VOL. 22 NO. 3
Fall 2008
NACAT NEWS
North American Council of Automotive Teachers
Executive Manager
DAN PERRIN
NACAT
PO Box 80010
Charleston, SC 29416
Phone and FAX 843-556-7068
Email: office@nacat.com
Mobile 843-830-1413
President 2007-2009
DARRELL DEETER
Saddleback Community College
28000 Marguerite Pwk.
Mission Viejo, CA 92692
E-mail: president@nacat.com
Phone: 949-582-4964
949-347-9004 FAX
Vice President –
President Elect 2007-2009
JEFF CURTIS
Bellingham Technical College
3028 Lindbergh Ave.
Bellingham, WA 98225-1599
E-mail: jeff.curtis@nacat.com
Phone:
360-752-8404
360-752-7202 FAX
Treasurer 2007-2009
JEFF PARKS
Tyler Junior College
1530 SSW Loop 323
Tyler, TX 75701
E-mail:
jeff.parks@nacat.com
Phone:
903-510-2153
Secretary 2008-2010
BEN HAGGEMAN
SAIT Polytechnic
1301 16th Avenue
Calgary, AB T2M OL4
E-mail:
Secetary@nacat.com
phone:
403-284-8320Office
WWW.NACAT.com
Delmar Cengage Learning Receives
2008 Friends of NACAT Award
This year, NACAT’s president,
Darrell Deeter, initiated a
presidential award titled the
―Friends of NACAT‖ award.
This annual award will go to
one of our industry partners or
friends who have shown they
have gone beyond the call to
support NACAT. The decision
for the award is based on the
simple principle that a ―friend
in need, is a friend indeed.‖
Deciding who should
receive the award was not an
easy one for Darrell, nor will it
be for future presidents.
NACAT has many reliable inR-Matt Thouin, Senior Project Manager, Dave Boelio, Senior dustry friends and to choose
Editor, accepting the Award for Delmar Cengage Learning
one is not an easy task.
The company that received the award this year has been a supporter of NACAT for over thirty
years. Delmar Cengage Learning’s support has come in many ways through
the years. Like other companies, this includes booth rental at our conferences.
Also, Delmar has sponsored a variety of conference events through the
years. Using this year as a sole example, Delmar sponsored the new members’
lunch and provided the beverages for the barbecue. A point to add to this is, a
few years ago when Jack presented to the board the idea of having a new members’ lunch he knew he needed a sponsor for the event. He went to Delmar,
and they agreed and have been doing it every year since.
In 2001, they did something for us that very few members knew about.
NACAT had taken the initiative to try to educate high school guidance counselors about careers in the automotive industry. That effort resulted in having
NACAT representatives at a national meeting of counselors. At that meeting,
our representatives maintained a booth and handed out a booklet about automotive careers.
Continued on page 8
Page 1
.
NACAT NEWS
Chairperson of the Board 2007-2010
JIM VOTH : 2007-2010
Red River College
M221-2055 Notre Dame Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3H 0J9
E-mail: jim.voth@nacat.com
Phone:
204-632-2296 Office
Board Members
THOMAS R. CONNORS: 2006-2009
Spokane Community College
1810 Greene Street M.S.2180
Spokane, WA 99217
E-mail: tom.connors@nacat.com
Phone:
509-533-7097 Office
509-533-8802 FAX
MATT CARPENTER: 2007-2010
SAIT Polytechnic
1301—16th Ave. N.W.
Calgary, Alberta Canada T2M OL4
E-mail:
matt.carpenter@nacat.com
Phone:
403-210-5619 Office
JIM HAUN: 2007-2010
Walla Walla Community College
500 Tausick Way
Walla Walla, WA 99362-9267
E-mail:
jim.haun@nacat.com
Phone:
509-527-4693
PATRICK BROWN-HARRISON:
2008-2011
SAIT Polytechnic
1301—16th Ave. N.W.
