Are You Committed to Be A Lifetime Learner In The Automotive Aftermarket? Learn Why It Must Be Your Most Important Goal.
Chris Chesney grew up on a farm in North Central KS and was immersed in mechanical things early in his life. His mother died when Chris was 5, so he was his father’s primary helper. Chris was driving a tractor while pulling a feed wagon next to a field cutter when he was 6. He couldn’t reach the pedals so his dad would put the tractor in low gear and then give him the sign to hit the starter button and off they would go. Chris would gauge the speed of the cutter to allow him to fill the wagon. At the end of the row, his Dad gave him the sign and Chris shut off the tractor. His Dad would then turn the whole mess around and they’d go again.
That same year was the moment that tied Chris to this industry and he remembers it like it was yesterday. He was standing in a Ben Franklin store in Natoma, KS and saw a Road & Track magazine on the rack with a picture of Phil Hill in a Ferrari F1 car and his heart jumped! From that moment to today Chris has been in love with the automobile and as a result of his passion he has been a member of the service industry since his first job, other than working on the farm, at Shorty’s Amoco in Stockton KS.
Chesney held every position from tire buster to master technician, from service advisor to shop owner. He has been training technicians and shop owners for 30 years. Chris started his training business, DTEC, in Denver in 1994 where he trained over a thousand techs in the art of transient emissions diagnostics.
Chris was consulted early on at the beginning of CARQUEST Technical Institute (CTI) and ultimately sold his business and moved to Raleigh NC to lead CTI. He still gets up every morning with the same passion he’s had since that day in Natoma because he says, this industry is made up of some of the finest people on this planet. They work so hard every day to service their customers and communities. Many are very successful, but many are not.
Our industry is rapidly changing, and all members of our industry are stressed with the onslaught of technology, the aging workforce and shortage of skilled labor. Chris’s passion today continues to be leading the very best team of instructors and developers as he helps bring education solutions to the market.
Chris made a commitment to get involved in helping bring the industry together in an effort to find long-term solutions to the issues we all face. He currently serves as Board Chair of the ASE Training Managers Council and a board member of the National Automotive Service Task Force where he works with his peers to create real solutions that our industry needs.
Key Talking Points and Take-A-Ways:
Carquest Technical Insitute Website
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This episode is brought to you by Federal-Mogul Motorparts and Garage Gurus. With brands like Moog, Felpro, Wagner Brake, Champion, Sealed Power, FP Diesel and more, they’re the parts techs trust. For serious technical training and support – online, onsite and on-demand – Garage Gurus is everything you need to know. Find out more at fmmotorparts.com and fmgaragegurus.com