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KVCC's Auto Tech Is Nation's Best

Kalamazoo Valley Community College's David "Charlie" Fuller is the best in the nation at what he does, according to a national institute dedicated to automotive-service excellence.
       
The lab manager for the college's program in automotive technology
has been selected as the "L1 Master Technician of the Year" by the
National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) and will be
honored at the organization's board of directors meeting on Nov. 17
in Scottsdale, Ariz.
       
Fuller, who has been at KVCC for a dozen years and launched the
college's academy program for training automotive technicians, was
selected No. 1 in the nation based on his scores on certification tests
that assess knowledge of the various systems that keep a vehicle on the
road in tip-top shape. Fuller's master-technician award is sponsored
by Motor Age Training, an offshoot of the national publication.
       
Fuller, a 1980 graduate of Portage Central High School, received the
brunt of his technical training at Denver Automotive and Diesel College
and dabbled in the mechanics of aviation at Colorado Aero Tech. He
added to his resume in training sessions at Nissan, BMW, Ford and
Mitsubishi manufacturing complexes.
       
Fuller has converted a pick-up truck to run on compressed natural gas
and organized KVCC's observance of Odyssey Day, a national focus on
the need to promote alternative fuels and forms of transportation.
       
"Being an auto tech makes you proficient at many trades," said
Fuller, who passed all of the eight fields of ASE certification, along
with "master," "L1" and "F1" advanced engine-performance
certifications. "When a pipe fitter, electrician, heating-and-ventilation tech or mechanical engineer has car trouble, they generally call an auto tech. When an auto tech has an electrical, plumbing, HVAC or fabrication
issue, we just fix it."

Said fellow automotive instructor Ron Hofman: "This is a huge honor for Charlie and KVCC. There are more than 400,000 ASE-certified technicians nationwide with thousands of others who wish they could make the grade. ASE certification separates technicians from mechanics. The testing process is intense and only those dedicated to their field will pass. After eight regular tests and one advanced test, you will have the honor of being master certified. At that point you are one of the best. This announcement has identified Charlie as the best of the best."

Incorporated in 1972 and based in Virginia, the National Institute for
Automotive Service Excellence was established as a non-profit
organization to help improve the quality of automotive service and
repair through the voluntary testing and certification of automotive
technicians and parts specialists.

(c) 2010, WWJ Newsradio 950. All rights reserved.

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