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

Barry Nielsen is a man who likes a challenge, which is why he looks forward to working on difficult electrical problems such as random flashing lights. With 41 years of car experience behind him, it is no wonder Barry is up for whatever crazy issue comes his way. In that time, he has been everything from a foreman to an administrator, but he simply likes repairing cars more than anything. After being at Infiniti for nine years, Barry decided to become a master technician. He would like to tell new technicians to: “Read and read a lot! Do the online prerequisites – do as much as you can to get it out of the way and then get your employer to authorize it.”

Barry thinks: “It’s important to share information with the people you work with in the shop first before bothering TECH LINE.” So he only contacts TECH LINE about six times a year. In contrast, he uses the ESMs, ASIST and C-III plus tool on a daily basis.

Married for 34 years, Barry and his wife have two daughters, who are 27 and 30. He does not really feel like he has much spare time anymore, but if he did, this self-professed hot rod guy would busy himself with, you guessed it, hot rods.

Aaron Harwood learned about cars in high school. He started working as a mechanic at an independent shop when he was 17, moved to Nissan a year after graduation in ’95, and became a master technician in 2004. With Infiniti since 2012, he says this about his training: “It was on the job with other techs helping out. It was really fun.” Harwood is a big fan of Infiniti’s G series. “It is simple but well built and easy to work on with the least amount of problems.” The G represents how he describes the Infiniti brand: “Solid car with good support and sharp styling.” Harwood says that the most difficult things to diagnose are drivability concerns and Bluetooth^® issues. He suggests that technicians focus on electrical issues and drivability diagnosis and repair.

Being a master technician helps Aaron support his family. He says they spend their free time cheering on a daughter in cheerleading and a son in select hardball. Harwood also likes to take the family on the boat or go for motorcycle rides.

Master technician, LEAF- and Hybrid-certified, Casey Winters says that he looks forward to excelling even more in his career. He is happy to have the title, which he earned by going to the Dealer for credentials and doing his ASEs. Casey’s recommendation for up-and-coming technicians is clear: “Just keep at it. You will get there. Get the online tasks done and study for the ASEs.”

He praises the C-III plus, ESMs, and Virtual Academy as valuable tools. He has been with Nissan for ten years, and when asked about what vehicle he likes to work on the most, he said: “All of them, but my favorite car is the GT-R.” He says the most difficult things to diagnose are noises, squeaks and rattles. Winters owns a Quest and a Maxima, a testament to his belief in the brand. In his spare time, he and his family love to go camping.

“It’s not about the recognition; it’s about a career achievement.” That is how Chet Putman feels about becoming a master technician in the not-so-distant past. He is grateful for his well-seasoned colleagues who mentored and motivated him to push harder and move up. Chet did not stop there though. He also became LEAF-certified this year. Chet loves the concept of electric vehicles, but he has not seen many LEAF models come into the shop quite yet. It seems that most people in his area tend to have to drive long distances to work every day, so he suspects that he may see more LEAF vehicles once extended battery life comes into play.

If Putman had the chance to mentor or motivate a new technician coming in, he would say: “Keep going to school and study for the ASEs because that doesn’t come naturally to everyone like working on vehicles does for most of these guys.” He still frequents Virtual Academy; always making sure his subject knowledge is up-to-date.

Chet’s passion for auto repair started 15 years ago. Even after hours, this car guy likes to work on cars. That is, when he is not busy enjoying spending time with his wife and two-month-old son.

What does being a master technician mean to Dan Moore? “I am one to personally hang my awards on the wall above my toolbox. I’m proud of what I’ve done and the time I’ve done it in. I look young, but when I bring customers back to tell them about their vehicles, they can see my awards and master status and feel confident I’m the one that should be working on their cars.” Focused and excited, he made it clear to the shop that he wanted to move up when he started at Nissan five years ago and became a master technician two years ago.

Dan loves working with electrical problems above all else. “Electrical is almost a specialty. It’s a good feeling when you peel back the tape and see that broken wire where you thought it was.” His favorite vehicle is the Nissan Frontier because: “It looks great and has just enough power to get things done.” In fact, Dan recently purchased a Frontier and loves it. It is likely that he takes it to go fishing since that is what he enjoys to do in his spare time.

Dan refreshes his subject knowledge any time he has a chance. He thinks highly of Virtual Academy and is thankful for all the obtainable information right at his fingertips. He does not even have to contact TECH LINE as much anymore as he did when he first started, which is a testament to both Nissan’s training and the great tools available.

