October is National Car Care Month
5 October 1998
October is National Car Care Month NAPA/ASE Tech of the Year Points to Challenges, Changes and
Women in the Industry
ATLANTA, Oct. 5 -- The National Automotive Parts Association
(NAPA) today named 30-year industry professional Denny Mandeville, of Sedona,
Arizona, as the 1998 NAPA/ASE Tech of the Year.
The annual recognition is the highest honor NAPA and the National
Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) award to an individual who
has demonstrated outstanding leadership, technical skills, business practices,
community involvement and dedication to training. From a field of more than
420,000 qualified technicians, Mandeville was selected by industry leaders and
automotive trade publication editors.
He is an ASE-certified master technician in both automotive and
medium/heavy duty truck categories, which is the equivalent of earning a
doctorate in automotive repair. His ASE certification dates back to 1976,
making him one of the first few thousand technicians to attain this rigorous
certification. He has also earned college degrees in marketing and fire
science.
Mandeville, owner of Canyon Automotive, a NAPA AutoCare Center, grew up in
rural New York, then moved to California and Arizona. In 1987, he purchased
his shop after a fulfilling career at other repair shops.
According to NAPA President Steve Handschuh, "Denny loves serving his
customers, yet he is equally driven by the present and future demands of our
industry. That's because Denny is a global thinker who is opinionated and
action-oriented, which is why he is a respected leader in his community and
within the NAPA AutoCare Program."
"The best part about my job is the satisfaction of a repair and the
correction of the problem," said Mandeville. "I rely on state-of-the-art
equipment, but the best tool is the mind, because diagnostics is entirely
dependent upon the critical thinking process."
Under Mandeville's leadership, all of his technicians have been ASE-
certified, including four master certifications. He also requires his
technicians to participate in 40-50 additional hours of technical education
per year. Concerned about the future, Mandeville is also active in education
at the high school level. He is involved in career fairs, vocational
mentoring and local technical programs, including a school-to-work program,
where he helps educate young people about the industry. Mandeville aims to
clarify any misconceptions among teens by explaining that the industry needs
bright people to engage in mentally challenging work on a continuous basis.
A Career for Women
Mandeville advocates that he and his peers should work to make the
industry more welcoming, especially to women. Because of the new technical
demands, he believes women would excel due to the emphasis on critical
thinking and problem solving.
"Women are the untapped resource for the automotive repair industry
because they think differently than men and I believe they make excellent
technicians," said Mandeville.
A Challenging Industry
Mandeville often explains to a customer that a description alone may not
reveal what the problem is, because "the problems are constantly changing due
to computers and their interaction with other functions on the car."
"It was easy 20 years ago, but today we will analyze the same symptom to
determine whether it is a fuel, electrical or transmission problem."
A Changing Profession
Twenty years ago, a technician spent 20 percent of his time engaged in
diagnostics and the rest of the time doing the repairs, according to
Mandeville. Today, repair jobs consist of 80 percent diagnostics and 20
percent the actual repairs.
"The industry today needs technicians who have an inquisitive mind, who
are ready to explore, and who are prepared to think things through," said
Mandeville. "The automotive repair industry today requires little brute
strength."
Mandeville believes that as consumers understand the changing demands of
the industry, they will show greater respect towards automotive technicians
because of the skills and training required to diagnose and repair today's
cars.
Tech of the Year Program
The annual recognition program was established to benchmark best business
practices and advance the cause for technical training and ASE certification.
As the 1998 recipient, Mandeville will receive nearly $30,000 in awards.
These include NAPA tools and equipment as well as a state-of-the-art business
management computer to track parts and service. In addition, he will receive
special training opportunities.
NAPA AutoCare Center Program
There are more than 8,900 NAPA AutoCare Centers and NAPA AutoCare
Collision Centers nationwide that employ ASE-certified automotive technicians
and offer a national "Peace of Mind" warranty program guaranteeing parts and
labor.
The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence was established
in 1972 to improve the quality of vehicle repair and service through the
testing and certification of automotive professionals. After passing at least
one exam and providing proof of two years of relevant work experience, the
test taker becomes ASE-certified. To remain certified, individuals must be
retested every five years. At present, more than 420,000 professionals have
current certifications.
