Moving Up Masters and Seniors

MOVING UP - Congratulations to our Nissan SCOPE & Infiniti KEI Masters

Christopher Anderson

Nissan SCOPE Master

Pye Nissan

Dalton, GA

When Chris Anderson was an undergraduate at Oakland University, he needed a part-time job and found one changing oil at a dealership in Rochester Hills, Michigan. It was a good way to make extra cash while he worked toward his degree.

Then life threw Chris’ family a curve-ball. His father was laid off unexpectedly. Chris was determined to help out. He dropped out of Oakland University and went to work full-time at the dealership. Chris’ diligence and adaptability helped him move up quickly through the technician ranks.

In 2011, Anderson came to Pye Nissan in Dalton, Georgia. He was hungry. “I was looking for promotions,” he says. “More money, more responsibility.” This drive led Chris to pursue his Master Technician certification. The process took almost three years and he was certified in the fall of 2014. Chris sees the certification and the expertise that comes with it as a welcome development in his career. “I definitely feel like I make more of a difference now.”

When asked what information resources he relies on, Chris gives a shout-out to ASIST as well as TechTalk magazine. “Plenty of time, the repair’s already been discussed there, and it’s simpler to find the bulletin or information in TechTalk than the Service Manual. It saves a lot of time!”

Outside work, Anderson enjoys time with his wife and two children. “We like hanging out, swimming and seeing movies. The drive-in, mostly. It’s quite a bit cheaper,” he laughs.

Jason Rogers

Nissan SCOPE Master

Ramsey Nissan, Inc.

Upper Saddle River, NJ

“This is all I think about,” laughs Master Technician Jason Rogers. He is talking about vehicles: driving them, building them, and fixing them. Jason has been working on cars for as long as he can remember. He grew up in Montvale, New Jersey. There, his father always had ramps in the driveway and Jason helped out. When he is not working hard, Jason builds jeeps. And although the mountains lie a town or two over, Jason uses that wilderness for driving with his friends.

During high school, Rogers spent half of each day studying auto body, and by the time he was 17, he had decided this was going to be his career. He went through technical college and landed a job with Ramsey Nissan in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. He secured his Master Technician certification shortly thereafter. This was all accomplished by the ripe old age of 23. “Certification took maybe a year and a half,” he says. “I worked hard.”

As you may expect, this driven technician always looks ahead. Rogers admires the quality of field engineers that pass through the Nissan dealership and sees that role as his next ambition. “Those are the guys,” he says. “They know everything about everything. They can solve just about any technical problem. I’d like to do that.”

Jason’s advice to aspiring technicians is suitably forward-thinking. “First, I’d say learn electrical because soon that’s going to be everything,” he says. “And don’t buy a big shiny toolbox before you get some good tools.”

Jeremy Fisher

Infiniti KEI Master

Infiniti of Mission Viejo

Mission Viejo, CA

Ask Jeremy Fisher how he got into cars, and he will say: “Probably as a kid, driving cars and getting into trouble.” All this before he turned 16 and got his license? Fisher lets out a big laugh. “No, of course not.” He takes a long pause. “I dunno. Maybe.”

Fisher is a funny guy. He lives in Mission Viejo with a beagle and he has no other real attachments. He and his friends hang out and work on cars and motorcycles. He has been working on cars since he was old enough to pick up a wrench. Is he a car enthusiast? “I hate cars,” he deadpans. After an awkward silence, Jeremy snickers. “I love cars. Of course, yeah, I’m a car enthusiast.”

Since becoming a Master Technician, Fisher was promoted to shop foreman. For Jeremy, education is a never-ending proposition and more about the learning involved than getting a piece of paper. “Anytime a new course is released, I’ll take it. I’m even taking a test tomorrow.”

The very best training investment, according to Fisher, is factory training. “It’s ideal. You learn about one specific car from the guys who made it. They know everything. Once you start working on cars, so much of that knowledge is transferable across all cars. So, that specialized knowledge becomes really useful.”

