Earlier this year, School Transportation News called for nominations of outstanding fleet management professionals as candidates to be profiled in the August fleet management magazine edition.
STN received over 160 entries from school districts, private bus companies, school bus dealers, and vendors.
Ten of these individuals are featured in the 7th annual installment of Garage Stars, to be published in the August edition of School Transportation News magazine. The editors used the following 10-point criteria to determine the finalists.
- Community involvement
- Credentials
- Industry development
- Leadership
- Level of responsibility (with a focus on supervision)
- Life experience
- Time spent on the job
- Training capability
- Regulatory agency commendations
- Value to the transportation program
Below is the full list of nominees:
Humberto Aguayo, Maintenance Supervisor
Durham School Services, Illinois
Charles Alford, Lead Auto/Diesel Technician
Gwinnett County Public Schools, Georgia
Mark Alford, Heavy Duty Mechanic
Cajon Valley Union School District, California
Brian Allison, Head Mechanic
L’Anse Creuse Public Schools, Michigan
Jane Anastasi, Transportation Supervisor
Pocantico Hills Central School District, New York
Shawn Anderson, Bus Mechanic
Knox Community School Corporation, Tennessee
Ramon Aranda, Fleet Mechanic/Shop Foreman
Natalia Independent School District, Texas
Glenn Bailey, Lead Technician
Dallas Independent School District, Texas
Randall Ball, Shop Manager
Student Transportation of America, New York
Bill Barut, Lead Mechanic
Greece Central School District, New York
Brian Batson, Lead Foreman
Cherokee County School District, Georgia
Travis Bean, Bus Mechanic
Carroll Consolidated School Corporation, Indiana
James (Jim) Beasley, Bethesda Depot Manager
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
Tom Belcher, District Fleet Head
Dublin City Schools, Ohio
Brian Berg, Mechanic/Bus Driver
Nay-Ah-Shing School District, Minnesota
Scott Berry, Maintenance Technician
Sparksman Transportation Ltd., Alberta
Riley Binz, Automotive Diesel Mechanic
Pinellas County School Board, Florida
Ronna Blocker, Director of Transportation
Seaman USD 345, Kansas
Pat Boone, Supervisor of Transportation
Ritchie County Board of Education, West Virginia
Bryan Bowman, Bus Garage Manager
Greene County Schools, Tennessee
Glenn Brayman, Fleet Maintenance Manager
First Student, Massachusetts
Charles Briggs, Head Mechanic/Shop Foreman
South Jefferson Central School District, New York
Justin Brown, Fleet Maintenance Coordinator
Washoe County School District, Nevada
Emil Brunazzi, Head Mechanic
Deer Lakes School District, Pennsylvania
Jack Bryan, District Vehicle & Maintenance Mechanic
Mt. Lebanon School District, Pennsylvania
Buddy Bryer, Fleet Mechanic III
Montgomery Independent School District, Texas
Blaine Burckhard, Fleet Technician
Minot Public schools, North Dakota
Gary Butler, Shop Supervisor
GG&C Bus Company, Pennsylvania
Thomas Byma, Head Mechanic
Central Valley Christian School, California
Ricky Carroll, Shop Foreman & Assistant Transportation Director
Banks County High School, Georgia
Luke Casella, Supervisor
Weatherly Area School District/Rohrer Bus, Pennsylvania
Ray Coburn, Mechanic
Apple Valley Unified School District, California
Don Corgiat, Lead Equipment Mechanic
Modesto City Schools, California
Derek Crawford, Mechanic
Rudyard Area Schools, Michigan
Matthew Curley, Mechanic II
Pinon Unified School District No. 4, Arizona
Melissa Daniel, TIMS Coordinator
Pender County Schools, North Carolina
Andrew DeBolt, Lead Equipment Mechanic
San Jose Unified School District, California
Rob Deeran, Shop Supervisor
Round Valley Unified School District #10, California
Ernesto Deras, Director of Transportation
Royal School District, Washington
Ricardo Diaz, Substitute Mechanic
Centralia Elementary School District, California
Donnie Dobrenz, Lead Bus Mechanic/Shop Forman
Sheridan County School District #2, Wyoming
Gary Donahue, Lead Technician
Sarasota County Public Schools, Florida
Ken Doss, Lead Mechanic
Cave Creek Unified School District #93, Arizona
Chad Eaton, Fleet Manager
Eagle County School District, Colorado
Rodney Ebnet, Transportation Director
Holdingford Pubic Schools, Minnesota
Donald Fleck, Supervisor of Fleet Maintenance
Harford County Public Schools, Maryland
Bernard Floyd, Route Specialist
Baldwin County Public Schools, Alabama
Mike Fortner, Lead Technician
Tristar Transportation Company, Ohio
Evandro Fracasso, Mechanic
School District of Osceola County, Florida
Troy Fregine, Director of Maintenance
Beacon Mobility/Midwest Region
Jamie Fritz, Head of Maintenance/Transportation
West Central School Corporation, Indiana
William Frizell, Supervisor for Vehicle Maintenance
Mesa Public Schools, Arizona
Jedidiah Gabriel, Lead Technician
First Student, New York
Jim Gammuac, Shop Tech
Southland Transportation, Canada
Brent Gimlin, Lead mechanic
White Salmon Valley School District, Washington
