Dan Backus, owner of the JS Auto Supply, a Parts Plus store in Jamestown, N.Y., describes the moment he read Thomas Dayton’s résumé for a counter professional position. "He was head and shoulders above everyone else," Backus said. 
And once on the job, Backus’s gut feeling about Dayton’s dedication to the job was confirmed.
Customers seek him out for his knowledge and ability to find what they need, when they need it. "He digs deeper than anyone I’ve ever seen," Backus said. "He’s exceptional and people depend on him like crazy. He takes over the office when I’m not here and I don’t have to worry about a thing," Backus said.
Job dedication, attention to detail and thirst for more knowledge were among the qualities that made Thomas stand out and ultimately receive Counterman’s Counter Professional of the Year for 2009.
Thomas and his wife traveled to the AAPEX show to receive his award during the AWDA recognition luncheon held yesterday at the Venetian.
Thomas shows he’s dedicated to learning more about his profession. He is ASE certified and holds an AIA import parts specialist Master’s Level certification. This fall, he enrolled in Alfred State College’s Automotive Parts Technology degree program, for which he commits about 20 hours per week of study. He makes plenty of time to read industry publications and Web sites and says he makes the most of interactions with customers and sales reps to more fully understand industry trends.
Dayton has a connection to a previous CPOTY recipient, as well. Jerry Ives, the assistant professor of the Parts Technology program at Alfred State, himself received the award in 2002 and is now Dayton’s professor.
Dayton participates in as many online training courses as he can find. In addition, each year he attends at least three manufacturer’s technical training seminars. "I am constantly in training, as I discover new sources of information and knowledge. I look at it as an investment in my career," he wrote for his essay submitted for the award.
Thomas’s store resides in Jamestown, a city of about 30,000 people, which surrounded by smaller rural villages and towns. Employed by the store are four full-time counter people, an outside salesman and nine part-time drivers. The store serves customers in an approximate 30-mile radius, and the mix of commercial vs. retail clients is about 80-20.
