Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper crowned their Technicians of the Year this past weekend in the desert. Receiving top honors were Andrew Langello and Michael Creighton from the United States; Richard Kloiber from Canada and Miguel Solis from Mexico, selected out of an elite group of professional technician finalists from across North America.
“Each finalist met stringent requirements to be in the running and we are proud to honor them for their achievements,” said JC Washbish, director of marketing at the Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance. “This year’s winners are an accomplished group of technicians with a strong commitment to continuing education, training and superior service.”
Andrew Langello claimed the title of U.S. Auto Value Technician of the Year. Langello is from Treasure Coast Automotive, an Auto Value Certified Service Center in Vero Beach, Florida, and is a customer of Bennett Auto Supply.
The U.S. Bumper to Bumper Technician of the Year is Michael Creighton of Creighton’s Auto Repair in Newtown, Pennsylvania, a customer of Eastern Automotive.
“I’d like to thank the Alliance for the opportunity to compete for, and win the honor of Technician of the Year award,” said Creighton, “Going to Arizona to participate in the Bondurant driving school and developing friendships with some of the top technicians in the country was the experience of a lifetime. This contest was created for the technician who has a never-ending thirst for knowledge, for the technician who will never stop trying to be the best they can be. I am incredibly honored to have received this award. Hopefully my dedication and striving to be the best will lead me back to Phoenix in 2019.”
The competition also was international with a Technician of the Year selected from both Mexico and Canada. Representing Canada as the Auto Value Technician of the Year is Richard Kloiber of Tools Motion Auto Service located in Alberta, Canada, a customer of Central Auto Parts. Miguel Solis, a technician for Mayasa out of Jalisco, Mexico, claimed the title of Auto Value of Mexico Technician of the Year.
The culmination of this year’s competition was bringing all 15 Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper technician finalists from across the U.S., Canada and Mexico, to Phoenix for a fun-filled weekend. They kicked things off by attending a welcome reception at the Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino. Each received a commemorative plaque of their accomplishment in becoming a Technician of the Year finalist. On Thursday morning, the 13 U.S. finalists sat for a custom Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) exam created specifically for the event. The scores, along with other stringent requirements, determined the winners.
The technician finalists then enjoyed two full-throttle days behind the wheel and on the track at the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving. On Thursday, the finalists were treated to a true Western experience with their own exclusive dinner at Rawhide Western Town. There, they feasted on cowboy fare and competed in various Western games including tomahawk throwing, bow and arrow shooting and quick draw duels. The evening ended with a trio of talented troubadours serenading the group into the night.
The winners will be honored on stage again this year at the 2018 Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper Aftermarket Jackpot Convention in Las Vegas, where they will receive their $2,500 cash prize. In addition, the two U.S. Technicians of the Year will travel to the ASE Technician of the Year Awards Ceremony taking place this November in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
For more information about the Technician of the Year program and to see a list of the 2018 Finalist class, visit autovalue.com/technician-of-the-year and bumpertobumper.com/technician-of-the-year.
