TOM HOLLENSTAIN
Research Administrator
State Farm® Vehicle Research Facility
Bloomington, Illinois

Tom Hollenstain, Research Administrator at the State Farm Vehicle Research Facility (VRF), Bloomington, Ill., specializes in motor vehicle mechanical, electrical, suspension, steering, and safety-restraint systems.

Since early childhood, Hollenstain has been fascinated with anything mechanical. His father was an automotive technician and dealership service manager. He credits his father for his own expertise in automotive repair issues.

As an ASE-certified master auto technician, Hollenstain has extensive knowledge on almost all automotive systems. He is also the VRF’s specialist on hybrid vehicle systems and active and passive vehicle restraint systems.

Among his duties, Hollenstain studies new and proposed automotive technologies to stay abreast of repair and serviceability issues that may arise from vehicle designs.

Before joining State Farm in 1980, he worked as an automotive technician and welder/fabricator. Prior to joining the VRF, he was a founding member of State Farm’s automotive informational unit and worked as a vehicle damage estimating supervisor, property claim trainer, and vehicle claim estimator.

Outside of work, Hollenstain builds, modifies, and restores vehicles. He has scored wins and trophies at several automotive events. As time permits, he also does volunteer work repairing cars for people in need.