Fisher says the best car he has ever owned was either a 1970 Cadillac – “perfect for cruising around” – or his 1988 Turbo Z that was “cheap to build, looked awful, but was just faster than anything around.”

Maikel Garcia

Nissan SCOPE Master

Billy Ray Nissan

Longwood, FL

When it comes to cars, Maikel Garcia knows what he likes. “Nissan makes a great car,” the recently-certified Master Technician says. “They design with the technician in mind. It’s an excellent car brand to service.” Garcia sees Nissan at the forefront of innovation and design—the very areas he finds most interesting. “I really like technology. Nissan is always the most futuristic with their technology.”

When asked where he thinks automotive technology might be headed, Maikel says: “I don’t even know. Everything changes so much. That’s why it’s so important to keep learning more. I’m trying to stay ahead of all the technology that’s coming out. You have to; otherwise, the new cars can leave you behind real quick.”

Garcia advises new technicians to study a wide range of subjects and continually use that knowledge under the hood. “Your education has to be diverse, and you have to learn how to apply it. Otherwise, you’ll get out there and the real world will overwhelm you.”

In Maikel’s view, it is best achieved through apprenticeship, and it does not hurt to have CONSULT-III plus nearby, either. “I love it! So far, it’s the best CONSULT we’ve ever had. It’s excellent.”

As for hobbies or free-time activities, the jovial new father says: “One day, I’d like to get another race car. But right now? Ha. Hobbies? I don’t have any! I have a two-year-old!”

Brandt Boster

Infiniti KEI Master

Bronco Motors Infiniti

Nampa, ID

Nearly everyone has seen or heard about a one-man band. They have multiple instruments all around them and play a tune by themselves. Brandt Boster is the mechanical equivalent of the one-man band since he is the only technician at Bronco Motors Infiniti. “I get everything that comes through the door,” he says.

Born and raised in nearby Caldwell, Idaho, Boster grew up with mechanics since his dad was a diesel technician and his brother was also a technician. He attended and graduated from UTI Sacramento. About school and training he says, “I got a lot out of it. You get what you put in.” Since he took Nissan Automotive Technician Training (NATT) classes, he only needed about six classes to get his Master Technician certification.

Boster enjoys working at Infiniti since the cars are “High quality. The car is a statement.” He adds: “I like the Q50. It is loaded with technology. People love them!” As far as technology in the dealership, he states: “CONSULT-III plus is very good. I love the Bluetooth® since I can have it right with me.” And his advice to newer technicians? “Stick to quality, not quantity. It can set you apart. Focus on the customers.”

When Brandt is not at work, he likes to spend time with Rebecca, his wife of five years, and their two cats. He and his wife like to camp and hike. He also loves to hunt and fish, especially fishing for rainbow trout. Since he lives only an hour from the mountains, he gets up there as often as he can.

Marek Kopij

Infiniti KEI Master

Infiniti of Thousand Oaks

Westlake Village, CA

Marek Kopij lives right on the beach, 20 minutes away from his job in Westlake Village. When he is not working, the beach is where you will find him – by the water or maybe hiking with his friends. And his home life is simple, by design. “I’ve got a pet, man,” he says. “But no wife. No kids. It’s just me. I’m a handful to take care of by myself!”

Marek loved auto shop in high school. But once he left school, he tried the desk job thing for a minute. He got turned off pretty quickly. “It wasn’t for me,” Kopij says. So he went back to automotive technology. He went on to service a wide range of brands, from Mercedes to BMW to Nissan. Kopij says he prefers the Infiniti, especially the G37® Coupe. “It’s a really fun car! It’s fast. It looks good. It drives good.”

Marek’s Nissan/Infiniti managers recognized his talent and ambition and met him halfway in his pursuit of his Master Technician certification. He saw benefits in the education well before he got his certification. “You always want to get all the knowledge you can. After every class you know the car better and better, and that makes your day easier. You feel more comfortable with the cars, more comfortable diagnosing.”

New technicians, or technicians looking to get their certifications, should take a similar track. “Focus,” Kopij says. “Get all your classes done. Do your ASEs and use Virtual Academy. Get all the knowledge you can.”

