The GM Field Service Engineer (FSE) Technician Recognition Awards (U.S.) celebrate the skill and dedication of dealership technicians who have recently worked with FSE’s on challenging repairs.
Technicians at GM dealerships are selected for recognition based on their focus on safety, customer satisfaction, personal accountability, training achievements, diagnostic abilities, and the level of repair documentation.
Each recognized technician receives a Service Excellence magnetic plaque and an Excellence in Service Award certificate. (Fig. 5)
Fig. 5
1st Quarter 2022 Technician Recognition Award Winners
Technician: Steven Magee
Dealership: RK Chevrolet, Vineland, New Jersey
FSE: Thomas Richards
Service Excellence: Steven was working on a 2021 Silverado with the 2.7L L3B four-cylinder engine that had an illuminated Check Engine light and several communication DTCs. Upon meeting Steven at the dealership, he had the area of concern disassembled and ready to diagnose. He also had all the necessary wiring diagrams printed and the circuits marked that he had checked. Our diagnosis narrowed down the concern to circuit 2732, which was chafed on the alternator bracket. Thanks to Steven’s diligence, the repair was made without needing to replace the engine wiring harness. Steven was easy to work with and willing to do what it took to accurately resolve the problem.
Shop Foreman: Phil Simmons
Dealership: Sherwood Chevrolet Buick GMC, Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania
FSE: Paul French
Service Excellence: Phil embodies all the characteristics of a Service Excellence Technician. He is up to date on all training and is knowledgeable and intelligent. Phil always strives to do right by customers and the dealership with high quality, efficient repairs. He is always aware of the most current problems and their solutions and is a valuable resource for all the technicians he works with in the dealership.
Technician: Jason Hawkins
Dealership: Sewell Cadillac, Dallas, Texas
FSE: Lee Williams
Service Excellence: Jason recently assisted Engineering with fixing a coax cable routing issue on a Cadillac XT4 that was losing the video feed from the side-view camera. Jason was tasked with making multiple repair attempts, including with videos and borescope photos. The repairs all required multiple installations and removals of the side-view cameras, harnesses, and coax cable along with road test procedures.
Jason’s patience and professionalism never wavered. Never once did he question why or resist suggested repairs from Engineering. Thanks to his help, it was determined that the coax cable routing was causing an intermittent loss of contact at the door connectors. The fix required that the coax cable be mounted and insulated in a manner that relieved strain on the coax connector. Arriving at a successful solution was a collaboration that heavily relied on Jason’s understanding and persistence.
Technician: Robert Rinesmith
Dealership: Autonation Chevrolet, Gilbert, Arizona
FSE: Clint Mielke
Service Excellence: Parasitic draws can be the most challenging task that a technician tackles. Robert had a recent case with a 2022 Tahoe that was no exception. When first contacted, Robert was able to explain in detail what his observations and measurements were, and that the condition occurred approximately 7 minutes after the vehicle was shut off.
Working late in the afternoon on a Friday, Robert explained that he really wanted to solve this repair before the weekend instead of waiting until Monday, saying, “I would really like to find an answer to this problem today.” He added, “I feel bad for the customer. This truck is brand new and they’ve only put 42 miles on it.”
Continuing with the diagnosis that day, a loose LIN bus 7 wire was found that was due to a poor crimp from the rear programmable temperature actuator, which was keeping the BCM awake waiting for the actuator to respond. While working on this case, Robert exhibited a strong commitment to “It’s on me” as well as placing the customer at the center of everything we do.
Technician: Bill Chetwood
Dealership: Three-Way Chevrolet Cadillac, Bakersfield, California
FSE: Jamie Borton and Jim Boyke
Service Excellence: Bill pursues customer vehicle satisfaction by making sure all the vehicles he works on are fixed right the first time. He has worked at Three-Way Chevrolet Cadillac for more than 28 years and, along the way, has trained many apprentice technicians who have gone on to have great automotive careers.
Rather than retire, Bill was offered by the dealer to conduct an in-dealership training program to help students transition from student life to a successful dealership career. Bill currently has six trainees from a local college and some are almost ready to move on to start their careers.
Bill is very helpful at the dealership, always pointing out current vehicle issues that he has noticed. He regularly submits SI feedbacks to report Service Information issues and always is willing to help others no matter the department they are in. Overall, Bill is the epitome of what a great dealership technician is and we are grateful to have him on the GM team.
– Thanks to Hank Poelman
Congratulations on your hard work and dedication. I am still climbing the training ladder and hope to be as good and efficient as these technicians are. Your valued efforts is what makes me want to be better. Thank you.