Calgary, Alberta Canada T2M OL4
E-mail: patrick.brown-harrison@nacat.com
Phone:
403-210-5619 Office
STANLEY MARTINEAU: 2006-2009
College of Eastern Utah
451 East 400 North
Price, UT 84501
E-mail:
stan.martineau@nacat.com
Phone;
435-613-5221 Office
435-613-5801 FAX
DON SYKORA: 2008-2011
Morton College
3801 Cicero South Central Ave.
Cicero, IL 60804-4398
E-mail: don.sykora@nacat.com
Phone
403-284-8209 Office
CHUCK TEDDER: 2008-2011
Applied technology Campus
874 Vocational Lane
Camden, SC 2902
E-mail: chuck.tedder@nacat.com
Phone:
803-425-8982 Office
From the President’s Desk
“Back in the Saddle Again…”
Yup, we’re all back in the saddle again as the tune sung by Gene Autry goes. Another summer
has slipped by and left only memories to denote the passage of time. Ahhh, but what a great
time was had by those of us fortunate enough to attend the NACAT Conference in Williamsport,
Pennsylvania. Congratulations to the folks at Pennsylvania College of Technology for a job well
done ... VERY well done!
How do you thank all the people who gave of their time, talent, and means? This applies not only
to those who put the conference on, but also to those who provided the seminars for no pay, and
to those who pack up and travel to our conference every year to display their materials during the
trade show and give so much to this organization EVERY YEAR, year after year after year?
Sure, I can say “thanks”, but that just didn’t seem good enough. This year NACAT instituted an
award, suitably titled “Friends of NACAT.” This is to be awarded annually to the businesses that
make it possible for us to do what we do every summer … to put on an annual conference that is
unique and internationally recognized at a price everyone can afford.
So how is it determined who receives this award? As Harry Truman said, “The Buck Stops Here”
for this is a President’s Award. My criteria are:
Must have been a NACAT supporter for many years
Must have participated in a significant number of conferences
Must have made a significant contribution to NACAT members in the form of awards or services above and beyond what is necessary to just sell their wares.
I can tell you from experience that choosing a recipient it isn’t easy. Nope, it isn’t easy at all.
There is more than one company that could lay claim to the award, but one company has stood
out. They have been an avid NACAT supporter for many years and have done many really fine
things for NACAT and its members. This year’s winner was Delmar - Cengage Learning. So
what have they done for NACAT and its members?
For thirty plus years, they have had a booth at our conference, plus many of those years
they have been a sponsor.
They consistently pay for advertisements in the NACAT News.
They have sponsored the New Members' Lunch since its inception.
They designated a full page in their automotive catalog for NACAT. Jack Erjavec wrote a
letter about NACAT and the benefits for being a member, and they included it in their catalog.
A few years ago NACAT tried to make high school counselors more aware of our trade.
Jack wrote a booklet designed just for them, and Delmar did the layout and printing of 500
copies, at no charge. They didn’t put their name in the book or on the cover.
This past conference, they not only covered the expenses for the New Members' Lunch, but
also paid for the drinks at the BBQ.
They have a dedicated spot on their website for NACAT and the Jack Erjavec scholarship,
which they sponsor. They also give a one-year membership to NACAT to the scholarship
runner-ups.
Hey folks, thanks for helping NACAT. Thanks for helping NACAT’s membership.
For those who give of their time by doing seminars, well, I gotta have something to
write about next time, don’t I?
Page 2
Darrell Deeter, President
NACAT NEWS
From the Chairman of the Board
BOARD APPOINTMENTS
Exec. VP Conferences– 2009
Connie Volk
Central Piedmont Community College
6605-A West WT Harris Blvd.
Charlotte, NC 28235
Email: connie.volk@cpcc.edu
Phone: 407-708-2275
In this edition, I am going to outline the
changes that have taken place within the
NACAT Education Foundation, but first let
me give you a brief history on the foundation.
While NACAT gave out scholarships and
awards prior to the formation of the foundation, the NACAT Education Foundation was
formally chartered in 1994 and gave out its
first awards at the 1995 conference in Spokane, Washington. The purpose of the foundation has always been to provide
scholarships and grants primarily for the improvement of automotive education,
to teachers, schools, and students of automotive and related technologies.
Since its inception, the foundation has given away hundreds of thousands of dollars in awards, plus many thousands more in equipment, manuals, and other hardware.