Sukhwinder Singh

Nissan SCOPE Master

Bridgewater Nissan

Bridgewater, NJ

Sukhwinder Singh is focused, energetic and relaxed. You can hear it in his voice. And it is evident when he starts to list his various certifications. “I am EV-certified, ASE, GT-R and LEAF.” Last June, Sukhwinder added Master Technician certification to that list. “I love education,” he says. “I always have a drive to move up.”

The certifications inspire a certain respect. “And respect is king, right?” Sukhwinder chuckles. “You get held to a higher standard. I’ve been presented with more complicated problems, more challenges. But it is its own reward, being certified. It’s a pleasure.”

Vehicles have been a lifelong passion for Singh. He messed with dirt bikes as a kid, then he had an epiphany – a Nissan epiphany – at the age of 12. “I remember seeing this old 1971 Prince Skyline. Looking at that engine, I thought, ‘This is it.’ It was so cool. I love to take things apart and put them back together.”

Sukhwinder talks about the 1993 300ZX he lost in an accident. “I spent 7 years putting that together.” He laughs ruefully. “And it was gone in a second.”

When he is not working on cars, Singh likes to draw and paint. He plays volleyball and soccer. But, no shock, cars are his big hobby. There are simply too few hours in the day. He has a wife and three little girls, and the balance is sometimes a challenge. “My girls are my drive, my anchor. A lot of times, it’s a struggle to find quality time for my family and still find time to relax and work on a car.”

Sis Cavan

Nissan SCOPE Master

Hummel’s Nissan

Des Moines, IA

Sis Cavan’s first experience with auto repair was “helping my dad rebuild a 1990 Mitsubishi at about age 18 or so.” He especially likes the Nissan 240SX. And as far as his favorite Nissan he says: “Older GT-Rs, the R34 from Japan. It’s one of those iconic cars that I’ll probably never get to touch or see. It’s got handling; it’s got power.”

With Nissan and his Dealership since May 2006, Sis especially likes driveline repairs. He obtained his Master Certification in the summer of 2014 and adds: “I wanted to be the best that I can and do the best that I can for the Dealership. This was a goal I wanted to achieve. Now I have more pride in what I do.”

Cavan is always learning and stays sharp by using Nissan’s variety of virtual tools. He likes CONSULT-III plus. He uses it daily as well as ASIST and ESMs. His advice to newer technicians? “Get the most experience you can. Dive in. Get the hands-on stuff. Be in there. Watch other people and help other people. Keep on doing it.”

Cavan does not have much free time due to his 4 children; ages 9, 6, 3 years old and 18 months old. When he does have time, he loves “fishing and hanging out with friends. Taking the kids on bike rides. Stuff like that.”

Lucas Dourado

Infiniti KEI Master

Kuni Westside Infiniti

Lynnwood, WA

The year was 1991. Lucas Dourado watched in awe as Ayrton Senna—with only two gears left in the gearbox—blasted over the finish line of the 1991 Brazilian Grand Prix. The national hero had to be pulled from his car, but then he triumphantly raised his first Brazilian Grand Prix trophy and promptly collapsed from exhaustion. For young Dourado, it was a lesson in determination. Suddenly, soccer was not the only thing he cared about. Now, there was racing, too.

After high school, Dourado came to the USA to play college soccer. A complication with credit transfers caused issues, so Dourado shifted focus to his love of cars. And Dourado doesn’t do anything halfway.

“Whatever I decide to do, I want to be the best I can be,” Lucas says. “I’ve taken all the Virtual Academy classes.” For him, education is a special opportunity. “You’re pressed for time in the shop and the goal is do the job quickly, the way you know will work. But that’s rarely the only way to do something. When you’re taking classes, you can take your time and explore the different routes for getting to the same place. It expands your view of the system.”

When not repairing cars, Dourado races them—with his girlfriend, Katie. “She is really good,” he says. “People would come up, realize she is a girl and their jaw would drop,” he laughs. “It was pretty entertaining. She has yet to enter any type of competition, and her car only has 200hp. But with how she drove last time, I think she should do it.”

