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 108 entries from school districts, private bus companies, school bus dealers and vendors.
Ten of these individuals are featured in this fourth-annual installment, using a 10-point criterion 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 (focus on supervision), and industry development.
However, below is the list of all nominees in alphabetical order, so they may be recognized and appreciated.
Visit stnonline.com/go/aug19 on Aug. 1 to read the profiles on the 10 finalists.
Garage Star Nominees
Clarence Adams
Bus Driver
Augusta County Public Schools, Va.
Alan Addison
Bus Garage Supervisor
Buchanan County Public Schools, Va.
Fred Albergottie
Automotive Technician
Chesapeake City Public Schools, Va.
Dale Anderson
Bus Mechanic
Village Christian School, Calif.
Roy Barger
Mechanic
Loveland City Schools, Ohio
Carin Bjorn
Safety Specialist
School District U-46 Transportation, Ill.
Ethan Bray
Bus Technician
School Board of Levy County, Fla.
James Brown
Head Mechanic
Hannibal School District #60, Mo.
Dave Burgess
Assistant Supervisor of Garage Operations
Prince George County Public Schools, Md.
Doug Bush
Lead Mechanic
Charlotte Public Schools, Mich.
Mike Cannon
Mechanic
Georgetown ISD, Texas
Tommy Carver
Mechanic
Spotsylvania County Schools, Va.
Clint Chandler
Lead Vehicle Maintenance Technician
Shasta County Office of Education, Calif.
Duane Chapman
Fleet Coordinator/Head Mechanic
Shawnee Heights USD 450, Kan.
LeeFred Charles
Master Fleet Technician
Atlanta Public Schools, Ga.
Chris Clark
Shop Manager
Genesee School District, N.Y.
Michael Coleman
Maintenance Manager
Punxsutawney Area School District (STA), Pa.
Gabriel Cortez
Maintenance Supervisor
Morongo Band of Mission Indians, Calif.
Mike Cross
Mechanic
Mineral Wells ISD, Texas
Adam Cupp
Lead Mechanic
Dean Transportation, Mich.
Michael Davis
Lead Mechanic/Shop Foreman
Fayetteville Public Schools, Ark.
Roger Davis
Mechanic/Driver
Siloam Springs Schools, Ark.
Jeff Day
Shop Manager
Cleburne ISD, Texas
Terry Dickey
Mechanical Supervisor
Santa Fe ISD, Texas
Gary Distad
Head Mechanic
Lewistown Public Schools, Mont.
Stan Draper
Bus Mechanic
MSD Washington Township, Ind.
Chad Eaton
Fleet Technician
Eagle County School District, Colo.
Todd Elfeld
Lead Technician
Aspen School District, Colo.
Ronald Farrar
Mechanic/Bus Driver
Monrovia Unified School District, Calif.
Jacob Fields
Route Specialist Team
Baldwin County Board of Education, Ala.
Bernard Floyd
Route Specialist Team
Baldwin County Board of Education, Ala.
Clayton Foster
Shop Supervisor Head Mechanic
Akita Enterprises, Ltd., Hawaii
Dan Franks
Lead Mechanic
B-J School Buses, Inc. S.D.
Timothy Gallegos
Fleet Foreman Supervisor
Denver Public Schools, Colo.
Debra Ganson
Bus Driver
Clatskanie School District 6J, Ore.
Joe Garaffa
Lead Mechanic
Shoreline School District 412, Wash.
Mario Garcia
Vehicle Maintenance Supervisor
Orange Unified School District, Calif.
George Gerard
Fleet Manager
Eagle County School District, Colo.
Philip Graves
Shop Manager
Lake Country Industries, Minn.
Baldino Gutierrez
Shop Forman
Southwest ISD Transportation, Texas
Pete Halas
Shop Coordinator
Pasco County School Board, Fla.
James Hart
Mechanic/Driver
Westfield Washington Schools, Ind.
Matt Hartley
Mechanic
Piqua City Schools, Ohio
Keith Hausman
Shop Manager
Collegeville (STA), Pa.
Chuck Hazen
Lead Mechanic
Washington Township, N.J.
Alex Hert
Mechanic
Southeast Island School District, Ark.
Joe Howser
Assistant Mechanic
Western Brown Local Schools, Ohio
Hannah Hunt
Fleet Technician
New Albany Floyd County Schools, Ind.
Joe Huster
Mechanic Supervisor
Mehlville School District, Mo.
Bobby Ikeda
Lead Mechanic
Monterey Peninsula Unified School District, Calif.
Michael Jaillet
Head Mechanic
Springdale Public Schools, Ark.
