Sept. 21, 2012—The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) has selected Tom Richardson as its vice president of government affairs.
ASE said this is new position created to promote career and technical education at the state and national levels to help provide qualified entry-level technicians for the automotive industry.
Richardson will be responsible for developing relationships with state departments of education, labor and transportation to promote careers in the automotive industry. He will also generate awareness of the programs provided by ASE to assist students and technicians, including its new ASE Student Certification credential.
ASE said Richardson has an extensive background in the automotive industry, with a concentration in training and education. He has served on the board of trustees for the Southern Association of Colleges Schools (SACS) and AdvancED. He has also served as a board member for the North Central Association (NCA) and commissioner of the Council on Occupational Education (COE).
Richardson currently serves on AdvancED’s Finance Committee and the National Technical Honor Society’s board of directors.
“We are pleased to have Tom on the team,” said Tim Zilke, president and CEO of ASE. “His strong knowledge of CTE and his extensive experience in this area working at the local and national levels will provide a tremendous asset to the entire ASE Industry Education Alliance.”
The ASE, established in 1972, is a nonprofit organization that certifies automotive repair technicians and parts specialists. There are currently more than 370,000 ASE-certified professionals who work in dealerships, independent shops, collision repair shops, auto parts stores, fleets, schools and colleges throughout the U.S.