Jason Polosky

Nissan SCOPE Master

I-90 Nissan

Sheffield Village, OH

Since moving back to his hometown of Lorain, Ohio, Jason Polosky looks forward to fun with his family outside of work. His wife Debbie, 21-year-old son Alex and 11-year-old daughter Vegas enjoy family game night and it can range from Monopoly or Risk to Xbox. Polosky also enjoys riding a ‘92 Sea-Doo XP on Lake Erie and going to Cedar Point for some time on the roller coasters.

Polosky has been an automotive technician for 15 years. “I got into auto mechanics out of necessity,” he says. “I needed brakes and brake lines on my ‘86 Celica. I learned how to repair the car just to save money. My wife knew more about cars than I did at that time.” He continues: “So I thought I could make a living doing that.”

Jason is nearing one year as a Master Technician and comments: “I like the sense of accomplishment.” He likes working on the current generation Altima most. When asked about being a car enthusiast, he lights up: “You almost have to be to get any satisfaction out of repairing automobiles. I have been with Nissan for so long because I am enthusiastic about the product. I love Nissan!”

Polosky recommends to newer technicians: “Stick with it. Get hands-on experience at the training centers and study to pass the ASE certifications. Check your local library for downloadable prep books before buying them. The books along with Virtual Academy helped a lot.”

Matthew Torralba

Nissan SCOPE Master

Garvey Nissan

Rutland, VT

Matthew Torralba is surrounded by corn. “Literally, I live across from a corn field. I’m in the middle of nowhere!” Out amongst the corn, there is not much to do. And although some people might be lonely where he lives, he loves it. “It’s just little ol’ me here,” he laughs. Torralba punctuates everything with a cheerful, hearty chuckle. After a while, you might suspect everything is one big joke to him.

For instance, he says he just wandered into high school auto class with zero interest in cars aside from driving really fast. Which he did, thanks to a supercharged ’98 Buick he “probably shouldn’t have had, at least not at that age. It got me into some trouble!” He enjoyed auto shop class, but not in any life-changing way. “I mean, it’s high school auto shop,” he says.

He does not even own a cell phone. What’s up with that? And yet, get him talking about work and a different picture emerges. When it comes to technology, Torralba is highly focused, knowledgeable—even philosophical. His advice to aspiring technicians: “Practice,” he says. “And know you’re not the best out there. That’s really important. If you’re aware of that, you’ll keep pushing yourself to be better. If you start thinking you’re the best, you’ll stop pushing yourself. That’s the worst thing that could happen. So keep it in perspective and just work as hard as you can.”

Gary Kubiez

Infiniti KEI Master

Coast Infiniti

Sarasota, FL

Veteran technician Gary Kubiez likes to stay engaged. He pursues new certifications and takes online courses anytime he can. He has been with Nissan/Infiniti for 23 years and since he was already Nissan SCOPE certified, the move to KEI Master Certification was a no-brainer.

Kubiez is continually improving: “There was a learning curve because Nissan and Infiniti are a bit different,” he says. “Each platform has a slightly different way of doing stuff. So it was challenging, but it wasn’t too difficult.” Kubiez also prefers the agility of computer-based repair and finds it more stimulating than old-school repair. “I get to use my head. I’ve been doing this better than forty years, and after a while, nuts and bolts get kinda old.” No surprise, then, that he has embraced tools like CONSULT-III plus: “You can now save critical information and store it in a file.” That security means bolder, more flexible repair strategies. He adds: “I just want to be as good at my job as I can be.”

Outside work, Kubiez steers clear of all things automotive. “Eight to 10 hours a day, five to six days a week is enough,“ he says. His time off is saved for motorcycles and family and not necessarily in that order. Kubiez has two daughters and two granddaughters. “The oldest is four and she’s really starting to enjoy fishing. We go for the smallest fish we can find. The other, she’s one, so she’s a little young still. But we’ll get her into it as soon as she’s ready.”