Jason Johnson
Diesel Mechanic
Pulaski County Special School District, Ark.
Leo Johnson
Vehicle Maintenance Technician
Chandler Unified School District, Ariz.
Stephen Kessler
Service Technician
Nelson’s Bus Service, Wis.
Sam Kirst
Lead Mechanic
Kenton County Schools, Ky.
Sandy Kunkle
School Bus Driver
Hood Canal Transportation, Wash.
Shane Lally
Technician in Charge
First Student
Charles Lamb
Mechanic / Sub Driver
Warsaw Community Schools, Ind.
Tony Lavezzo
Fleet manager
Tahoe Truckee Unified School District, Calif.
Mark Malone
Shop Foreman
Frederick County Public Schools, Va.
Richard Marble
Bus Driver
Whitesville Central School, N.Y.
Roy Margerum
Tech Specialist
Denver Public Schools, Colo.
Omar Massa
Department Mechanic
STGRSD, Mass.
Jonathan Mathis
Bus Foreman
Chester County School System, Tenn.
Michael McAvoy
Service Manager
Colonial School District (First Student), Pa.
Joe Meyer
Shop Manager/Technician
Dousman Transport Co., Inc., Wis.
Chris Miller
Mechanic
Saddle Mountain Unified School District #90, Ariz.
Doug Miller
Head Mechanic
Endwell CSD, Maine
Edgar Mora
Mechanic
Los Alamitos Unified School District, Calif.
Mark Mortine
Mechanic
Licking Heights Local Schools, Ohio
Frank Naelitz
Maintenance Manager
Ellyria/Euclid City Schools (First Student), Ohio
Gino Nava
Lead Mechanic
Othello School District 147, Wash.
Bruce Nicholas
Shop Manager
Portsmouth (STA), N.H.
Ron Niebolte
Shop Foreman
M & M Bus Service, Minn.
Larry Noble
Mechanic IV
Shasta Union High School District, Calif.
Martin Nunez
Chief Mechanic/Shop Foreman
Shawnee Public Schools, Okla.
Chris O’Meara
Mechanic
Katonah-Lewisboro School District, N.Y.
Bob Palmer
Lead Mechanic
Sisters School District #6, Ore.
Derrick Pope
Lead Tech
Jenks Public Schools, Okla.
David Rickard
Head Mechanic
Rotterdam-Mohonasen Central Schools, N.Y.
Robert Roberson
Shop Foreman
Toombs County Schools, Ga.
Luis Rodriguez
Lead Mechanic
Suffolk Transportation, Inc.
Robert Roth
Head Mechanic
Wadsworth City Schools, Ohio
Steve Ruggiero
Journey Diesel Mechanic
Glendale Elementary School District No. 40, Ariz.
Nicholas Sass
Head Mechanic (and only mechanic)
Cardinal Local & Newbury Local Schools, Ohio
Ken Scarlatta
Head Mechanic
Greenville Central School, N.Y.
Lisa Seals
Bus Driver
CDI Head Start Serving Harrison County, Miss.
Darald Shrider
Lead Vehicle Technician
Huron Valley Schools, Mich.
Mike Shuff
Lead Technician
BCSC Transportation, Ind.
Casey Smith
Fleet and Shop Supervisor
Sheridan School District, Ark.
Clay Smith
Assistant Director of Fleet
Marietta City Schools, Ga.
Russell Smith
Technician
Omaha (STA), Neb.
Jason Snell
Shop Manager
Columbia (STA), Mo.
Charlie Swidrak
Shop Foreman
Fauquier County Transportation, Va.
Billy Taylor
Fleet Manager
New Caney ISD, Texas
Charles Teter
Head Mechanic
Preston County Schools, W.V.
Keivonte Thomas
Technician I
Richmond City Public Schools, Va.
Dave Tisdale
Fleet Manager
Galveston ISD, Texas
James Trent
Automotive Technician
Chesapeake Public Schools, Va.
Miguel Trujillo
Garage Superstar
San Marcos Unified School District, Calif.
Jim Vanderwalker
Head Mechanic
All County Bus, N.Y.
David Walton
Supervisor of Vehicle Services
Prince William County Schools, Va.
Taylor Warner
Head Mechanic
Carl Junction Schools, Mo.
Daniel Webb
Transportation Assistant Shop Foreman
Austin Independent School District, Texas
Elaine Whittington
Route Specialist Team
Baldwin County Board of Education, Ala.
Richard Wiltermood
Garage Supervisor
MSD Washington Township, Ind.
Daniel Zamudio
Mechanic
Coalinga-Huron USD, Calif.
