VIP Tires and Service announced recently that two of its technicians, Brian Haskell and Brent Runnals, have earned ASE World Class Technician status, joining an elite group of automotive service industry professionals. To achieve this level of certification, which is the highest in the industry, technicians must undergo rigorous voluntary testing and successfully obtain Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification in 22 specialty areas. Currently, there are 879,000 automotive technicians working in the United States; of those technicians, 300,000 are ASE certified, but only 2,000 have achieved World Class status. With the recent achievement by VIP’s Haskell and Runnals, VIP now has seven of its Technicians holding this esteemed title.
“Our team is so proud of Brian and Brent,” said Tim Winkeler, president and CEO of VIP Tires and Service. “With how demanding the ASE certification process is, earning the status of World Class Technician is a huge achievement. This certification process requires time, dedication and commitment to the industry outside of normal working hours. These two members of our team represent the best of the best technicians across the country, and the high level of service we offer to our customers.”
Brian Haskell has been in the automotive field for more than 17 years and joined VIP three years ago as assistant manager of its Windham, Maine, location. After showing his dedication to the company, his team and his profession, Haskell was promoted to master technician at VIP’s Portland location. Haskell is the second ASE World Class Technician on staff at VIP in Portland.
With 20 years in the automotive industry, Brent Runnals started as a Master Technician at the VIP West Lebanon, New Hampshire, store when it opened in August 2018. In the 18 months since, he has dedicated a great amount of time studying for the next level of ASE certification, and just completed the rigorous testing for World Class Technician in early February 2020.
To achieve World Class Technician Status, Haskell and Runnals had to complete and successfully pass ASE testing in 22 specialty areas. Each of the content specific exams has 50 to 75 questions, and were created and administered by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence. The tests were in the following areas:
• Automotive A1 through A8 test series or Master Automobile Technician status
• Collision Repair and Refinishing B2 through B5 test series or Master Collision Repair/Refinish Technician status
• Medium/Heavy Duty Truck T1 through T8 test series or Master Medium/Heavy Truck Technician status
• Auto Advanced Engine Performance Specialist (L1)
• Electronic Diesel Engine Diagnosis Specialist (L2)
With 59 locations throughout Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts, VIP has more than 400 ASE and Tire Industry Association (TIA) certified technicians helping customers with their automotive service needs seven days a week. Collectively, VIP’s service technicians have more than 1,200 ASE certifications, and more than 50 have earned Master Technician status.
Winkeler continued: “It’s important that we continue to fund and support VIP team members in working toward achieving these esteemed certifications. Not only does this help our technicians become better at their jobs, but also empowers them to continue learning new things in the automotive field. We’re thrilled to be able to support our team members in their automotive career development.”
