Friday, April 13, 2007
Trade secrets
Got a real stumper sitting in one of your baysa Would you like to be able to pick the brains of some techs who've been there, solved that problem?
Kansas is his name and repairing cars is his game. Or perhaps I should say his passion. I ran into Kansas Wortham at the iATN's 2002 convention in Anaheim, California, in September. He looks like he'd be more at home at the nearby Disneyland than in an auto repair shop. He has white hair, a shiny white beard and a twinkle in his eye that makes you feel like you've known him for years, even after you've just met him for the first time.
I didn't have to ask if he was having a wonderful time at the convention. You could see it in his smile and the warmth he radiated. I asked Kansas what he thought of iATN (International Automotive Technicians' Network). He thought for a moment, then said, "iATN has changed my life." Kansas explained that he had worked at all kinds of jobs until he finally got involved in what he described as a very poorly run shop. He loved the work, but he was frustrated by the lack of information and training he felt he needed to succeed.
Kansas was thinking about a career change when he discovered iATN. From feeling all alone in a shop in the small town of Chico, California, Kansas suddenly went online and tapped into a network of over 40,000 technicians from 127 countries. Kansas describes his relationship with the other members of iATN as like having a big family. It was the feeling of fellowship that pervaded the convention that impressed me.
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September's iATN convention attracted approximately 260 automotive technicians from six countries and 34 states. I asked a young man named Ed Page, of Page's Auto Repair in Norwich, Connecticut, what it was that motivated him to leave his shop and fly across the country to attend the iATN convention. He said, "In a word, `honesty.' I really like meeting technicians from across the country who are honest professionals willing to share their expertise."
Ed said he particularly enjoyed the technical seminars, which began on Friday morning at 8 a.m. with "Injector Guru" Jim Linder of Linder Technical Services exploring the good, the bad and the ugly of fuel injection service. Other seminars were just as informative. Tom Roberts of Autonerdz explained lab scope strategy and technique, and John Peake of Peake Equipment explained the right way to go from a great idea for how to run the shop to actually getting that idea to work. I spotted Ed Page and MoToR's own Mark Warren actively participating at the iATN West Coast Diagnostic Challenge. The interactive program, hosted by Jonathan Riggle, iATN stalwart, presented and covered various diagnostic problems, then revealed the proper fixes.. but not until several techs in the audience had their say.
On Saturday morning, Randy Bernklau of B.C. Automotive Services spoke on how to choose a diagnostic direction like when to use the scanner, lab scope or 4-gas analyzer, and Mac VandenBrink of Dynamic Auto Test Enineering gave the lowdown on exploring scope pattern interpretations. In other tech sessions, Paul Baltusis of Ford covered multiplexing, George Witt of Witt Service outlined survival skills for the service advisor, Mike McCarthy of the California Air Resources Board talked about OBD II system certifications and Toyota's Mario Jaime got into hybrids.
One seminar I found to be very exciting was given by Bob Schrader, president of Bridge Analyzers. It delved into the formula which has become one of the intemational standard methods for calculating Lambda from exhaust gas values.
After an intensive two days of hightech information, the convention was topped off by the annual iATN dinner. I had some thoughts to share and, as usual, Mark Warren had them rolling in the aisles.
You really could feel the fellowship in the room as technicians and their spouses who have attended in past years renewed relationships and exchanged war stories. At my table was a couple who have really embraced iATN. Brad Petersen, of Petersen Automotive in Escondido, California, told me that he is what he is today because of iATN. Brad and his wife Dawn, also an automotive technician, run a state-of-the-art repair shop and are active in iATN, ASE, STS and ASA. Their devotion to what Brad describes as his iATN family is truly remarkable.
Every year iATN presents awards and door prizes at the convention dinner. A few years ago, Brad hid an engagement ring in a sensor tester box and secretly arranged for Dawn's name to be picked as the winner of the tester. When she opened what she thought was her prize, she was thrilled to discover that Brad had substituted a ring. He proposed right there on the iATN stage in front of over 200 members!
