INDIANAPOLIS, September 29, 2021 – Allison Transmission, a leading designer and manufacturer of conventional and electrified vehicle propulsion solutions and the largest global manufacturer of medium- and heavy-duty fully automatic transmissions for commercial and defense vehicles, is pleased to announce the winner of its inaugural Allison Guild Technician Skills Competition.
Nick Weidlich with Clarke Power Services, Inc. in Wentzville, MO was named Grand Champion of the Allison Guild Technician Skills Competition at the Guild Star Awards banquet hosted in Indianapolis on September 21, during First Line 2021. First Line, Allison’s bi-annual working seminar for service channel professionals, focuses on product updates and best practices in service procedures, making it the perfect occasion for the culminating event of the skills competition.
“With more than 1,100 independent Allison Authorized Distributors and Dealers across North America, Allison’s service network of highly-trained technicians is a true differentiator,” said Brian Geiselhart, Managing Director, Global Channel, Aftermarket & Warranty at Allison Transmission. “Keeping these skilled-technicians trained with the latest developments in our products is key to the full experience of to delivering the Allison Brand Promise to our mutual OEM and fleet customers.”
The Allison Transmission Guild, established in 1975, promotes the technical knowledge and expertise of Allison distributor and dealer service and parts professionals. The Guild’s mission is to expand Allison’s world leadership in transmission and propulsion system technologies through ongoing service professional development.
Open to all Allison North America 1000/2000 and 3000/4000 Service Guild members, the Technician Skills Competition exemplifies Allison’s commitment to continually evolve the skills of its service channel technicians. Five finalists were selected based on a 45-minute, 45-question online test. The finalists then competed head-to-head at First Line 2021 by rotating between five timed hands-on skills stations designed to gauge each technician’s understanding and abilities related to Allison 1000-4000 Series diagnostics, service, repair, and chassis integration. Each station was hosted and judged by Allison Regional Customer Support Managers, Allison Service Engineers, and Allison Product Training personnel.
“Allison is proud to recognize our channel partners for their commitment to delivering high quality of service and for consistently evolving their skillset to support new and innovative technology, said Todd Dawn, Manager, Global Product Training and Technical Publications at Allison Transmission. “These skilled professionals make it possible for Allison transmissions and propulsion solutions to operate at optimum levels, with reduced downtime, leading to maximum efficiency and uptime for our customers.”
Four additional finalists were honored at the Guild Star Awards banquet, including:
- James Weisenstein with Penn Power Group in Cranberry Township, PA
- Kevin Edinger with W.W. Williams in Charleston, SC
- DeWayne Day with Stewart & Stevenson in Commerce City, CO
- Aaron Keith Burdick with Clarke Power Services in New Bern, NC
For more information about the Allison Authorized Service Network, visit https://www.allisontransmission.com/parts-service.