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 a variety of factors, including 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. 1)
Fig. 1
3rd Quarter 2023 Technician Recognition Award Winners
Technician: Tim McClendon
Dealership: Gray-Daniels Chevrolet, Jackson, Mississippi
FSE: Justin Russell
Service Excellence:
On a recent case, Tim McClendon was assigned to repair a customer’s vehicle when the transmission technician was out of the shop for a while. Tim had never built a transmission before, but with the assistance of FSE Justin Russell, he was willing to do it for the first time. Tim prioritized this vehicle over all of the other work he had as the shop foreman at his location. He also did a lot of extra footwork to find the special tools needed, order the parts required, and then assist in building the transmission using the specifications in SI.
After several days of laboring in the blistering heat, Tim had successfully built his first transmission (an MQE), and the customer was able to get their vehicle back operating as intended. It was truly a pleasure to see a man, seasoned in his career, be willing to learn a new skill to assist our customer and ensure the vehicle was returned in a timely manner. Tim personifies what it means to treat customers like family, and deserves to be recognized for his willingness to put in the extra effort instead of sitting and letting it wait for someone else to handle it.
Technician: Greg Smith
Dealership: Cable Dahmer Cadillac, Kansas City, Missouri
FSE: Brad Hall
Service Excellence:
Greg Smith is due recognition for his outstanding behavior and dedication. Greg is the best example of someone who will spend the time to understand how a system works and how it’s integrated with the vehicle. Greg can always find the information needed as well as how it relates to the problem at hand. He always goes the extra mile to fix a car.
Greg always can be relied on when supporting information is needed for a case. He will stop whatever he is doing, find a similar vehicle and take the time to send any data needed.
Recently, while working on a LYRIQ, the dealership did not have another vehicle for comparing data. Greg was able to immediately find a loaner LYRIQ and performed the drive cycle and charge cycle while recording a GDS session. This information was instrumental in repairing a customer’s vehicle. These actions are overlooked far too often but this recognition is a chance to show Greg what his abilities mean to GM and the Field Service Engineering team.
Technician: Paul Jacobs
Dealership: Marc Miller Buick GMC, Tulsa, Oklahoma
FSE: Scott Kohart
Service Excellence:
Paul has been a GM World Class Technician since July 14, 2003. Paul does his absolute best every time to ensure a customer’s vehicle is fixed right the first time. His attention to detail and focus on finding the root cause of a concern effectively and efficiently helps drive his dealership to achieve 95/5. Paul’s stalls are clean and neat. He is an example of professionalism to others he works with in the shop.
While working on a case at another dealership, a hose was needed to perform a diagnostic function with the Picoscope on an engine. Paul had the hose and loaned it out for the repair. He also studied the Picoscope files from the vehicle and shared his knowledge of using the Picoscope to help determine the point of failure with the engine. His knowledge of using oscilloscopes to diagnose vehicles has helped him develop ways of diagnosing concerns without being intrusive to the vehicle. Paul is always willing to share his knowledge to help others.
Technician: Rudy Reyes
Dealership: AutoNation North Chevrolet, Corpus Christi, Texas
FSE: Jorden Ellis
Service Excellence:
Rudy is a master of his craft. As a 25-plus years veteran at his dealership, it is very evident why and how he’s survived a tough car business for so long. Rudy exhibits a lot of the traits valued by GM, but perhaps the most important one is “Win With Integrity.”
On a recent repair, Rudy did all the proper steps to get a customer’s vehicle diagnosed. He followed the Service Information procedures but also was able to critically think outside the box and raise questions that promoted a positive learning environment. His work prompted the right questions to be posed to the right team within GM. He performed tests that he’d already done multiple times just to double-check his work. He even found something critically important to the vehicle’s diagnosis, which ultimately led to fixing the vehicle.
Rudy wanted to figure out what the issue was with the car and then some. He was relentless in his pursuit to be successful, and that is what makes Rudy a great technician and a great guy overall.
Technician: Doroteo Garcia
Dealership: Luke Fruia Buick GMC Cadillac, Brownsville, Texas
FSE: Jorden Ellis
Service Excellence:
Every time working with Doro; he brings a positive attitude with him. Doro has worked on a few cases over the last couple of years, but most notably was the last one on a LYRIQ. It required extensive diagnosis and test driving for verification, which ultimately led to a lot of time being spent on the vehicle. Doro performed several procedures to aid in diagnosis on the vehicle and he never once hesitated to perform the tasks in a timely manner.
Doro takes the GM value of “It’s On Me” to the next level. Doro has been a technician for a very long time, and it is very obvious when talking to him how he’s grown from when he first started years ago to now. Doro takes it upon himself to learn each new system as it comes out and gain a better understanding of how to use new tools to help himself and others in the shop to diagnose vehicles. Doro hadn’t used the Picoscope before for electrical diagnosis, but when he was asked to get a communication waveform, he took it on as a challenge and was able to get it within the day. Doro is a hard-working technician and deserves all the praise that comes his way.
Technicians: Hannah Dodson and Brian Burdge
Dealership: Three-Way Chevrolet Cadillac, Bakersfield, California
FSE: Clint Mielke
Service Excellence:
Understanding that this award is designed to recognize individual achievement, it would be difficult to separate these individuals’ contribution to the whole. Recently, true One Team behaviors from these individuals was observed while tackling a tough LYRIQ case. The vehicle was assigned to Hannah, but the LYRIQ lift was in Brian’s stall. Brian not only moved over to allow Hannah to use the equipment, but he actively assisted in the repair process. He assisted not only in the replacement of the RESS, but also in the replacement of the front drive unit on this vehicle.
The repair went into the early evening. When Brian needed to leave to pick up his kids, Hannah stayed behind to finish the job. There were some programming issues that prevented the completion of repairs, which required patience, and Hannah stayed until 7 pm to complete these tasks.
This vehicle posed many difficult hurdles to overcome, including incomplete procedures in Service Information and difficulties with SPS programming. At all times throughout this difficult case, both individuals demonstrated poise, confidence and complete eagerness to help in any way possible to see the project to its conclusion, and, ultimately, in getting the customer back into their vehicle in the most expedient and safest manner possible.
Hannah and Brian are both to be commended for continuing to keep the customer at the front of everything they do.
– Thanks to Hank Poelman and Dwight Seaton
