For The Record - Archive

  Gearhead School is an online training website owned by DLP Publishing LLC. The site administrator is Grant Swaim . Grant’s lifelong career in the automotive service industry is highlighted as follows: 20 Years – Owner of an Independent Honda Repair Shop 6 Years – Independent Automotive Trainer (Honda OBD II / Driveability) 15 Years – Full-Time Instructor with NC Community...

It all started when Jennifer Filzen decided to become a singer/songwriter and created her first pop music album, Sirena. Her marketing and sales talents afforded her the opportunity to get her music heard around the world, including India, China, Europe, Australia, and the United States. Her writing talents launched her into writing SEO content for websites, social media marketing posts, and custo...

Scott Wheeler , President of Automotive Consultants Group, Inc. (ACGI) is a management expert in the transportation industry, with over thirty-seven years’ experience in the automotive, trucking, heavy equipment, marine, motorsports and defense aerospace industries. Scott holds numerous ASE credentials, including two Master’s Certifications. He has experience working in many capacities — from Tech...

Dwayne Myers  is a partner in Dynamic Automotive in the greater Maryland area. Dwayne invests time in the industry with the Auto Care Association and serves on the education committee with CCPN (Car Care Professional Network). Dwayne was recently honored as one of only 17 outstanding individuals that qualified for the prestigious 2017 World Class Technician Award presented by The Auto Care Associa...

Aaron Shaffer  began his career with KYB in 2002 as a Territory Sales Manager after working in several auto parts stores. In 2003, Shaffer was promoted to manage the introduction of KYB into an auto parts wholesaler with 300 locations. In 2004, he relocated to KYB’s headquarters in Addison Illinois, where he was named Customer Service Manager. In this role, he managed a team of 11, improving polic...

Greg Bunch is the owner of Aspen Auto Clinic, a five-location automotive and service business in Colorado. Greg started his passion for cars at 15 when he began rebuilding a 1966 Volkswagen Bug.   Greg has moved from a Volkswagen mechanic to ASE Master Technician, to Management, to starting his shop 18 years ago in his garage, to an award-winning multi-location business. Greg is currently a board...

Kirk Richardson is a young and successful entrepreneur. Born into a blue-collar, hard-working family, he was a below average student in high school and college. At the age of 22, he left school and started his first business. He bought his first three bay shop at the age of 24. Seven years later he bought his second shop, South Street Auto Care in Rochester, MI. Richardson really prides himself on...

Pierre Respaut has a steep history as an automotive shop owner, dealership mechanic/technician, and trainer. He is in the aftermarket for fifty years. Pierre worked at BMW and Ferrari dealerships and owned “Ultimate Cars”, a BMW specialty repair shop for 30 years. After he closed the shop he was recruited to help improve a VW dealership from 2010-2012. Pierre was also a contract trainer for Bosch...

Brett Bohlmann,  along with his wife, is the owner of HWY 7 Service Center, Newell, IA. He began his career in the automotive industry as an automotive technician. Over the years, Brett began to acquire top notch experience and a love of automobiles but more of a passion for learning in the entire automotive industry. In 2010, Brett had an urge to start and open Hwy 7 Service Center with the goal...

Tom Ham , with the help of his wife Deb, is the creator and owner of  Automotive Management Network  a 12,000 plus member website dedicated to the exchange of vehicle service management information. Tom got his start in the auto service industry pumping gas in the late ’60s. Tom and his wife operate Auto Centric, an import specialty shop in Grand Rapids, MI. Tom and Deb have five children includin...

Tom Ham , with the help of his wife Deb, is the creator and owner of  Automotive Management Network  a 12,000 plus member website dedicated to the exchange of vehicle service management information. Tom got his start in the auto service industry pumping gas in the late ’60s. Tom and his wife operate Auto Centric, an import specialty shop in Grand Rapids, MI. Tom and Deb have five children includin...

Ryan Clo  is a twenty-year veteran of the Automotive Service industry. He currently owns two specialized Automotive Service businesses located in Cincinnati, OH. Both businesses have systems and processes in place so that his presence is not required on a daily basis. Ryan’s first business, Dubwerx, has a 99% customer satisfaction rate while maintaining profitability and growth. Ryan currently con...