David Goff, Head Mechanic
Thomas County Schools, Georgia
Roberto Gonzalez, Lead Mechanic
Matthews Bus Alliance Inc., Florida
John Goodson, Shop Foreman
Pender County Schools, North Carolina
Jeremy Greene, Lead Mechanic
Stewart County School System, Tennessee
Rex Grzelax, Bus Mechanic
Oconto Falls Public Schools, Wisconsin
Daniel Gunkel, Lead Mechanic
Eagle Point School District 9, Oregon
Stewart Haines, Parts Specialist Lead
Douglas County School District, Colorado
John Hallman, Certified Mechanic
Arab City Schools, Alabama
Robert Hawkins, Lead Mechanic
White County Schools, Tennessee
Dusty Hebert, Lead Technician
Cumberland County Schools, North Carolina
Richard Hella, Lead Mechanic
Bloomfield Hills School District, Michigan
Robert Hill, Head Mechanic/Transportation Supervisor
North Warren Central School, New York
Craig Hodgdon, Multi-Site Maintenance Manager
First Student, New Hampshire
Victoria Hope, District Transportation Director
Cassia County Joint School District #151, Idaho
Dave Howard, Lead Technician
East County Transportation Co-op, Washington
Cheri Huefner, Office Manager
Muccio Transportation, Pennsylvania
Hannah Hunt, Bus Technician
New Albany Floyd County Schools, Indiana
Ron Hyatt, Lead Mechanic/Bus Inspector
Pineville Independent Schools, Kentucky
Daniel Jefferson, Supervisor of Mechanics
Prince Edward County Public Schools, Virginia
Joe Jimenez, Fleet Coordinator
Hays Consolidated Independent School District, Texas
Travis Keene, Equipment Mechanic
Douglas County School District, Colorado
Glenn Kelley, Shop Foreman
Sonora Union High School District, California
Kelly Kephart, School Bus Driver/Mechanics Helper
Newark Valley Central Schools, New York
Chris Kocur, Fleet Maintenance Manager
Morris-Union Jointure Commission, New Jersey
John Koen, Fleet Maintenance Supervisory
Peabody Public Schools, Massachusetts
Karn Krainarong, Heavy Duty Mechanic
Castro Valley Unified School District, California
Seth Krampota, Technician Supervisor
Santa Fe Independent School District, Texas
Kyle Lawrence, Equipment Technician
Oakdale Joint Unified School District, California
Kenny Lewis, Head Mechanic
Liberty County School Systems, Georgia
Rick Libby, Bus Mechanic
School Administrative District #59, Maine
Osvaldo Lopez, Mechanic
Bryan Independent School District, Texas
BJ Lucky, Shop Foreman
Berrien County School District, Georgia
Ray Lynch, Mechanic
Flagler County School District, Florida
Fernando Magana, Maintenance Supervisor
Durham School Services, Illinois
Jason Maloney, School Bus Mechanic
West County Transportation Agency, California
Raymond Manalo, Vehicle Technician Manager
Twin Rivers Unified School District, California
Danny Martin, Fleet Manager
Broken Arrow Public Schools, Oklahoma
Jim Martin, Shop Supervisor
Langs Bus Lines, Ontario
Clay Mathews, Head Mechanic
Park County School District #6, Wyoming
John Maxwell, Mechanic
Dallas Independent School District, Texas
Randy McCardle, Coordinator of Vehicle Maintenance
Ohio County Schools, Kentucky
Bill McClaran, Lead Mechanic
Medford Township Public Schools, New Jersey
Joseph McCready, Lead Mechanic
Southland Transportation, Canada
Robert McMullen, Transportation Director/Maintenance Director
USD 374-Sublette Schools, Kansas
Dan Meagher, Director of Maintenance
Beacon Mobility/Northeast Region
Eudy Medina, Shop Mechanic
Gainesville City Schools, Georgia
Edward Meindersee, Lead Mechanic
Pittsburg Unified School District, California
Matt Mercuri, Bus Mechanic
Centerville City Schools, Ohio
William Miller, Lead Mechanic
Yosemite Unified School District, California
Jorge Miranda, Mechanic 1
Coachella Valley Unified School District, California
Cole Moody, Bus Shop Technician
Greenville County Schools, South Carolina
Walter Moore, Lead Technician
DATTCO/Manchester Schools, Connecticut
Daniel Moreno, Shop Manager
Storer Transportation, California
Frank Naelitz, Supervisor of Technical Assistance Support
First Student, Ohio
John Nikolich, Maintenance Supervisor
National Express/Durham School Services, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Byron Noble, Bus Mechanic Supervisor
Rochester City School District, New York
Phillip O’Neal, Lead Mechanic
Silsbee Independent School District, Texas
Dustin Pagel, Transportation Director
Dover-Eyota Pubic Schools, Minnesota
Fidel Palau, Mechanic
Leesel Transportation, Bronx, New York
Rudy Payne, Shop Foreman East Shop
Cherry Creek School District, Colorado
Kole Pearson, Lead Mechanic
Estacada School District, Oregon
Jon Perkins, Head Mechanic
Grandview C4 School District, Missouri
Tim Poer, Director of Transportation
Jennings County School Corporation, Indiana
Harold Potter, Shop Mechanic
Midland Independent School District, Texas
Chuck Prins, Mechanic
Saranac Community Schools/Michigan Educational Transportation Services
Thomas Ramirez, Fleet Manager
Clifton Board of Education, New Jersey
Mike Ray, Shop Foreman
Sumner County Schools, Tenn.
