The Auto Care Association announced the latest recipients of the prestigious World-Class Technician award, in partnership with the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE).
The two organizations provide the annual recognition to professional technicians who have achieved the extraordinary accomplishment of attaining ASE certification in 22 specific areas during the previous calendar year.
There are an estimated 879,000 technicians in the United States, with approximately 250,000 holding ASE certification. More than 2,000 technicians have earned the respected status of “World-Class Technician” since its inception more than 30 years ago.
The newest round of World-Class Technicians includes:
- James K Adair Jr. – Phoenixville, Pennsylvania
- Jason A Arst – Signal Hill, California
- Brian Atwood – Cedar Rapids, Iowa
- Rodney B Bennett III – Beaufort, South Carolina
- Jason P Branch Sr. – Castle Rock, Colorado
- Timothy R Burnley – Lewisville, Texas
- Scott B Dickson – Jacksonville, Florida
- Chris J Elkins – Adrian, Michigan
- Travis C Elliott – Windham, Maine
- Mike A Evans – Mesa, Arizona
- Lucas A Ewald – Naples, Maine
- Thomas M Flentie – Oak View, California
- David J Frank – Flint, Mich.
- Hayden E Frazier – Halifax, Massachusetts
- Reuben G Gosewisch – Saint Michael, Minnesota
- Brian C Grabsky – Lombard, Illinois
- Brian S Haskell Jr. – Naples, Maine
- Joshua E Hassing – Augusta, Mich.
- Robert A Heintz – Hopatcong, New Jersey
- Matthew E Heller – Park Ridge, Illinois
- Dennis L Higdon – Lawrenceville, Georgia
- Brandon S Homan – Saint Louis , Missouri
- Raymond B Jackson Jr. – Elkridge, Maryland
- Randall A Kang – Fountain, Colorado
- Keith W Kelly – Tipp City, Ohio
- Kenneth D Kerbaugh – Needville, Texas
- Basil A Konnaris – Oakville, Ontario, Canada
- William D Krones – Mason City, Iowa
- Shane E Lally – Brookfield, Connecticut
- Cody A Lana – Riverside, Iowa
- Marty J Leach – Imlay City, Mich.
- Kevin S Lockhart – Beaverdam, Virginia
- David R Luka II – Grand Island, New York
- Eric J Mattice – Bakersfield, California
- Alejandro F Mayorga – Lompoc, California
- Jason A Montini – Madison, Tennessee
- Angel Morales Jr. – Marana, Arizona
- Ryan E Moraux – Fairhaven, Massachusetts
- Kevin Myers – Weymouth, Massachusetts
- Ryan L Oblak – Saltsburg, Pennsylvania
- Fadi E Oweis – Jacksonville, Florida
- John V Paolino Jr. – Pollock Pine, California
- Kevin Paradis – Westford, Massachusetts
- Michael J Pritulsky – Mesa, Arizona
- James M Przybylski – Batavia, Illinois
- Andrew R Ramirez – Lompoc, California
- Mike J Ream – Defiance, Ohio
- Michael J Rodriguez – Mansfield Ctr, Connecticut
- Shannon P Saili – Waipahu, Hawaii
- Michael L Sanders – Doyle, California
- Michael R Sandmeier – Bel Air, Maryland
- Michael P Schultz – Torrance, California
- Richard Sena Jr. – Youngtown, Arizona
- Gregory S Shelby – Canal Fulton, Ohio
- Patrick D Shine – Saint Charles, Missouri
- Kevin M Speaks – Duncanville, Texas
- Meredith D Spencer – Milford, Maine
- Daniel J Symeon – Tallahassee, Florida
- Jeffrey W Tinsley – Dickson, Tennessee
- Erik C Ulintz – Grove City, Ohio
- Angel M Velazquez – Gurnee, Illinois
- Steven M Vezensky – Lakemoor, Illinois
- John A Warrington – Tolland, Connecticut
- Cleidus Shawn White – Imperial, Missouri
- Jeffrey J Wood – Saint Charles, Missouri
- William J Woods – Delta, Pennsylvania
The Auto Care Association surveyed this year’s World-Class Technician award recipients to learn about their career journeys, what motivated them to pursue the goal of ASE World-Class Technician and what achieving this status means to them in their own words.
“I believe that earning ‘World-Class’ status will allow me to show that there is so much more to being a technician than changing parts on a vehicle,” said Angel Morales, 2020 World-Class Technician award recipient. “There is so much technology and engineering that goes into today’s vehicles. Technicians now have to have the knowledge and skill to make the proper diagnosis and repair. Becoming ASE-certified has opened many doors for me in my life and has made me more marketable when looking for that next step in my career. I believe that I can use this status to show up-and-coming technicians that ASE certifications are not just ‘a piece of paper,’ but an important tool of the trade.”
For more information about the Auto Care Association’s World-Class Technician certification qualifications, timing and recognition, visit autocare.org/worldclass.