Christopher Platzer is a master technician and college student on his way toward a mechanical engineering degree. He takes two classes in his time away from work: psychology and accounting. He became a master technician when the owners of his Dealer chose him to learn the Nissan brand when they added the product line to their new enterprise. He says it has been a good experience overall. “I learned a lot pretty fast, and it is nice to see something different.” What is Platzer’s advice for new technicians? ”Work hard and pay attention.”

Of all Nissan vehicles, he would choose the Frontier because it is simple and reliable. He most enjoys working on electrical systems, and he says: “The LEAF is good because it gets people asking about Nissan.” Chris just had a fun hiking and hunting vacation in Hawaii.

John Chesko came to Nissan on a coin flip, and nine years later, he is a master technician. He worked hard to become a master technician, took his ASE tests and studied. John says: “If techs want to move up, they need to work at it, but it does take work and may not be for everyone.“

While he says that his favorite systems to work on are electronics, he also says they are the most time consuming and are difficult to diagnose. Chesko’s favorite Nissan is the Armada. Why? “Because I own one and it’s nice.” It comes in handy every weekend when he takes his family to Disney World^® or goes golfing. He also rides a motorcycle for fun. The biggest perk of master technician status for Chesko is better pay. He appreciates the Nissan brand, calling it: “Innovative and very good as compared to most.”

There is nothing that Dustin Hasselbring loves more than hunting and fishing with his wife…except working at Nissan. He has been a loyal Nissan employee for the last six years, but his love of working on cars began years before that. Last summer Dustin became a master technician after: “a lot of ASE studying and sticking with it.” He is enjoying all the rewards that come along with that title, including a nice pay raise.

When asked what special tools have made his life easier, Dustin replied: “ASIST is great, electronic wiring diagrams are very helpful and we just got a new CONSULT laptop that is 30 times faster than the old one.” That is excellent news since he uses those tools multiple times a day.

Hasselbring professed that the Nissan brand is: “very reliable, and they take care of their customers really well.” He looks forward to continuing his career with such a solid company until his retirement.

Starting as an apprentice at Nissan in 2005, Jose Montano worked alongside a number of skillful technicians and was motivated right from the start to achieve what they had already accomplished. Utilizing the Virtual Academy and training, he became a master technician in 2012. It is clear that it means much to Jose as he states: “It’s exciting to be considered one of the top guys – it’s a matter of pride. People look up to you and the new guys coming in look to you to learn from.” His advice for those new guys: “You need to have a passion for the business – you have to like this because it isn’t just a regular job.”

A big fan of fast cars, Jose’s favorite Nissan vehicle is the GT-R, so it is no surprise that this is also his favorite vehicle to work on. He thinks that noises are the most time consuming condition to repair, but he probably would not mind having to test drive a GT-R for a while to give a thorough diagnosis. Whether the repair is small or large, ASIST is always there making Jose’s life easier. He says: “Everything is there for every problem.”

When away from work, Jose, a Bolivian native, can be found on the dance floor with his wife and seven-year-old stepdaughter. They are part of a Bolivian dance group called Sambos Caporales. However, their newest addition to the family, a baby girl born in June of 2014, might just have to watch for a while.

Nick Gephardt became a master technician by: “having a love for cars and liking to know how things work. That gave me the motivation to become one. The best lessons I have learned came from people who have been doing this for a long time.” The rewards run deep for Nick, and he said: “It means I have the ability to take care of my family. It has been the pinnacle of my career to become one because you get to move around and do different things in the shop.”

Gephardt praises the Virtual Academy as a way to learn the new technology and get step-by-step instructions. He most enjoys working on EVAP systems. Nick says there are many perks of being a master technician at White Marsh Maryland’s Carmax/Nissan, and they are what he looks forward to most in his job. Master technicians at his Dealership have the opportunity to earn a trip to Vegas. He is hoping to qualify this year.

When Gephardt is not at work, he loves family time. He is married with a three year-old daughter and an almost one-year-old son.

Scott Fields attributes his fast road to master technician status and his success in getting there to: “hard work, a lot of studying, and the people around me. They made the biggest difference by being willing to teach me.” Fields has been with the company for five years and recommends technical school to aspiring master technicians as well as a focus on electric and drivability concerns. Fields says he constantly refreshes his subject knowledge in a variety of ways and loves the C-III plus and Virtual Academy.

