AUBURN, Maine — VIP Tires & Service lauded two of its technicians, Brian Haskell and Brent Runnals, this week for earning ASE World Class Technician status, joining 66 auto technicians in the U.S. and Canada who were honored recently.
The award recognizes mechanics who attain ASE certification in 22 specific areas in a single year, according to the Auto Care Association (ACA).
There are about 250,000 ASE-certified technicians in the industry, about 2,000 of whom have earned the World Class distinction over the past 30 years, the ACA said.
With the recent achievement by VIP's Messrs. Haskell and Runnals, VIP said it now has seven of its technicians holding the title.
"Our team is so proud of Brian and Brent," Tim Winkeler, president and CEO of VIP Tires, said.
"With how demanding the ASE certification process is, earning the status of World Class Technician is a huge achievement. This certification process requires time, dedication, and commitment to the industry outside of normal working hours. These two members of our team represent the best of the best technicians across the country, and the high level of service we offer to our customers."
Mr. Haskell has been in the automotive field for more than 17 years and joined VIP three years ago as assistant manager of the Windham, Maine, location. He later was promoted to Master Technician at VIP's Portland, Maine, location. He is the second ASE World Class Technician on staff at VIP in Portland.
Mr. Runnals, with 20 years experience in the industry, started as a Master Technician at the VIP West Lebanon, N.H., store when it opened in August 2018. In the 18 months since, he studied for the next level of ASE certification and just completed the testing for World Class Technician in early February, the company said.
VIP operates 59 locations throughout Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts and has more than 400 ASE and Tire Industry Association (TIA) certified technicians. More than 50 have earned Master Technician status.
"It's important that we continue to fund and support VIP team members in working toward achieving these esteemed certifications. Not only does this help our technicians become better at their jobs, but also empowers them to continue learning new things in the automotive field. We're thrilled to be able to support our team members in their automotive career development," Mr. Winkeler said.