Pictured (L-R): Tim Zilke, ASE President; Rob Nielsen, Mitchell 1; Steven Ray, Award Winner; John Pierce, Mitchell 1; and John Pfennig, ASE Board Chairman.
POWAY, Calif. – Steven Ray from Essex Junction, Vt., received the Technician of the Future award, sponsored by Mitchell 1 and the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), during a ceremony last month that was held as part of the 2011 ASE Fall Board of Governors Meeting and Technician Recognition Awards held at the Marriott City Center in Charlotte, N.C. Ray attended the awards banquet with his father, Mike.
“We would like to congratulate Steven on being named the 2011 ASE Technician of the Future,” said Karen Wagner, senior marketing manager, Mitchell 1. “We are very proud of Steven’s accomplishments as it demonstrates his commitment to being the best automotive technician he can be. We wish Steven the very best – we know he will be successful in his future endeavors.”
Ray has been an automotive technician for five years and has worked as a BMW technician at The Automaster, BMW, in Shelburne, Vt., for the past year. He received an associate’s degree in automotive technology, which included courses in alternative fuel, high-performance and racing technology, from Ohio Technical College in Cleveland, Ohio, where he was on the honor roll every quarter. Ray also completed the BMW Step Program at Ohio Technical College, as well as the automotive program at the Center for Technology, Essex (CTE).
Ray’s professional accomplishments include: ASC Master Certification, VT State Ford/AAA Winner, VT State Skills USA Winner in Automotive Technology, third place in Skills USA Nationals in Automotive Service Technology, Ohio Technical College Student of the Month and the Citizenship Award in BMW Step Class OH-13.
Ray said he decided to become an automotive technician because cars fascinate him; he likes figuring out the way things work and working with his hands. In his spare time, Ray enjoys snowboarding, skeet shooting, mountain biking and motorcycle riding.
To be considered for the Technician of the Future award, the winner must have taken and received the highest score on one or more of the A6, A8 or L1 tests, taken in any administration in the preceding 12 months out of the technicians that selected 99W (student) as the employer code, and also be under 30 years of age.