The foundation has always been run by the NACAT Corporation board, and it
was board member, Fritz Peacock and Historian, George Whitehouse who took
the time to make the foundation a reality back in 1994. So, it was with Fritz’s
leadership that improvements were made to the foundation over the last year to
make it more autonomous.
The goal of the foundation has not changed. It is still dedicated to improving
automotive education by giving away scholarships and grants to students, instructors, and programs. The foundation is still funded by regular donations from
members and gifts from our industry partners.
The structure of the board running the foundation is the most noticeable change
that has taken place. There are now only five members of the NACAT Education
Foundation board. Two members from the corporation board still serve on the
foundation board: Fritz Peacock and Tom Connors. Three at large members now
serve on the corporation board with one being from one of our industry partners.
Dennis Grace is now serving as Secretary/Treasurer. Ron Brown is serving the
board as Board Chair. Representing industry is Bobby Bassett of the Gates Corporation.
As a board, we felt that these changes were necessary to allow the foundation to
move forward and to better serve the members of the organization. It is my hope
that you will show support to the new foundation board and continue to contribute
financially to the cause of improving automotive education everywhere.
Jim Voth
Page 3
2007-2010
Executive Vice President –
Marketing 2008
Jack Erjavec
Author & Consultant
Email:
jack.erjavec@nacat.com
phone:
614-714-3621 Office
Editor NACAT NEWS 2006-2007
Board Member 2006-2008
Frederick (FRITZ) Peacock
Purdue University
Herrick Laboratories
140 S. Intramural Drive
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2031
E-mail: peacock@ecn.purdue.edu
Phone: 765-494-2142 Office
765-494-0787 FAX
NACAT Historian 2006-2007
Lynda Perrin
P.O.Box 80010
Charleston, SC 29416
Phone: 843-556-7068
NEW NACAT NEWS
ADVERTISING
$75.00 ¼ page
$250.00 – full page
$150.00 ½ page
Deadline Dates
Fall 2008 – September 15, 2008
Winter 2009 - January 1, 2009
Summer 2009 - April 15, 2009
NACAT NEWS is the official publication of
the North American Council of Automotive
Teachers and the NACAT Education Foundation. NACAT News is currently published
three times per year. NACAT assumes no
responsibility for the contents or accuracy of
articles , advertising , or editorials . No permission is required to reproduce articles for
educational use. Copyrighted material and
sources should be credited.
NACAT NEWS
Executive Manager
It’s that time of year, time to renew your NACAT membership. The
NACAT membership year runs from
September 1st - August 31st. Thank you to
all of those who renewed promptly. If
you have not done so yet, please renew
your membership. The address label on
this issue has the year that your membership expires printed next to your
name. You can also login to the ―membersonly‖ part of
www.nacat.com and check your renewal status there as well.
Some members have not changed the username and password
that was provided when the ―membersonly‖ database was set up.
You should set a username and password that is unique and that
you can remember. Most of the login problems that members have
had are the result of failing to follow the login instructions or not recording their login information. As we add new features and benefits to the webpage, you will want to be able to access them.
Another issue we have experienced is that some members
email address is incorrect or missing. All members due to renew
should have received email notices before and at the time of membership expiration. If you did not receive these emails, your membership was current or your email address is incorrect or missing
from the webpage member database. We do not give out your
email address, nor do we use it for other than communication of
information we feel our members need. Sometimes we receive offers from companies that have excess products that they want to
share with members. These are usually tied to a need to clear
warehouse space, and we would send out email notices. Without a
current email address, you would not receive this information. You
may also be asked to provide your email address to verify your
identity for some webpage features. We prefer to have school or
business email addresses because they tend to change less frequently than personal addresses. The evolution of our webpage
continues and thanks for your patience as we work to provide the
best resource for our members.
Dan Perrin, Executive Manager
office@NACAT.com
NACAT memberships run from September 1 –
August 31 and if you are a member you may be due
to renew. Members can check their renewal status
by logging in to the www.nacat.com site.
Page 4
NACAT NEWS
PowerPoint: Friend or Foe?
Please just say no; no to PowerPoint’s from hell. Instead of sitting there and taking it, rise up and revolt! We can do it, we
can change the way that we use PowerPoint; please, tell me we can.
