the highest goals I have set for myself while in the automotive industry. What has garnered me the respect and accolades I have gained as a Master Coach Builder in the industry is directly due to my dedication to learning and applying every thing and resource available to me at the time. Now, my goal is to make those who come to me for instruction better than I ever was on my best day.
AAMS Founder: Mark Gerisch
Mark Gerisch has been a standout figure in the metalshaping community for over 35 years. After receiving classical panel beater’s training in England, he returned to America and was soon building cars for the likes of Jay Leno, Bob Lutz, ZZ Top, the McCaw brothers, and many other classic car aficionados. His high-quality work producing complete Shelby Cobras and Ferrari 250s soon brought him to the attention of the nation’s top car magazines, and since the 1990s his coach work has graced the covers of many notable publications. When Ford Motor Company’s High Performance team decided to build a roadster version of their 2005/2006 street-legal Ford GT-40, Kip Ewing of the team came to Mark to ask for his help in bringing the GTX-1 to life for the upcoming 2005 SEMA show in Las Vegas. A car this beautiful could not stay a single design exercise so Mark was asked to take on a low production run of the cars and from that he was commissioned to build over 60 of them for the world’s most discriminating car collectors.
Now, as he enters his fourth decade in the custom coach building, Mark has turned his attention fully to teaching others the craft and the art that he has mastered so well. He has said, “I’m very thankful that I had the opportunity to live in England and other places in the world to learn from old world craftsmen. I got there at the tail end of the mentor-apprentice training era. That opportunity is no longer available, but I intend to replicate the best of it in the Academy.”