PHOENIX — The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) and 41 corporate sponsors honored 53 automotive technicians — including eight employed at retail tire dealerships — as the best in their fields at the ASE's Fall Board of Governors meeting in Phoenix.
The annual awards recognize those individuals who were the top scorers over the previous year on the ASE Certification Tests covering the auto, truck, collision, bus, parts and service categories, the ASE said, along with awards for instructors. The awards also take into consideration the technicians' on-the-job excellence, and community service.
"ASE has recognized the best of the best in our industry for more than 40 years, and this year we honored 53 outstanding individuals from across the nation," said Tim Zilke, ASE President & CEO. "We couldn't do this without the support of our award sponsors, who include some of the best-known names in the industry.
"Their commitment to excellence is reflected in the talented individuals receiving these awards. The enthusiasm and professionalism displayed by our award winners is a testament to the high-quality of ASE Certified technicians and specialists. We are proud to have them as part of the ASE family."
Among the winners are five technicians who work for TBC Corp. business units and one each from Bridgestone Retail Operations, Icahn Automotive/Pep Boys and Speedee Oil Change & Auto Service.
TBC's honorees and their place of business are:
- Christopher Jost, Big O Tires franchise in Omaha, Neb.
- David Newman, Midas International franchise in Pittsburgh (master status);
- Timothy Creech Jr., National Tire & Battery (NTB) outlet in Williamsburg, Va.;
- Chafic "Chuck" Haddad, NTB outlet in Akron, Ohio (master status);
- Christopher Doyle, Tire Kingdom outlet in St. Augustine, Fla.
Bridgestone Retail Operations' winner is Darin Stalker, who works at the Firestone Complete Auto Care in Fordland, Mo. (master status)
Pep Boys' winner is Cameron Campbell, who works at a store in San Clemente, Calif. (master status);
SpeeDee Oil Change's winner is Dwayne Dodson, who works at a franchised location in Ione, Calif. (master status).
Other automotive aftermarket programs that honored technicians include:
- Auto Value/Bumper to Bumper — Jason Jackson, Automotive Excellence, Seal Beach, Calif. (master);
- Robert Bosch L.L.C. — Brandon Pinette, Classic Imports Inc., Buchanan, Mich. (master)
- NAPA — Jacob Sorensen, McNeil's Auto Care in West Jordan, Utah (master);
- Pronto Smart Choice — Jeremy Pennington, Larry Harker's Auto Repair in Peoria, Ariz. (master);
- RepairPal — George Creel, Dave's Ultimate Automotive in Pflugerville, Texas;
- TECHNET Professional — Jerry Campbell, Crouch Automotive & Diesel in Elkton, N.D., (master) and Gerald Holcom, S&S Service Center Inc. in Kansas City, Mo.
- ZF Aftermarket — Thomas Anderson, BLVD Autoworks, Coon Rapids, Minn. (Master).
The remaining winners were recognized by a collection of vehicle makers, tech schools, body repair industry companies and the U.S. Air Force. The full list can be viewed at the ASE's website.