Andy Bizub  from Midwest Performance Cars in Chicago is also a native of Chicago. His first career was 25 years as a commodity trader. He entered the professional auto industry in 2014 by acquiring a failing shop in downtown Chicago that he was a customer of and started a turnaround. Andy now has two locations. He bought his first car at age 19, a 1972 Triumph Spitfire, which was the start of his...

Derek Kaufman is a managing partner of Schwartz Advisors, a team of auto aftermarket experts who provide acquisition analysis, sell-side representation and growth strategy support for companies in our industry. Derek has over 40 years of experience in the transportation business and speaks nationally on the technology trends affecting auto service. Today, Derek has an intriguing thought on the gro...

Bill Nalu  is President of Interstate Auto Care in Madison Heights, Michigan and has been in business for 30 years.  Bill collaborates with industry professionals, in building today’s “high-tech/old-fashioned” customer service system. Bill has been a big contributor to the podcast and he currently serves on several industries and educational advisory councils including AutoValue/Bumper to Bumper,...

Rick White’s Previous Episodes  HERE . Rick White from 180 Biz is passionate about the formula for success. He has a message for you on getting up when you fail. Listen for a great quote from Winston Churchill on Success. Rick says accepting and recovering from failure will make all the difference. Key Talking Points Blame, Excuses, Denial: You can’t deposit them. You don’t’ get what you wan...

Greg Buckley  is the CEO the 50 + year young Buckley Personalized Auto Care in Wilmington, DE. He’s a member of ASA, an ATI Coach, a member of the Delaware Automotive Service Professionals, past member of the NAPA advisory board council, is vice-president of NAPA business development groups, and is involved as an advisory board member of Kukui, along with AutoVitals. Hear Greg’s previous episodes ...

Scott Brown is an ASE Master Certified Automobile Technician with over three and a half decades of professional service industry experience. He and his wife own Connie & Dick’s Service Center Inc., a 57-year-old independent shop in Southern California. With a strong focus on engine performance and electronics, Scott began collaborating with other industry professionals, online, beginning in th...

Brin Kline is owner of Assured Auto Works in Melbourne, FL.  His career in automotive repair spans 17 years with nearly 8 years as an owner. Brin knows that the automotive repair industry is ever changing.  Diagnosing and repairing automobiles of today have many more requirements for up to date training than they did in years past.  Today, a technician must network with and befriend other likemind...

Craig O’Neill  urges the industry to come together and decide to charge for a comprehensive vehicle inspection before it is too late and it becomes another free undervalued service. Key Talking Points He wants to know the root cause of the tech being challenged on taking too long to do a DVI. He is not OK that some techs are not being paid for the time they are doing inspections. It is very...

Kevin McClain  is a Commercial Account Manager for Diagnostic Tools and Equipment for Advance Professional. We met up at the ASA-PA event Super Saturday on October 13th, 2018.   Key Talking Points Are you going to training seminars if not where is your next venue? Increases in technology require you to train to keep up. Invest in your people. Invest in your time to network and see the latest...

Kyle Holt  is the President of S/P2 (sp2.org). S/P2 serves businesses and career tech schools in the automotive service, collision repair, heavy-duty/diesel, welding, construction, cosmetology, and culinary industries. S/P2 is used by over 175,000 students and employees every year across North America. S/P2 provides industry-specific, online training in safety, environmental, ethics, human resourc...

Bob Pulverenti is the Executive Director of the Independent Garage Owners of North Carolina and show chairman of ASTE (Automotive Service & Technology Expo), prior to working for IGO Bob worked as the Executive Director of SSRSOUNY in Syracuse NY. He had also operated automotive shops in Central NY for 25 years, as a shop owner he was triple certified with ASE & a nine time NAPA/ASE Techni...

Craig Van Batenburg, AMAM, is the CEO of Automotive Career Development Center [ACDC] and a former repair shop owner. Craig is engage d full time in the understanding of the technology used in hybrid and electric cars. His 45 years of automotive experience serves him well. He travels throughout the world doing training on Hybrid and Electric Vehicles.  Previous Episodes  HERE .   Key Talking P...

Barry Barrett  is an authority on sales and selling. He is the Director of Training for RLO. Barry’s sales and training capabilities operate at full capacity in his dual roles as the lead salesperson and service manager trainer. During Barry’s career as a Service Manager and top salesperson, he honed his talents in communicating with people. Barry is tireless in his pursuit of excellence in the au...