Scott appreciates hybrid and electric vehicle technology and recognizes the potential effect that the expansion of this technology will have on his Dealership. He is certified to service hybrid vehicles, and they happen to be one of his favorite parts of the job. Overall, he most looks forward to bettering himself and improving constantly at work. In his time away from the shop, Fields loves to be with his family, play guitar and play with his dogs.

This car enthusiast became a technician simply because he really enjoyed learning about cars. Josh Sandoval began working on cars 13 years ago and was happy to join the Infiniti team eight years ago. After becoming a master technician in September of 2013, he wants to: “continue to help customers with their car troubles and show them that there are honest technicians.”

When Josh is not hard at work on cars, he and his wife like to cook, brew beer, go to concerts or just be outdoors. His favorite vehicle is the 2003 G35 while his favorite vehicles to work on are the 2003 M45 and the Q50. He truly believes that Infiniti vehicles are: “great quality. They will last forever as long as you maintain them.”

Looking at the current tools available for Josh’s convenience, he loves the C-III plus tool. He says: “I like the simplicity and speed of it. It is very user-friendly.” Looking forward to the future, Josh is really excited about the technology of forward collision prevention and moving object detection. He really appreciates Infiniti’s plans for HEV and EV vehicles as well.

Mike Smith is proud to have become a master technician. In his six years at Infiniti, he has enjoyed working on whatever rolled into the shop, which has allowed him to increase his experience and grow more comfortable with a variety of vehicles and systems. A big fan of the Virtual Academy, Mike refreshes his subject knowledge every couple of months to keep his edge. Actually, he is a fan of more than just Infiniti’s Technical Training; he also had rave reviews for ASIST and C-III plus, which have truly made his life much easier.

The G35 is Mike’s favorite Infiniti vehicle for its looks and for the fact that: “It was kind of the launching car that helped make Infiniti well known.” Just as thrilled about the past line of vehicles as he is about the future, Mike is: “excited about the new model options Infiniti is talking about… maybe they’ll come out with something sporty.” Perhaps he is hopeful of that so that he can buy one to travel to some of his favorite pastimes such as golf, basketball and hiking.

With Nissan for the last 16 years, Ty Houck has plans to continue his formal Nissan education. He already did hybrid training, and in anticipation of the diesel fuel powered Titan, he is headed to diesel training. This is perfect for Ty because the Nissan Titan is his favorite model. “It is a durable truck that is well-engineered and has proven itself.”

One quality that he says helped him advance to master technician status is open-mindedness. “Learn as much as you can. Just keep working, never give up, and always learn.” He says C-III plus, the new ASIST, and the ESMs are all useful tools and resources for technicians and that new guys could benefit from focusing on learning electrical systems.

Houck did not plan on working for Nissan but says that he has used all of Nissan’s resources and training to become a master technician. “It is a wonderful goal to meet in my professional life, just a major accomplishment.” In his spare time, Ty works around the house, does church activities, and participates in motorsports.

William “Bill” Whisnant grew up around mechanics and knew at an early age that he wanted to fix things. His uncle has been a certified master technician for 38 years, and his father repairs sock machines. When asked if he specialized in any particular systems, Bill stated he is an “all-around” mechanic.

After graduating from the Nashville Auto-Diesel College in Nashville, Tennessee, Whisnant returned to his birthplace, Asheville. He has been a technician for 24 years, and his biggest challenge was switching to Nissan since: “not all vehicles are the same.” He is glad that he joined Nissan, and his advice for young mechanics seeking their master certification is: “Be patient. It takes a long time of continuous learning and referring to diagnostic procedures.” He finds TECH LINE helpful, and although it is only needed a few times a year, Bill says: “I can rely on them being there when I really need them.”

Bill has been married 21 years and just bought his wife a 2014 Altima. He has a 17-year-old son who is on the high school golf team. He enjoys golfing with his son, but cautions other dads: “Watch out because they’ll get better than you.”

If there is one word to describe Nickolas Bass, it would be: busy. This master technician is also LEAF-certified and Acting Shop Foreman. In addition to that, Nickolas has a toddler to keep him running full-speed at home, and he and his wife are expecting their second child in February 2015. It was hard on all of them while Nickolas was away in Dallas for his master training, but one of the best things that came out of it is that his wife is now able to stay home with their daughter full-time.