My thoughts above run rampant as I labor to keep my attention focused and my eyes open. Often my hands are
clenched in rage. What, all this over PowerPoint? Yes, PowerPoint.
It seems like yesterday that my friends and I would gather for slideshow’s on Friday nights a couple of times a year.
My friend Mike was (and still is) a photographer for the U.S. Army Cold Regions Test Center (www.crtc.army.mil) at Fort
Greely, Alaska. Mike impressed upon me early the importance of detail in a presentation. He also passed on a more important
lesion in brevity. Never would he show more than 25 slides. Show what you need, not more.
Fast forward to the technology we have available to us today. It really isn’t PowerPoint that is the problem. It is us!
Look at all of the tools that Microsoft has given us! Flying text, bullet points, sounds, fade in right, fade out left, etc, etc, etc.
We JUST have to use all of this, don’t we? No as a matter of fact we don’t.
Then there is the presenter I call the ―slide reader.‖ Please do not read the slides to me. I am fully capable of reading,
don’t insult me. If you want to share a document with the audience, print it. Do not paste it up on the screen.
In his book, Why Bad Presentations Happen to Good Causes by Andy Goodman, Goodman explores what can go
wrong with a presentation. He claims that he, ―can help you avoid the most commonly made mistakes (―The Fatal Five‖), structure your information in ways that help audiences absorb it, use PowerPoint more effectively, and deliver your talks with greater
confidence.‖ I know that I personally welcome his information and try to pass it along to all presenters so that they can move
towards greater quality presentations.
Does this mean that all PowerPoint presentations are bad? Not at all! There were some excellent presentations at this
year’s NACAT conference and the quality is better every year.
If you plan to do any PowerPoint’s in the future be sure to get Andy’s book here: http://tinyurl.com/rdsky the cost is
free. BUT, be careful. You will never view a presentation the same way again.
Jeff Curtis
Page 5
Consulab
WE COVER YOUR ENTIRE CURRICULUM
Consulab – NACAT member since
2001
ENGINE
PERFORMANCE
ENGINE
REPAIR
BRAKES
SUSPENSION
& STEERING
ELECTRICAL
& ELECTRONIC
AUTO TRANSMISSION & TRANSAXLE
MANUAL DRIVE
TRAIN & AXLES
HVAC
HEAVY DUTY
DIESEL
LIGHT VEHICLES
CUTAWAYS
AUTOBODY
Since 1969, Consulab has dedicated itself to
developing and building quality training
materials for technical and professional
programs. Our areas of expertise are in
transportation technology and electrical
engineering.
Our product philosophy:
Take OEM components found in industry
today and adapting them for educational
purposes by making them safer, more
visible, and then adding fault insertion
wherever possible.
We feel that this philosophy will assist the
student in the following ways:
Increased speed of learning;
Increased confidence levels;
Greater troubleshooting skills;
Maintaining motivation through a
correlation between training and the
realities faced daily in industry.
We offer a wide variety of standard trainers
that will help your student complete all
NATEF task areas.
Custom-built trainers are also available. Contact us for details.
1-800-567-0791
WWW.CONSULAB.COM
Page 6
NACAT NEWS
Reflections of NACAT 2008 Conference
When I was a young Army lieutenant back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, my
first Army schooling was airborne school. The course was three weeks long. The
first week they taught you how to exit an aircraft, the second week they taught you
how to fall, then dropped you from a 250 foot tower with a parachute to see how
well you learned. All of this training was delivered by a screaming platoon of airborne sergeants, who dropped us for push-ups at every opportunity and the pace was a constant run—
when we weren’t learning how to exit a perfectly good aircraft, or falling, or landing, we were running.
Then the third week came the reward—the 45 seconds in each of five jumps where
we exited the airplane and silently floated to the ground relishing the peace and
quiet and scenery of southern Georgia that we were briefly experiencing. It was
great—the ends truly justified the means!!
I liken the cycle of preparing for and executing a NACAT conference as being similar to my airborne school experience. At times during the three year preparation
phase, our planning staff just used to look at each other and ask if three years of
intense effort could be justified by a week long effort for what we thought would be
about 150 delegates. At times we wondered and worried if we would make out
okay and if the end result would justify the toils of our labor. Those of you who
have hosted conferences, I’m certain, can identify with this!
