Fifty-two automotive professionals were recognized on Nov. 14, at the Fall Board of Governors meeting of the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) held at Pier Sixty-Six Hotel and Marina in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The annual awards banquet spotlights top scorers on the ASE certification tests. Forty-one companies from both the OEM and aftermarket segments sponsored the individual technician recognition awards in the Auto, Truck, Collision, Parts and Service categories, along with awards for automotive instructors. In addition to looking for top scores on ASE tests, award sponsors examine on-the-job excellence, community service and other factors when selecting honorees.
“ASE has recognized the best of the best in our industry for more than 40 years, and this year we honored 52 outstanding individuals from across the nation,” said Tim Zilke, ASE president and CEO. “We couldn’t do this without the support of our many award sponsors, whose ranks 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 all 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,” Zilke concluded.
Below is the list of this year’s winners.
| 2018 ASE Award Winners | ||||
| AWARD TITLE | WINNER | CITY | STATE | EMPLOYER |
| Auto Value/ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year | Andrew Langello | Vero Beach | FL | Treasure Coast Automotive |
| Axalta Coating Systems/ASE Refinish Technician of the Year | Robert Warren | Bensenville | IL | O’Hare Auto Body |
| Big O Tires/ASE Automobile Technician of the Year | Mario Corral | Las Cruces | NM | Big O Tires |
| BodyShop Business/ASE Master Collision Repair & Refinish Technician of the Year | David Rogers | New York Mills | MN | Nyhus Chevrolet-Buick |
| Bosch/ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year | Christopher Bornemann | Manitowoc | WI | Satori’s Auto Service |
| Bridgestone Retail Operations/ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year | Erik Craddock | Neenah | WI | Firestone Complete Auto Care |
| Bumper to Bumper/ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year | Mike Creighton | Perkasie | PA | Creighton’s Auto Repair |
| Byrl Shoemaker/ASE Education Foundation Instructor of the Year | Brian LaCroix | Shaftsbury | VT | Capital Region BOCES Career & Tech (Albany, NY) |
| Cengage Learning/ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year | Mark Lutz | Roslindale, | MA | Newton North High School |
| Chrysler/ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year | Mark Shankroff | Myerstown | PA | Outten Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram |
| Chrysler/ASE Master Collision Repair & Refinish Technician of the Year | Steve Martindale | Fowlerville | MI | Dick Scott Motor Mall |
| Delco Remy/ASE Master M/H Truck Electrical/Electronic Systems Technician of the Year |
Jon Keasler | Longview | TX | City of Longview Fleet Services |
| First Student/ASE Technician of the Year | Shane Lally | Brookfield | CT | First Student |
| First Transit | Pat Erickson | Star Prairie | WI | First Transit (Roseville, MN) |
| Freightliner/Western Star/ASE Master M/H Truck Technician of the Year | Jonathan Cecil | Evans | CO | Transwest Truck Trailer RV |
| Gates/ASE Master Automobile & L1 Technician of the Year | John Gengel | Bellevue | NE | Bellevue Tires & Auto Service; Metropolitan Community College |
| GM/ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year | Lewis Walther III | Rockaway | NJ | Schumacher Chevrolet |
| GM/ASE Parts Consultant of the Year | John Schwartzmann | Downers Grove | IL | Castle Chevrolet of Villa Park |
| GM/ASE Service Consultant of the Year | Dave Harnak | Plymouth Meeting | PA | A & T Chevrolet |
| USAF/ASE Technician of the Year (Sponsored by GM) | SrA Justin Vigil | Spangdah-lem Air Base | Germany | United States Air Force |
| Honda/ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year | Joey Och | Cortland | OH | Apostolakis Honda Cars |
| Acura/ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year | Devin Conne | Homer Glen | IL | McGrath Acura of Westmont |
| I-CAR Platinum/ASE Master Collision Repair & Refinish Technician of the Year | Christopher Shepherd | Shreveport | LA | Caddo Career and Technology Center |
| Merchant’s Tire & Auto Centers/ASE Automobile Technician of the Year | Ryan Bretschneider | Richardsville | VA | Merchant’s Tire & Auto Center |
| Midas International/ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year | Jonathan Dawsey | Palm Bay | FL | Midas of Melbourne |
| Mitchell1/ASE Technician of the Future | Matthew Wolfe | Rebersburg | PA | Rebersburg Inspection & Auto Repair |
| Motor Age Training/ASE Master Automobile & L1 Technician of the Year | Jimmy Brigance | Stigler | OK | Kiamichi Technology Center |
| NAPA/ASE Master Technician of the Year | Ronald King | Kensington | CT | Dattco Sales & Service |
| National Tire & Battery Southeast/ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year | John Hughes Jr. | Midlothian | VA | National Tire & Battery |
| National Tire & Battery West/ASE Automobile Technician of the Year |
Aaron Burton | League City | TX | National Tire & Battery |
| Navistar/ASE Master M/H Truck Technician of the Year | Thomas Marty | Plover | WI | Mid-State Truck Service Inc. |
| Navistar/ASE Master School Bus Technician of the Year | David Gabrielle | Wyckoff | NJ | Truck King International (Bronx, NY) |
| Navistar/ASE Parts Specialist of the Year | Timothy Ehrhart | Corsica | PA | Zacherl Motor Truck Sales |
| Nissan/ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year | Chris Beasley | Salisbury | NC | Ben Mynatt Nissan |
| Infiniti/ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year | Ken Winders | Lubbock | TX | Infiniti of Lubbock |
| Pep Boys/ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year | Bledi Cela | Bolingbrook | IL | Pep Boys |
| PPG/ASE Master Refinish Technician of the Year | Tom Dagenais | Oak Forest | IL | Continental Toyota |
| Pronto Smart Choice/ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year | Troy Herlyn | Freeman | SD | Specialty Automotive Inc. |
| RepairPal/ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year | Andrew Gibson | Provo | UT | DJ Auto; CARQUEST Technical Institute |
| Snap-on/ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year | Joseph Mason III | Enfield | CT | Raffia Road/Spring Street Service Centers |
| Snap-on/ASE Master Collision Repair & Refinish Technician of the Year | Kevan Short | Oak Park | MI | Suburban Collision |
| Snap-on/ASE Master M/H Truck Technician of the Year | Adrian Russ | Beavercreek | OH | J & J Transportation Specialists Inc. |
| SpeeDee Oil Change & Auto Service/ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year | Scott Spanbauer | Modesto | CA | SpeeDee Oil Change & Auto Service |
| Subaru/ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year | Dan Nelson | Boise | ID | Larry Miller Subaru |
| Subaru University/ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year | Abraham Giles | Aurora | CO | Shortline Subaru |
| TECHNET Professional/ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year | Bret Lamoreaux | Mesa | AZ | Kelly Automotive |
| Tire Kingdom/ASE Automobile Technician of the Year | Nick Wesner | Orlando | FL | Tire Kingdom |
| Toyota/ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year | Chet Wallace | Hastings | MN | Inver Grove Toyota |
| Toyota/ASE Master Collision Repair & Refinish Technician of the Year | William Cahill | Webster | NY | Dorschel Automotive Group |
| Lexus/ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year | Julian Benzaia | Clay | AL | Lexus of Birmingham |
| Volvo/ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year | Neal Krenzke | Houston | TX | Momentum Volvo |
| ZF/ASE Aftermarket Master Automobile Technician of the Year | Mark Verdi | Tampa | FL | Dakota Truck Sales and Service |
