Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper have selected 13 technicians from across the United States as finalists for their esteemed Technician of the Year award.

These professionals earned the designation by staying up-to-date on certifications, furthering their education and training, and maintaining superior automotive knowledge, according to the Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance.

In addition to being a part of a Certified Service Center, each finalist had to meet several requirements, including 10 channel-partner trainings, six hours of live training, and current ASE certification. Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper parts suppliers selected one finalist from their lists of eligible candidates to participate in the national competition.

“Our affiliated Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper Certified Service Centers employ technicians of the highest caliber you’ll find anywhere, and this year’s Technician of the Year finalists have proven themselves as the best of the best,” said Elizabeth Estes, education liaison for the Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance’s Sales & Marketing Committee. “This program gives us the opportunity to recognize the commitment each of them have made to training and certification in the automotive industry, and we are delighted to have them together to celebrate their accomplishments.”

The 13 finalists will travel to Detroit this July for a 90-minute, 100-question custom ASE test to determine the winner. Following the exam, the technicians will enjoy three days of camaraderie, racing and a banquet to crown the champion.

The winner will receive $2,500 and a trip this November to Phoenix, where he will be honored at the ASE Technician of the Year Award Ceremony as the Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper Technician of the Year.

U.S. Technician of the Year Finalists

The finalists are:

• Nate Brindley – Shoemaker’s Garage, Kalamazoo, Michigan (Auto-Wares Group of Companies)
• Brandon Burton – Master Tek Auto Repair, McHenry, Illinois (Auto-Wares Group of Companies)
• Michael Cibelli – Auto Repair Pros, Mansfield, Massachusetts (Norwood Motor Parts Co.)
• Robert Demarest – Military Brake & Alignment, West Palm Beach, Florida (The Parts House)
• Johnnie Ferrel – Quad City Tech Inc., Moline, Illinois (The Merrill Co.)
• Richard Gehring – Hunt’s Auto Service, Ithaca, New York (Hahn Automotive)
• Jason Jackson – Automotive Excellence, Seal Beach, California (Warren Distributing)
• Mike Jones – Joe’s Garage, North Little Road, Arkansas (Parts Warehouse)
• Justin Leauschen – 4 Corners Union 76, Concord, California (Trimon)
• Jeremy McDaniel – Brannon Auto Parts and Service Center, Hartford, Alabama (Tri-States Automotive Warehouse)
• Larry Mehr – Willmar Auto Sales & Service, Willmar, Minnesota (Automotive Parts Headquarters)
• John Parker – Shields Service, Louisville, Kentucky (Moog Louisville Warehouse)
• Maclane Reeser – Maclane’s Automotive, Dowingtown, Pennsylvania (Eastern Warehouse Distributors)

The training program is supported by the Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance and also is available to members in Canada and Mexico. The Auto Value Technician of the Year for Canada and Mexico also will be in attendance in Detroit this summer with the U.S. Technician of the Year finalists. 

For more information, visit http://autovalue.com/technician-of-the-year and http://bumpertobumper.com/technician-of-the-year.