Earlier this year, School Transportation News called for nominations of outstanding fleet management professionals as candidates for profiles in the August fleet management issue.
STN received a total of 100 entries from school districts, private bus companies, school bus dealers and vendors.
Ten of these individuals are featured in the 5th annual installment of Garage Stars, to be published in the August edition of School Transportation News magazine. The editors used 10-point criteria of time spent on the job, life experience, credentials, leadership, training capability, regulatory agency commendations, community involvement, value to the transportation program, level of responsibility (with a focus on supervision), and industry development.
Below is the list of all nominees in alphabetical order.
Anthony Alves
Maintenance Manager
National Express Transit, Vallejo, Calif.
James Armstrong
Head Mechanic
Locust Valley Central School District, N.Y.
Fadil Attalah
Technical Development Manager
Emirates Transport, Dubai
Nathan Belford
Fleet Transportation Supervisor/Technician
Robinson Transport, Inc., Ill.
Brian Berg
Mechanic
Crosby Ironton Transportation, Minn.
Kevin Beye
Head Transportation Mechanic
Marshalltown Community School District, Iowa
Charles Blevins
Shop Supervisor/School Bus Instructor/Third Party Examiner
Duvall Bus Service LLC., Pa.
Jay Bogges
Maintenance Supervisor
Durham School Services, Roanoke, Va.
Ethan Bray
Senior Technician
School Board of Levy County, Fla.
David Brewington
Senior Technician
South Carolina Department of Education
Fluvanna Bus Shop Team
Miracle Mechanics
Fluvanna County Public Schools, Va.
David Bush
Coordinator of Mechanics
Jefferson County Schools, Ala.
Gary Butler
Shop Foreman
GG&C Bus Company, Pa.
Donald Chestnut
Mechanic
Toronto City School District, Ohio
Ryan Clark
Mechanic
Nine Mile Falls, Wash.
Todd Cloward
Job Coach/Transportation Mechanical Help
Lawrence Township Schools, N.J.
Ray Coburn
Mechanic
Apple Valley Unified School District, Calif.
Johnny Cory
Lead Technician
Grace Cascade Christian Schools, Ore.
Jeffrey Davis
Head Mechanic
Old Bridge Township Public Schools, N.J.
Andy DeBolt
Lead Equipment Mechanic
San Jose Unified School District, Calif.
Norman Denig
Tech
Transportation South Company, Ala.
Terry Dickey
Mechanical Supervisor
Santa Fe Independent School District, Texas
Tony DiGianni
Head Mechanic
Locust Valley Central School District, N.Y.
Bob Dulmage
Shop Supervisior
North Clackamas School District, Ore.
Dana Duncan
Shop Supervisor
Wentzville School District, Mo.
Michael Durr
Shop Foreman
Spring Independent School District, Texas
Garrett Eastwood
Bus Mechanic
Underwood School District #550, Minn.
Chad Eaton
Fleet Manager
Eagle County School District, Colo.
Jeff Erwin
Shop Foreman
Mount Vernon School District 320, Wash.
Darin Farris
Mechanic
Summit School District, Colo.
Morris Frye
Senior Administrator
Orange County Public Schools, Fla.
Jose Gaudino
Lead Mechanic
Campbell Union High, Calif.
Peter Gerad
Lead Mechanic
New Braunfels Independent School District, Texas
Nick Ginn
Shop Supervisor
Brunson Bus Shop/South Carolina Department Of Education
Peter Girard
Head Mechanic
New Braunfels Independent School District, Texas
Randy Girk
Technician Central Transportation
Jeffco Public Schools, Colo.
Brian Hanna
Bus & Auto Maintenance Manager
Newport News Public Schools, Va.
Timothy Hicks
Lead Technician
Brown Bus Company, Idaho
Gavin Johnson
Mechanic
Mojave Unified School District, Calif.
Rob Kenyon
Okotoks Lead Hand
Southland Transportation, Alberta
Mike King
Transportation Manager
Tulare City School District, Calif.
Louis Knebel
A&T Technician
Broward County Public Schools, Fla.
Russell Kovavic
Fleet Manager/ Lead Tech
Frye Transportation Group, Inc., Penn.
Donald Kunkel
Vehicle Maintenance Supervisor
Pocono Mountain School District, Pa.
Paul LaBanca
Mechanic
Elsberry School District, Mo.