Ryan Clifford

Nissan SCOPE Master

Hudson Nissan

North Charleston, SC

How much has changed in automotive over the last 25 years? According to Ryan Clifford: “Everything has changed and nothing has changed.” The veteran technician started out at 15 in old-school, three-stall garages. Flash forward; he is a Nissan SCOPE Master who has owned his own garage, gone to school, dropped out and worked for countless manufacturers. So, what kind of changes has he seen? “Oh, boy! The technical aspect is just kinda crazy,” he says. “The beauty is that the theory has not changed a bit. Whether you’re dealing with electrical or mechanical, it still goes back to fundamental theories about how things work in an automobile.”

Still, this brave new world demands constant training. “Things change so quick that you can easily get left behind,” he says. “A tech can only thrive by actively studying the latest technologies.” He adds: “Somebody that has their ASE status, somebody who’s Master certified can pretty much write their own ticket. It’s something I believe in, the paperwork that goes with what you say you can do. It’s job security.”

Clifford’s passion for cars runs deep. Last February on a whim, he walked into a Tennessee showroom and bought his first Harley – then drove it back to North Charleston, SC in a blinding snowstorm. He also fulfilled a lifelong dream when he bought his dad a fully-restored ‘64 Impala convertible with 4 on the floor – the same car he had sold to help raise Ryan and his three siblings. He now tours the car with his dad, hitting the show circuit where it is a frequent prizewinner.

Chris Buck

Nissan SCOPE Master

Route 46 Nissan

Totowa, NJ

For Nissan SCOPE Master Chris Buck, it has never been about cars. Since the age of four, it has always been about taking things apart. “Not always putting them back together,” he laughs. “But just the idea of fixing things. I was just taking everything apart. Toys or anything broken, my parents just gave it to me. Of course, they wouldn’t let me hold a screwdriver yet, but they helped me sometimes.” Out of all this tinkering came a clear sense of destiny. “When I was 4 years old, I knew I was gonna work on cars,” Buck says. Buck sure sounds like a car and truck enthusiast and the new diesel models particularly intrigue him. “It’s something new and different,” he says. “I mean, they did the diesel before but now it’s on the trucks. It’s gonna be pretty cool. I’m really looking forward to that.”

Unsurprisingly, Chris says new technicians should focus on the basics. “You gotta put your time in on oil changes, balancing tires, alignments. And don’t go overboard with the tools. If you borrow something two or three times from somebody, that’s what you should be buying. You shouldn’t be buying scopes and scanners. You need the basics first!”

On the other hand, his enthusiasm for fishing is not in question. Off hours, Buck and the other technicians might drop a line in the Passaic River, which runs behind their Dealership. Or he will take his daughters fishing when he can get them away from their mobile devices. “Everybody’s playing with their thumbs,” he says. “Go outside!”

Rob Mowrer

Infiniti KEI Master

Park Place Infiniti

Las Vegas, NV

Las Vegas sits amid the sun-scorched desert. All that empty, open space makes it a mecca for racing. From The Mint 400 on down, Vegas breeds gear-heads – guys like Rob Mowrer. “Desert racing is huge,” he says. “Racing in the desert, you can do pretty much whatever you want,” he laughs.

Mowrer comes from a racing family and the track dominates his earliest memories. At 10, he went to work for his uncle who owned an auto shop and raced pro. Since then, he has worked for many manufacturers and sees a big difference at Infiniti. “It’s night and day,” he says. “In terms of the product they make and the way they treat the customer, it’s better. The warranty is better; my experience as an employee is better.”

“Infiniti tech training is better too,” he says. In the past, he had tried to get as close as he could to master status, but other companies dropped the ball. When Infiniti needed a Master Technician “they shot me right through as efficiently as possible,” he says. The certification is a nice milestone, but he keeps it in perspective. “I did learn a lot. But we’ve got guys in our shop that aren’t masters that have been with Nissan/Infiniti for 20 years, and I learn from them every day. There are only so many in the country.”