Bass has some priceless advice for anyone attempting to move up: “Get your ASEs done – it shows you are eager to progress. Use the practice tests on Virtual Academy repeatedly, and it will help you in the exam.” Showing his own desire to learn as soon as he started at Nissan a few years ago, Bass has quickly become one of the most proficient technicians in the shop. Not surprisingly, he looks forward to a future of continued education, which will help him be even more efficient in his career and precise with his diagnoses.

Congratulations to our Nissan SCOPE & Infiniti KEI Senior Specialists

Mervin Saavedra

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Coral Springs Nissan Inc.

Coral Springs, FL

Michael Hassett

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Courtesy Nissan of Tampa

Tampa, FL

Nicholas Watson

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Hamilton Nissan, Inc.

Hagerstown, MD

Corey Schnaare

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Rosen Nissan, Inc.

Milwaukee, WI

Elvis Celebic

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Middletown Nissan, LLC

Middletown, CT

Robert French

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Bob Rohrman Nissan

Burns Harbor, IN

Eugene Zherebnenkov

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Autocom Nissan of Oakland

Oakland, CA

Dean Feiock

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Wegner Auto Co. Inc.

Pierre, SD

Mohsin Naeem

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Star Nissan, Inc.

Niles, IL

Jacob Ramsey

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Hummel’s Nissan

Des Moines, IA

Michael Dicapua

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

County Line Nissan

Middlebury, CT

Jason Rogers

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Ramsey Nissan, Inc.

Upper Saddle River, NJ

Joel Bregin

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Fort Wayne Nissan

Fort Wayne, IN

Seth Van Winkle

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Dan Mullins Nissan

Lawton, OK

Brandt Boster

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Bronco Motors Nissan

Nampa, ID

Juan Lopez

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Raceway Nissan

Riverside, CA

William Healy

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Milford Nissan

Milford, MA

Frank Carchedi

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Kelly Nissan of Woburn

Stoneham, MA

Adam Black

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Connell Nissan

Costa Mesa, CA

Michael Barlet

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Nissan of Melbourne

Melbourne, FL

Eugene Zherebnenkov

Infiniti KEI Senior Specialist

Infiniti of Oakland

Oakland, CA

Derek Fredericks

Infiniti KEI Senior Specialist

Dreyer & Reinbold Infiniti

Indianapolis, IN

Justin Putman

Infiniti KEI Senior Specialist

Sewell Infiniti

Dallas, TX

Dan Dorsett

Infiniti KEI Senior Specialist

Infiniti of Peoria

Peoria, AZ

Tyler Videkovich

Infiniti KEI Senior Specialist

International Infiniti North Shore

Glendale, WI

Michael Bagale

Infiniti KEI Senior Specialist

Crest Infiniti

Plano, TX

Anthony Cabera

Infiniti KEI Senior Specialist

Infiniti of Coconut Creek

Coconut Creek, FL

Gerardo Arguello

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Sutherlin Nissan

Fort Myers, FL

Eric Richards

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Bertera Nissan, Inc.

Auburn, MA

Steve Sholar

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Maguire Nissan, Inc.

Ithaca, NY

Jason Kowalczyk

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Bob Rohrman Nissan

Burns Harbor, IN

Philip Benvissuto

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Milford Nissan

Milford, MA

John Rhodes

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Hamilton Nissan, Inc.

Hagerstown, MD

Andrew Morris

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Pence Nissan

Midlothian, MA

Christopher Carter

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Dick Smith Nissan

Columbia, SC

Emilio Garcia

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Martin Nissan

Skokie, IL

Cody Rioux

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Lee Nissan of Auburn

Auburn, ME

Jose Sanchez

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Don Davis Nissan, Inc

Arlington, TX

Zephaniah Elmore

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Dan Mullins Nissan

Lawton, OK

Chad Jayroe

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Gray-Daniels Nissan Brand

Brandon, MS

Matthew Lewis

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Dick Scott Nissan, Inc.

Canton, MI

Jamie Banda

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Bob Richards Nissan

Beech Island, SC

Derek Anderson

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Dave Wright Nissan

Cedar Rapids, IA

Josh Mills

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Vann Yorks High Point Nissan

High Point, NC

Brent Butler

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Five Star Nissan

Warner Robins, GA

Efrain Salazar

Nissan SCOPE Senior Specialist

Team Nissan

Oxnard, CA