Two more technicians at VIP Inc. dba VIP Tires and Service have achieved ASE World Class Technician status — making them among the fewer than 0.3% of technicians in the U.S. to earn the elite rank.
Brian Haskell and Brent Runnals join five other VIP technicians with the World Class status. To earn that rank, technicians must obtain Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification in 22 specialty areas.
VIP says there are 879,000 automotive technicians working in the U.S., and 300,000 are ASE-certified. Only 2,000 have achieved World Class status.
“Our team is so proud of Brian and Brent,” says Tim Winkeler, CEO and president of VIP Tires and Service. “With how demanding the ASE certification process is, earning the status of World Class Technician is a huge achievement. This certification process requires time, dedication and commitment to the industry outside of normal working hours.
"These two members of our team represent the best of the best technicians across the country, and the high level of service we offer to our customers.”
Haskell has been in the automotive field for more than 17 years and joined VIP three years ago as assistant manager of the Windham, Maine location. He was promoted to master technician at VIP’s Portland location, and is the second ASE World Class Technician on staff at VIP in Portland.
With 20 years in the automotive industry, Runnals started as a master technician at the VIP West Lebanon, N.H., store when it opened in August 2018. He's completed the testing for World Class certification in the 18 months since.
VIP emphasizes the ASE training of its employees. Chairman John Quirk talked about it in 2018 when he was named Modern Tire Dealer's Tire Dealer of the Year.
Winkeler says, “It’s important that we continue to fund and support VIP team members in working toward achieving these esteemed certifications. Not only does this help our technicians become better at their jobs, but also empowers them to continue learning new things in the automotive field. We’re thrilled to be able to support our team members in their automotive career development.”
VIP has 59 locations in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts, and is No. 20 on the Modern Tire Dealer 100 list of largest independent tire dealerships in the country.
For more information, visit: www.vipauto.com.