In his time off, Mowrer likes time with family. He says: “I tinker in my garage, and I have a six year old daughter, so that’s big. She keeps me going. We have dogs and we like taking them hiking. I still race, but not as much as I’d like.”

Frank Gallagher

Nissan SCOPE Master

Dorschel Nissan

Rochester, NY

Frank Gallagher lives in the rolling hills south of Rochester, New York. “You’re speaking to a pure country boy,” he says. He and his wife and two children enjoy the kind of lifestyle you could never pursue on a flat, suburban grid. They especially like riding their Can-Am Side-by-Side ATV at Tall Pines ATV Park in Andover, New York. With lakes and forests all around, the Gallaghers are never bored.

And Frank Gallagher has always been active. At 12, NASCAR inspired him to race go-carts up and down the East Coast. He repaired them too, and by driving age, he was working on full-size cars. He came to Nissan after a stint elsewhere where he had nearly completed his Master certification. Once he decided to go for his SCOPE certification, the only real challenge was waiting for the classes to become available. Now he is The shop foreman. “I deal with more customers than I ever imagined!” he says. “It’s been a positive thing, overall.”

Gallagher wonders about the many advances in technology. He says: “The possibilities are limitless. I heard that Nissan’s working on a driverless car. Who knows where those possibilities are gonna end.” But with all the advances, his sage advice for newer technicians, “Listen to the people that have been doing it a while for tips and suggestions. The new way is not always the best way for doing things.”

Whatever the future holds, one thing is certain: Frank Gallagher won’t be leaving the hills any time soon. “I only come to the city to work,” he says. “Other than that, I’ll stay with the country.”

Cory Madrid

Nissan SCOPE Master

Don Davis Nissan, Inc.

Arlington, TX

Patrick Nugent

Nissan SCOPE Master

Tacoma Nissan

Tacoma, WA

Allyson Correa

Nissan SCOPE Master

Performance Nissan

Pompano Beach, FL

Richard Knabbe

Nissan SCOPE Master

Massapequa Nissan

Seaford, NY

Adam Dambrogio

Nissan SCOPE Master

Curry Nissan Chicopee

Chicopee, MA

Karl Urban

Nissan SCOPE Master

AutoNation Nissan Kendall

Palmetto Bay, FL

Josh Ayers

Nissan SCOPE Master

Downtown Nashville Nissan

Nashville, TN

Joshua Pean

Nissan SCOPE Master

Gladstone Nissan

Gladstone, OR

Lee Diehl

Infiniti KEI Master

Infiniti of Naperville

Naperville, IL

Patrick Place

Nissan SCOPE Master

Concord Nissan, Inc.

Concord, NH

David Trent Jr.

Nissan SCOPE Master

Joe Machens Nissan

Columbia, MO

Daniel Coronado

Infiniti KEI Master

Santa Monica Infiniti

Santa Monica, CA

Congratulations to our Nissan SCOPE & Infiniti KEI Senior Specialists

Alexander Brown

Infiniti KEI Senior Specialist

Infiniti of Oakland

Oakland, CA

Christopher Dinan

Infiniti KEI Senior Specialist

Bill Dodge Infiniti

Westbrook, ME

Paul Franke

Infiniti KEI Senior Specialist

JBA Infiniti in Ellicott City

Ellicott City, MD

Robert McKean

Infiniti KEI Senior Specialist

Metro Infiniti

Monrovia, CA

William Diaz

Infiniti KEI Senior Specialist

Orange Coast Infiniti

Westminster, CA

Jose Olivares

Infiniti KEI Senior Specialist

Hoy-Fox Infiniti

El Paso , TX

Paulo Tirado

Infiniti KEI Senior Specialist

Infiniti of Coconut Creek

Coconut Creek, FL

Wajik Grabaik

Infiniti KEI Senior Specialist

Santa Monica Infiniti

Santa Monica, CA

Joseph Stanton

Infiniti KEI Senior Specialist

Ray Brandt Infiniti Metairie

Metairie, LA

Gregory Lockmer

Infiniti KEI Senior Specialist

Infiniti of Warwick

Warwick, RI

Michael Witczak