Congrats are due to Summit Truck Group Service Technician Nathan Holden of Little Rock, Ark. — Holden walked home from the recent, 6th-annual Summit Truck Group Technician Rodeo on August 11 in Springfield, Missouri, with $5,000 and bragging rights with top honors in the tech-skills competition.
Tech Nathan Holden with Summit execs.Travis Stovall of Russellville, Ark., achieved second overall and received $3,500. Third went to Thomas Pianalto from Lowell, Ark. Pianalto took home $1,500. Station prizes were awarded for each of the 14 tech-challenge stations, with each first-place technician at each station receiving $500; $300 for second and $150 for third.
As a prerequisite to participating in the Tech Rodeo, 44 Summit service technicians from Summit Holdings’ commercial truck and bus dealerships in Arkansas, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas first had to successfully complete all 12 required service certifications through Navistar, and then a written qualifying test. Top scorers on the qualifying test from each location were then eligible to participate in the rodeo.
In all, 44 Summit service technicians competed in this year’s event, representing 28 markets in 8 states within where Summit does business.
The rodeo took place in the Springfield Convention Center, and was organized by Jim Hinton, Summit’s regional service trainer. Summit Chief Operating Office, Steve Dupuis, said of the event, “Jim does a fantastic job every year of putting the tech rodeo together. I was impressed by the professionalism and technical abilities of our technicians, who take this competition seriously. Our technicians are a vital part of the service Summit provides our customers, and they are proud to show off their skills in this event.”
