ACDelco Crowns Technician of the Millennium IV

INDUSTRY NEWSACDelco Crowns Technician
of the Millennium IV LAS VEGAS, (Oct 27, 2006) - In the final phase of a four-part competition, Scot Manna, owner of MB Automotive in Des Plaines, IL won the title of ACDelco's 2006 Technician of the Millennium IV. Manna competed against four other technicians from the United States and three from Canada to win a trophy and prizes valued at more than $40,000, including trips to the Bahamas, an appearance package for his shop and a new General Motors (GM) vehicle.

From left: Brent Snelson, U.S. Director of Service and Parts Operations (Global Independent) Aftermarket for GM/ACDelco; Scot Manna, 2006 ACDelco Technician of the Millennium; Nancy McLean, Director of ACDelco Marketing; Jeff Spitzer, Director of Service and Parts Operations Service & Business Support.
(Photo: ACDelco)

The finals for the Technician of the Millennium competition take place at the ACDelco National Convention held in Las Vegas approximately every other year. The convention is open to ACDelco Warehouse Distributors and shop owners who participate in ACDelco's Total Service Support (TSS) program, as well as their employees and family members.

This year, the convention drew roughly 6,000 people and included a trade show displaying products, services and training available to TSS participants, as well as crate motors, vintage restoration parts and displays of advanced technology vehicles like the powertrain/chassis platform for GM's next all-electric vehicle.

The competition takes almost one year to complete. In phase one, TSS technicians all over North America register to participate in the contest; they also must validate their ASE certifications in Brakes and Electrical. ASE certifications in these two areas are required to participate.

Phase two of the contest consists of a 100-question, multiple-choice online exam. This year, approximately 1,000 techs participated, and the top five scorers from each of eight regions (40 total) won an expense-paid trip to GM's Heritage Center in Sterling Heights, MI for phase three, a hands-on regional competition.

From there, each regional winner won a trip to compete in the finals in Las Vegas. This year, the eight finalists faced a 2007 Chevrolet Impala that wouldn't start, had charging system and window control malfunctions and had instrument panel warning lights illuminated. The competition is timed, but because of the way points are counted in the final score, the first to finish is not necessarily the winner. However, the first to get the engine started always gets a cheer from the crowd. In the grandstand seats in front of Manna's work station, his friends, family and work crew who came to watch the competition were the first to cheer.

Todd Dawn, manager of Aftermarket Training for ACDelco who also runs the competition, told the audience that just making it into the finals is a win because on any given day, each of these techs is capable of winning the final.

This year's finalists included first runner-up Eric Armstrong of Motoring Service in Kennewick, WA; second runner-up Bill James, owner of Bill's Quality Automotive in Tulsa, OK; Louis Codianna of United Auto Sales and Service in Waterbury, CT; Craig Newsome of Auto Tech in Section, AL; Tom Bischoff of Williams Automotive Service in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada; David Jaggard of Eccles Auto Service Inc. in Dundas, Ontario, Canada; Phil Taekema of Woodriver Valley Automotive Service in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada.