Year: 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TechForce Announces 2020 FutureTechs Rock
Grand Prize Winner – Griffin Howland

Nine transportation technician students recognized for outstanding
contributions as role models at school and in their communities.

April 14, 2020 – SCOTTSDALE, AZ — TechForce Foundation announces the 2020 FutureTechs Rock Awards Grand Prize Winner is Griffin Howland, a senior in high school attending Pickens County Career and Technology College, in Liberty, SC. As a nonprofit dedicated to helping student techs achieve their professional dreams, TechForce created this prestigious award to honor our student community and recognize those who have a promising future and will shape the transportation industry. To learn more about the 2020 FutureTechs Rock Awards, please visit: www.TechForce.org/FutureTechsRock.

Griffin’s nominator stated, “Griffin is extremely motivated to be the best at every task that is put in front of him. Griffin also has great soft skills and character traits that allow him to remain calm and focused even during adversity. I truly believe that it is the sum total of these skills and traits that will propel him into a bright future. He is already proficient in SMAW, GTAW, GMAW, and FCAW welding processes with multiple materials, as well as OSHA 10 Certified. His drive and motivation is unmatched and is evidenced by his commitment to school even when school has been cancelled. Griffin is constantly trying to polish his skills outside of the classroom through various welding projects.”

Griffin’s achievements include representing his school’s welding program at the state SkillsUSA welding competition, finishing 4th out of 260 at the Tulsa Welding Competition in Jacksonville, FL, exemplary attendance (he even attends optional trainings on his days off) and being named his school’s Welding Student of the Year in 2019. Griffin is also an active leader in the school’s marching band, and a member of the All-Region Band and Beta Club.

According to Griffin, “I enjoy accomplishing something that I can see the real world implications of. It’s not like a math problem where the solution is all in your head or on paper. I enjoy welding as more than just work.”

During the People’s Choice voting period (April 6-10), TechForce followers cast thousands of votes among 9 national finalists who were selected from more than 125 nominees by a panel of expert judges. This year’s nominees represented approximately 57 unique schools (30 unique post-secondary programs, 27 high schools).

Griffin secured the largest number of votes and has been named the Grand Prize Winner, earning his choice of a $1,000 TechForce Foundation tuition scholarship, or prizes from TechForce sponsors including specialty tools from AutoZone, an online Haynes Manual and an iPad Air from Ford Motor Company.

Upon learning he won the national award, Griffin exclaimed, “This is great! This scholarship will help with the cost of school. I’m looking forward to tech school and learning underwater welding.”

The 2020 finalists each represented a distinct technical education discipline. The Awards Finalists included:

• Automotive – Meng Yang, Long Beach City College.
• Aviation – Damen Martin, Upper Bucks County Technical School.
• Collision Repair – Samantha Welch, GST BOCES Cooper Campus.
• Diesel Off-Road – Danny Gonzalez, Salina Area Technical College.
• Diesel On-Road – Christian Hill, University of Northwestern Ohio.
• Motorcycle & ATV – Nicholas DiBartolo, Motorcycle Mechanics Institute.
• Motorsports – Franklin Forman, University of Northwester Ohio.
• Restoration – Kassidy Nixon, Central Carolina Community College.

The FutureTechs Rock Awards are part of TechForce Foundation’s workforce development initiative to help inspire and support tomorrow’s workforce of technicians. The initiative is sponsored by industry partners, including Advance Auto Parts, AutoZone, CarMax, FedEx Freight, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz USA, Nissan North America, Penske Truck Leasing, Shell Pennzoil, Snap-on, Toyota USA Foundation, Universal Technical Institute and WD-40.

About TechForce Foundation

TechForce Foundation is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) with the mission to champion students to and through their technical education and into careers as professional transportation technicians. The Foundation distributes more than $1.5 million in scholarships and grants annually, thanks to its generous corporate sponsors and donors. Also, it spearheads an industry-wide initiative to help encourage and support more young people to pursue the vehicle technician profession. Learn more at www.techforce.org   Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Photos of Griffin: https://adobe.ly/2RSQzo3

Media Contact

Mike Pressendo, mpressendo@techforce.og, 602-363-8861

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TechForce Foundation Announces 2020 Finalists and Opens Public Grand Prize Vote

NINE TRANSPORTATION TECHNICIAN STUDENTS RECOGNIZED FOR OUTSTANDING
CONTRIBUTIONS AS ROLE MODELS AT SCHOOL AND IN THEIR COMMUNITIES

April 7, 2020 – SCOTTSDALE, AZ — TechForce Foundation announces the finalists for the 2020 FutureTechs Rock Awards and opens the Grand Prize public vote. As a nonprofit dedicated to helping student techs achieve their professional dreams, TechForce created this prestigious award to honor our student community and recognize those who have a promising future and will shape the transportation industry. Meet the finalists and vote for the Grand Prize Winner at: TechForce.org/Vote. Voting is open through 4PM PDT, April 10, 2020.

Finalists were selected from eligible nominations by industry expert judges. Each will receive an AutoZone gift card, Duralast tool set, online subscription to Haynes Manuals, Ford Professional tools and ASE study guides from Cengage Learning. One finalist will be chosen as Grand Prize Winner by public vote and will receive additional prizes including $1,000 TechForce Scholarship and an iPad Air from Ford Motor Company.

The 2020 finalists each represent a distinct technical education discipline. The Awards finalists include:

• Automotive – Meng Yang, Long Beach City College. Meng was raised in foster care, and now mentors students entering college from both the foster care and criminal justice systems. He is pursuing a dual major and has earned academic accolades including recognition from his school’s Board of Trustees.
• Aviation – Damen Martin, Upper Bucks County Technical School. Flying and working on planes are Damen’s main passions. He is driven to learn everything he can about engines, even once going so far as to buy an engine block from a scrap yard just to take it apart and put it back together again.
• Collision Repair – Samantha Welch, GST BOCES Cooper Campus. Samantha was recently selected as the Collision Repair Education Foundation’s student of the year. She is a member of the National Technical Honor Society and volunteers with her campus’s student government. She also won first place overall in a recent regional SkillsUSA competition, and placed in the National Competition.
• Diesel Off-Road – Danny Gonzalez, Salina Area Technical College. Danny’s nomination praised his determination and resilience. Danny was once faced with rebuilding an international, out of production tractor engine. With no manual to go off of, he contacted shops across the country to source the right parts and accomplish what many considered a near impossible task.
• Diesel On-Road – Christian Hill, University of Northwestern Ohio. Christian earned a Class A CDL at age 19 so he could better serve the customers in the shop where he works. He has used the CDL to test his work, pick up customer equipment, and even haul loads get a better idea of what truck drivers experience. He is now helping his team, many of them older than Christian, earn CDLs of their own.
• Motorcycle & ATV – Nicholas DiBartolo, Motorcycle Mechanics Institute. Nicholas has restored, repaired and revived a number of vehicles. He dreams of owning a mobile motorcycle repair business to bring his skills and passion to others.
• Motorsports – Franklin Forman, University of Northwester Ohio. Franklin earned an Associate’s Degree with honors in Automotive and High Performance Technology, and is now pursuing a Bachelor’s in Automotive Technology Supervision. Franklin took first place in his Local, Regional and State SkillsUSA competitions, and placed third at the National Competition.
• Restoration – Kassidy Nixon, Central Carolina Community College. Kassidy is a straight-A student who will earn both her high school and Automotive Restoration diploma later this year. She plans to turn her passion for restoration into a career as a technician, with a goal to ultimately own her own custom shop to share her passion for classic vehicles to the next generation.
• Welding & CNC – Griffin Howland, Pickens County Career and Technology College. As a senior in high school Griffin is proficient in SMAW, GTAW, GMAW, and FCAW welding processes with multiple materials, as well as OSHA 10 Certified. His drive and motivation is unmatched and is evidenced by his constantly trying to polish his skills outside of the classroom through various welding projects.

The FutureTechs Rock Awards are part of TechForce Foundation’s workforce development initiative to help inspire and support tomorrow’s workforce of technicians. The initiative is sponsored by industry partners, including Advance Auto Parts, AutoZone, CarMax, FedEx Freight, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz USA, Nissan North America, Penske Truck Leasing, Shell Pennzoil, Snap-on, Toyota USA Foundation, Universal Technical Institute and WD-40.

About TechForce Foundation
TechForce Foundation is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) with the mission to champion students to and through their technical education and into careers as professional transportation technicians. The Foundation distributes more than $1.5 million in scholarships and grants annually, thanks to its generous corporate sponsors and donors, and spearheads an industry-wide initiative to help encourage and support more young people to pursue the vehicle technician profession. Learn more at www.techforce.org

Media Contact
Mike Pressendo, mpressendo@techforce.og, 602-363-8861

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TechForce still operating at 100%.
Student needs expected to spike.

Dear students, TechForce partners and supporters,

We know coronavirus (COVID-19) is top of mind for everyone, as it is for all of us at TechForce Foundation. At this critical time, it is even more important for TechForce to remain dedicated and focused on our mission to support students training for transportation careers. For everyone’s continued safety, our staff has transitioned to work from home with no disruption to operations. We will continue to support students with scholarships and grants, and strengthen our infrastructure dedicated to driving the future workforce. We have canceled our hands-on mobile STEM Career Center outreach events until further notice.

Student needs are already spiking, especially as schools close and/or move to online learning, and job reductions are occurring. We anticipate increased demand for our emergency support. Annually we support hundreds of students with grants that help with food, rent, transportation and other critical needs. We expect demand to more than double in light of current events.

If you are fortunate to be in a position to help support these students, please consider a donation to TechForce. Click here to learn more>>

In these trying times, we feel it is still important to keep some positive news flowing. Because our Future Techs Rock campaign is 100% virtual, we plan to continue celebrating student techs with this campaign. We can all use a little positivity right now, and these awards are more important to students than ever before.

The transportation industry is extremely critical now as our hard-working friends work overtime to keep the equipment up and running to deliver food and medical supplies that keep us healthy and safe. The government has now recognized technicians as Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers. hey don’t have the luxury of working from home, so please join us in thanking them and supporting them wherever we can.

We will get through this together. Though things may be different when this crisis passes, students will eventually be able to return to school and America will continue rolling forward. With the support of our generous corporate and individual supporters TechForce will continue to be here for students, educators and employers in the transportation profession.

Stay safe, be kind, and wash your hands.

TechForce Foundation Announces 2020 FutureTechs Rock Awards

TEN TRANSPORTATION TECHNICIAN STUDENTS TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR OUTSTANDING
CONTRIBUTIONS AS ROLE MODELS AT SCHOOL AND IN THEIR COMMUNITIES

March 10, 2020 – SCOTTSDALE, AZ — TechForce Foundation’s annual FutureTechs Rock Awards season has begun, and now’s the chance to nominate an up-and-coming student tech! As a nonprofit dedicated to helping student techs achieve their professional dreams, TechForce created this prestigious award to honor our student community and recognize those who have a promising future and will shape the transportation industry. Nominate a FutureTech at: TechForce.org/FutureTechsRock. Nominations are open through 4PM PDT, March 24, 2020.

There will be a finalist for each of the ten transportation categories (including automotive, diesel, collision, etc.), and one of those category finalists will become the People’s Choice Grand Prize winner.

This year’s prizes include:

– Each category finalist, selected by a panel of industry experts, will receive an AutoZone gift card, Duralast tool set, online subscription to Haynes Manuals, Ford Professional tools and ASE study guides from Cengage Learning.

– The grand prize winner, chosen by popular vote, will have the option to choose between a $1,000 TechForce Foundation Scholarship and other great prizes, including an iPad Air from Ford Motor Company!

April 6-10, 2020 is the People’s Choice voting period, when the public will cast their votes (more than 25,000 votes last year) among ten national finalists. Meet last year’s winners here.

Upon learning he won the 2019 People’s Choice Grand Prize, Jonathon Miranda exclaimed, “This is awesome! Just being nominated means so much to me. This experience encourages me to do my best. It’s a great feeling to know that other people recognize my hard work.”

The FutureTechs Rock Awards are part of TechForce Foundation’s workforce development initiative to help inspire and support tomorrow’s workforce of technicians. The initiative is sponsored by industry partners, including Advance Auto Parts, AutoZone, CarMax, FedEx Freight, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz USA, Nissan North America, Penske Truck Leasing, Shell Pennzoil, Snap-on, Toyota USA Foundation, Universal Technical Institute and WD-40.

About TechForce Foundation
TechForce Foundation is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) with the mission to champion students to and through their technical education and into careers as professional transportation technicians. The Foundation distributes more than $1.5 million in scholarships and grants annually, thanks to its generous corporate sponsors and donors, and spearheads an industry-wide initiative to help encourage and support more young people to pursue the vehicle technician profession. For more information, visit www.techforce.org. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Linkedin.

Media Contacts:
Mike Pressendo, mpressendo@techforce.org, 602-363-8861

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NEWS RELEASE

RPM Foundation to Honor
Indy Car Racer Lyn St. James with
2019 Mentor of the Year Award

CHICAGO, Ill. — January 15, 2020 — Former Indy Car racer Lyn St. James will be honored on January 18, 2020 with the third annual RPM Foundation Mentor of the Year award, during a joint celebration with TechForce Foundation.

RPM – a part of America’s Automotive Trust – is a national non-profit organization that seeks to identify and support the interests and training of those who have a passion for the restoration of classic automobiles. Through the organization’s guidance and network of educational and industry partnerships, young people with such interests are directed toward formal training and mentorships that will propel them to rewarding careers in the collector car world.

A long-time RPM ambassador and mentor, St. James is being honored as an individual who exemplifies the ideals of the organization by providing advice and encouragement to young enthusiasts. Among her many professional accomplishments, St. James has 11 CART and five Indy Racing League starts to her name and is one of only nine women who have qualified for the Indianapolis 500. She was also the first woman to win the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year award and was named by Sports Illustrated as one of its “Top 100 Women Athletes of the Century.”

“Lyn epitomizes what RPM and America’s Automotive Trust are all about,” said CEO Jennifer Maher. “Her dedication to our mission of preserving America’s car culture really resounds with the young people she mentors, and her enthusiasm has an indelible effect on those she works with. She’s an incredible inspiration – especially to young women in what has traditionally been a male-dominated profession – and we couldn’t be more proud to have her on our team.”

Past recipients of the RPM Mentor of the Year award include President and CEO of the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association Tony Parella and NASA astronaut Andrew Feustel.

The award ceremony will take place during a celebration at the Hyatt Gainey Ranch in Scottsdale, Arizona, hosted by America’s Automotive Trust and its partnering organizations, RPM Foundation, TechForce Foundation and LeMay-America’s Car Museum.

About The RPM Foundation (rpm.foundation)
RPM Foundation supports training and supporting the next generation of restoration and preservation craftsmen specializing in automotive, motorcycle and marine. RPM Foundation works to ensure that the critical skills necessary to preserve and restore collector vehicles are not lost by providing scholarships, grants and educational experiences to students and organizations committed to hands-on training of the trades. RPM Foundation is supporting organization of America’s Automotive Trust.

About America’s Automotive Trust (www.aat.org)
America’s Automotive Trust (AAT), headquartered in Tacoma, Washington, is a not-for-profit corporation that seeks to secure America’s automotive heritage and to transfer the skills and knowledge necessary for the future of collector vehicles and the enthusiast community for generations to come. AAT is made up of four founding members: LeMay – America’s Car Museum, the RPM Foundation, Club Auto and the Concours Club.

About TechForce Foundation (www.techforce.org)
TechForce Foundation is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) with the mission to champion students to and through their technical education and into careers as professional technicians. TechForce awards more than $2.0 million in scholarships and grants annually, thanks to its generous corporate sponsors and donors. It also spearheads an industry-wide initiative to encourage and support more young people to pursue the vehicle technician profession. For more information, visit www.techforce.org.

Contact:
AAT/ACM/RPM – Mike Bush (253) 779-8490 mike.bush@aat.org
TechForce – Mike Pressendo (602) 363-8861 mpressendo@techforce.org

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Meet the Fall 2019 recipients of the
Brienne Davis Memorial Scholarship

Scottsdale, Ariz – January 14, 2020 – NASCAR Technical Institute students Genna Dalrymple and Empriss Garrett have been named as the Fall/Winter 2019 recipients of TechForce Foundation’s Brienne Davis Memorial Scholarship. Awarded in memory of NASCAR official Brienne Davis, this $10,000 scholarship supports female students with financial need and a passion for the industry.

About Genna Dalrymple (NASCAR Technical Institute)

Described by a Dean of Students as “remarkable” and possessing great “grace and maturity,” Genna is looking for a career where she can be independent, competent, and professional, and help her family and friends. Combine this with a lifetime of family get-togethers where NASCAR races were “prioritized over homemade mashed potatoes” and it’s not surprising to find her at NASCAR Technical Institute where she’s currently taking Automotive Technology with NASCAR Engines I & II.

In her own words: “I can appreciate the team and effort that it takes to get the car on the track, as well as the individual’s control of the car under such extreme conditions. I also think the history of NASCAR is captivating, how it has evolved to make it what it is today.”

About Empriss Garrett (UTI-Long Beach/ NASCAR Technical Institute)

Like Genna, Empriss, too, comes from a ‘car family’. She says, “My grandfather worked for GM for 25 years, and I remember all the exciting stories my mother told me about him. He modified different cars that he received from the GM factory. I would fantasize about how the cars would run and look. When I was 16 yrs. old and looking for my first car, my mother encouraged me to pick a car that I could modify and race. I thought she was joking, but she wasn’t! She was opening the door to a life-changing moment. I would say that was when I began this love affair with cars.”Having completed her Automotive Technology core program at UTI-Long Beach, Empriss has relocated across the country to complete her training with the NASCAR elective/Pit Crew.

In her own words: “My dream career is to be the top-ranked female race car driver in NASCAR, FORMULA 1 Competitions, and NHRA industry. I’m passionate about cars, which is why I decided to attend UTI. I’ve always planned to attend the NASCAR Program, but after completing all of my classes, I’m for sure that is what I was born to do.”

“My goal is to have my own all-female race team and I want to help develop strong entrepreneurial leaders within the industry. I want to lead by example and show women we can be successful in a male dominated industry. Being that I was the only female in my (core program) graduating class, I’m setting new standards of what women can achieve and we are breaking new grounds every day. If one woman sees my journey and is inspired I feel as though I am fulfilling my personal mission.”

For information on TechForce Foundation’s scholarships, visit techforce.org/scholarships.