Chris LaMott
Bus Technician
Hamilton Southeastern School, Ind.
Tony Lavezzo
Fleet Supervisor
Tahoe Truckee Unified School District, Calif.
BJ Lucky
Shop Foreman
Berrien County Board of Education, Ga.
Mary Mabb
Shared Transportation Director
Capital Region BOCES, N.Y.
Jason Maloney
Roseland Yard Head Mechanic
West County Transportation Agency, Calif.
Joe Marlow
Lead Mechanic
McCreary County School District, Ky.
Damon Mastroianni
Mechanic
Beachwood City Schools, Ohio
Edward Meindersee
Lead Mechanic
Pittsburg Unified School District, Calif.
Brent Miller
Lead Mechanic
Linn Mar Community Schools, Iowa
John Miller
Senior Maintenance Manager
First Student, Wichita, Kan.
Scott Miller
Head Mechanic
Brockport Central School District, N.Y.
Daniel Moreno
Shop Manager
Storer Transportation at Palmdale School District, Calif.
Hank Nieland
Lead Mechanic
Koch School Bus Services, Inc., Minn.
David Ochoa
Head Mechanic
Morgan County School District, Colo.
Mike Ocque
Head Mechanic
Lyons Central School, N.Y.
Michael Oyler
Bus Mechanic
Russellville Independent School, Ky.
Scott Pauley
Mechanic
Kanawha County Schools, W.Va.
Juan Carlos Pena
Head Mechanic
Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District, Texas
Jon Perkins
Head Mechanic
Grandview C-4 School District, Mo.
David Poole
Lead Tech
Durham School Services at USD 203 Piper School District, Kan.
William (JR) Rice
Lead Mechanic
Reynolds School District #7, Ore.
Michael Rife
Mechanic
Lakewood Local School District, Ohio
JR Roadlander
Lead Mechanic
Edkey Inc. Sequoia Charter School, Ariz.
Alejandro Rodriguez
Vehicle Maintenance Coordinator
Fremont Unified Transportation, Calif.
Richard Rodriguez
Maintenance Technician
Hays CISD, Texas
Jerry Rutherford
Lead Mechanic
Adams 12 Five Star Schools, Colo.
Billy Sampson
Mechanic
Kingston K-14, Mo.
Mike Schreiner
Shop Supervisor
Apple Valley Unified School District, Calif.
Blaine Schultz
Lead mechanic
Dickson County Schools, Tenn.
Mitch Scott
Shop Foreman
Montgomery Bus Lines, Ontario
Nick Scott
Fleet Manager
Salem Keizer Public Schools, Ore.
Kevin Scully
Maintenance Technician
Durham School Services, Milford, Conn.
Steve Sealock
Shop Foreman
Prince William County, Va.
Jackie Seaton
Bus Manager and Mechanic.
Greeneville City Schools, Tenn.
Ernie Servin
Mechanic
Sahuarita Unified School District #30, Ariz.
Casey Smith
Shop & Fleet Supervisor
Sheridan School District, Ark.
Mark Smith
Lead Technician
East Allen County Schools, Ind.
Walt Songer
Technician
First Student #11419 Coffeyville, Kan.
Shop Staff
Mechanics/Technicians
Salem-Keizer Public School District 24J, Ore.
John Stamm
Mechanic
St. Lucie County School District, Fla.
Ryan Texer
Fleet Manager
Adams 12 Five Star Schools, Colo.
Brian Timberlake
Head Machanic
Jackson R2 School District, Mo.
Dick Wagoner
Lead Technician
Academy District 20, Colo.
Darryel Watcheetechee
Garage Mechanic
Flagstaff Unified School District, Ariz.
Andy Way
ASC mechanic
Aledo ISD, Texas
Daniel Webb
Shop Foreman
Austin ISD, Texas
Patrick West
Area Maintenance Manager
Durham School Services
Etherean Williams
Shop Foreman
Gainesville City Schools, Ga.
Bradley Wilmoth
Senior Equipment Mechanic
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, N.C.
Richard Woodmansee
Shop Forman
St. Lucie County School District, Fla.
Bobby Yanez
Shop Foreman
Hays CISD, Texas
Ray Yardley
Head Mechanic
New Haven Unified School District, Calif.
Christopher Zammett
Automotive Mechanic
Montgomery County Public Schools, Md.
James Zurbola
Head Mechanic
Cuyahoga Heights Local Schools, Ohio
