Joseph R. Grenchik of New Lenox, Ill. was named the Mitchell 1/ Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Technician of the Future as part of the 2014 ASE Fall Board of Governors Meeting and Annual Technician Awards, held November 18-19 in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Grenchik received a $500 cash prize and a $2,000 gift certificate good for a one-year subscription to ProDemand from Mitchell 1.
“We would like to congratulate Joseph on being named the 2014 Technician of the Future,” said Nick DiVerde, senior marketing director, Mitchell 1. “We are very proud of Joseph’s accomplishments as they demonstrate his commitment to being the best automotive technician he can be. We wish Joseph the very best – we know he will be successful in his future endeavors.”
Grenchik has been a technician for one year and is currently a full-time student at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Ill., where he is working toward a bachelor’s of science degree in automotive technology. In his free time, Grenchik serves as an officer with a volunteer emergency management agency that assists the police, fire and public works departments during severe weather and other emergencies.
Grenchik explained that he entered the automotive field because it was a good match with his skill set and there are many options for advancement. The head instructor at his junior college suggested he pursue a bachelor’s degree, so he took the advice and is happy with his decision to go beyond the community college level. Grenchik said he believes the value of his ASE certification is that “it shows a great commitment to providing the best service to customers.”
To qualify to win the Mitchell 1/ASE Technician of the Future award, the winner must be ASE-Certified, must have registered as a student, be under 30 years old and have the highest cumulative test scores on the A4, A5, A6 and A8 tests.