Kansas is his name and repairing cars is his game. Or perhaps I should say his passion. I ran into Kansas Wortham at the iATN's 2002 convention in Anaheim, California, in September. He looks like he'd be more at home at the nearby Disneyland than in an auto repair shop. He has white hair, a shiny white beard and a twinkle in his eye that makes you feel like you've known him for years, even after you've just met him for the first time.
I didn't have to ask if he was having a wonderful time at the convention. You could see it in his smile and the warmth he radiated. I asked Kansas what he thought of iATN (International Automotive Technicians' Network). He thought for a moment, then said, "iATN has changed my life." Kansas explained that he had worked at all kinds of jobs until he finally got involved in what he described as a very poorly run shop. He loved the work, but he was frustrated by the lack of information and training he felt he needed to succeed.
Kansas was thinking about a career change when he discovered iATN. From feeling all alone in a shop in the small town of Chico, California, Kansas suddenly went online and tapped into a network of over 40,000 technicians from 127 countries. Kansas describes his relationship with the other members of iATN as like having a big family. It was the feeling of fellowship that pervaded the convention that impressed me.
Advertisement
September's iATN convention attracted approximately 260 automotive technicians from six countries and 34 states. I asked a young man named Ed Page, of Page's Auto Repair in Norwich, Connecticut, what it was that motivated him to leave his shop and fly across the country to attend the iATN convention. He said, "In a word, `honesty.' I really like meeting technicians from across the country who are honest professionals willing to share their expertise."
Ed said he particularly enjoyed the technical seminars, which began on Friday morning at 8 a.m. with "Injector Guru" Jim Linder of Linder Technical Services exploring the good, the bad and the ugly of fuel injection service. Other seminars were just as informative. Tom Roberts of Autonerdz explained lab scope strategy and technique, and John Peake of Peake Equipment explained the right way to go from a great idea for how to run the shop to actually getting that idea to work. I spotted Ed Page and MoToR's own Mark Warren actively participating at the iATN West Coast Diagnostic Challenge. The interactive program, hosted by Jonathan Riggle, iATN stalwart, presented and covered various diagnostic problems, then revealed the proper fixes.. but not until several techs in the audience had their say.
On Saturday morning, Randy Bernklau of B.C. Automotive Services spoke on how to choose a diagnostic direction like when to use the scanner, lab scope or 4-gas analyzer, and Mac VandenBrink of Dynamic Auto Test Enineering gave the lowdown on exploring scope pattern interpretations. In other tech sessions, Paul Baltusis of Ford covered multiplexing, George Witt of Witt Service outlined survival skills for the service advisor, Mike McCarthy of the California Air Resources Board talked about OBD II system certifications and Toyota's Mario Jaime got into hybrids.
One seminar I found to be very exciting was given by Bob Schrader, president of Bridge Analyzers. It delved into the formula which has become one of the intemational standard methods for calculating Lambda from exhaust gas values.
After an intensive two days of hightech information, the convention was topped off by the annual iATN dinner. I had some thoughts to share and, as usual, Mark Warren had them rolling in the aisles.
You really could feel the fellowship in the room as technicians and their spouses who have attended in past years renewed relationships and exchanged war stories. At my table was a couple who have really embraced iATN. Brad Petersen, of Petersen Automotive in Escondido, California, told me that he is what he is today because of iATN. Brad and his wife Dawn, also an automotive technician, run a state-of-the-art repair shop and are active in iATN, ASE, STS and ASA. Their devotion to what Brad describes as his iATN family is truly remarkable.
Every year iATN presents awards and door prizes at the convention dinner. A few years ago, Brad hid an engagement ring in a sensor tester box and secretly arranged for Dawn's name to be picked as the winner of the tester. When she opened what she thought was her prize, she was thrilled to discover that Brad had substituted a ring. He proposed right there on the iATN stage in front of over 200 members!
# posted by Medical Information : 5:21 AM
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