Wilmer Reed, Lead Mechanic
Sanger Unified School District, California
William Renninger, Owner
Renninger Busing/Minersville Area School District, Pennsylvania
Troy Richardson, Technician
I-State Truck Center
Jeffery Riggle, Bus Mechanic/Auto Mechanics Teacher
Western Wayne Schools, Indiana
Jim Rodosta, Mechanic
Melissa Independent School District, Texas
Tim Romine, Lead Mechanic
Orcutt Union School District, California
Donnie Ross, Bus Mechanic
Dublin City Schools, Ohio
Steve Rudd, Head Mechanic
Washington County School District, Utah
Jorge Ruiz, School Bus Mechanic
Miller Creek Elementary School District, California
Levi Rutgers, Shop Forman
Alamosa School District, Colorado
Mike Sagner, Shop Manager
Tumbleweed Transportation
Rick Sanchez, Lead Mechanic
Bellflower Unified School District, California
Andrew Scharder, Head Mechanic
Malone Central School District, New York
Mary Seigler, Transportation Department Administrative Assistant
Pender County School, North Carolina
Kenneth Shrum, Mechanic
Lebanon Special School District, Tennessee
Robert Singleton, Bus Technician
Monroe County Schools, Georgia
Kevin Smith, Mechanic
Fort Smith Public Schools, Arkansas
Donald Spring, Tech in Charge
Kingston City Schools, New York/First Student
John Stevenson, Supervisor of Bus Maintenance
Grossmont Union High School District, California
Larry Sullivan, Mechanic Supervisor
Midland Schools, California
Charles Swidrak, Shop Foreman
Fauquier County Public Schools, Virginia
Randy Swift, Lead Mechanic
La Conner School District, Washington
John Syers, Head Mechanic
Wayland Union Schools, Michigan
Jarrett Tarver, Lead Mechanic
Little Cypress- Mauiceville Consolidated Independent School District, Texas
Keith Taylor, School Bus Mechanic
Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District, Texas
Trad Teddick, Shop Manager
All-Star Transportation
Joe Terpstra, Mechanic Area Director
Klein Independent School District, Texas
Miguel Trujillo, Lead Mechanic
San Marcos Unified School, California
Shane Twining, Transportation Supervisor
Dalton Local Schools, Ohio
Maintenance Transportation Team
Visalia Unified School District, California
Skyler Usimaki, Fleet Manager
Tomball Independent School District, Texas
Tyler Vick, Shop Manager
First Student
Dean Vrba, Bus Mechanic
Turkey Valley Community School, Iowa
Richard Wager, Head Mechanic
Berlin Central School District, New York
Mike Warner, Associate Director of Fleet Maintenance
Cobb County School District, Georgia
Cameron Wellman, Bus Mechanic Helper
Dublin City Schools, Ohio
William Wenzel, Mechanic
Leonard Bus – Oxford Academy & Central School, California
Jeff Wilson, Lead Shop Mechanic
Olander Bus Service
Robert Wolfe, Lead Mechanic
Grossmont Union High School District, California
Bruce Wood, Bus Shop Manager
Laurens County Schools, Georgia
Melissa Yarborough, Transportation /Property Cost Clerk & Driver Education Specialist
Pender County Schools, North Carolina
Monroe Yoder, Bus Technician/School Maintenance Person
Farwell Area Schools, Michigan
Michael Yu, Shop Lead
Southland Transportation Cochrane