Based on the number of attendees, the outstanding response we received from sponsors and exhibitors,
the volunteers we had for seminar presenters, and the thank-you’s and kind comments we have received
from everyone, I would do this all over again in a minute! In fact, my last communication to Dan Perrin,
before he left for sunny South Carolina, was ―Dan, sign us up for NACAT 2018. I already have faculty
who were so energized by this effort, that they are volunteering to help 10 years out and are asking if they
can attend NACAT 2009 Charlotte.‖
The NACAT community is a very special community. The camaraderie that is exhibited and the willingness to work cohesively for the benefit of the organization is second to none. I enjoyed working with the
board both in planning and implementing the conference and found conference week to be very enjoyable, even in the midst of coordinating all of those last minute details because of everyone’s commitment
to make this a great conference.
I am now in the midst of thanking the dozens of Penn College staff who came together as a team to make
this conference a success. The dedication and enthusiasm that was demonstrated at Penn College by
our staff at all levels was nothing short of amazing to me. I must say, however, that the consideration and
appreciation that was shown by the delegation, the NACAT board, and all of those involved in professionally developing the delegates was equally amazing, as were the delegates and families who attended. I
am very proud to be associated with this organization and considered it a privilege to be able to say that
Penn College contributed significantly to the conference effort.
I look forward to seeing all of you at NACAT 2009 in Charlotte and back in Williamsport in 2018—having
the opportunity to work with Connie, Dave, and Mark this year, I know that the Charlotte effort will be fantastic. Thanks again to all of you who supported our conference in Williamsport!
Warmest regards, Steve Wallace Conference Coordinator
Page 7
NACAT NEWS
NACAT 2008:
Delmar Cengage Learning Receives
2008 Friends of NACAT Award
By the Numbers
Continued from page 1
That booklet was written by a Delmar author
and the layout, printing, and shipping of the booklets was done, free of charge, by Delmar. Other than
a mention in the legal stuff in the book, there is no
mention of Delmar or the author. They did this for
NACAT, and it was certainly not a marketing
scheme on their part.
Two years ago, Delmar included a full page
letter from Jack regarding NACAT in all of their
automotive catalogs. This was not a simple enclosure; it was an integral part of their full-color catalog. Again, they responded to our needs.
Delmar also helps get the word out about
NACAT through their support and advertising of the
Jack Erjavec Scholarship, handled through the
NACAT Foundation. In addition to the scholarship,
they also have been providing one-year NACAT
memberships to the runner-ups for the scholarship.
The list of things Delmar has done for
NACAT can go on and on. Recognition and an
award do not do justice for all they have done for
us. Dave Boelio, Senior Editor, and Matt Thouin,
Senior Project Manager, were on hand at NACAT
2008 to receive the award from Darrell. They were
more than thrilled to be recognized. In fact, Dave
said it was one of the highlights of his career.
Thanks Delmar for all you have done for us.
For the first time, NACAT used an online evaluation at the 2008 Penn College conference. Returns
on evaluations are typically low and our expectations for this evaluation were not high. When we
received close to a 20% (of registered attendees)
return, our expectations were greatly exceeded.
While the evaluation was available online, we also
had paper copies available, and I entered those into
the software database individually, verbatim, so
that we ended up with one evaluation summary.
In a nutshell (and a very small one at that) the
evaluations were very positive in all areas. If there
was one common theme, it was the lack of a central
after hours meeting place. I guess we do like to
socialize after the daily events!
Please take a look at the report summary on the
website at www.nacat.com. The officers and board
would look forward to any discussion of the
evaluation n the forums on the NACAT website.
Jeff Curtis
Fall 2008
Conference
October 17 & 18 Hosted By
Cuyamaca College
900 Rancho San Diego Parkway
92019
Fellow NACAT Members who are Delmar Authors
Contact: Jim Custeau
Email: jim.custeau@gcccd.net
Page 8
El Cajon, CA
NACAT NEWS
2008 Jack Erjavec New Automotive Instructor Scholarship
The Jack Erjavec New Automotive Instructor Scholarship is awarded annually to foster the professional development of promising new automotive technology instructors. Sponsored by
educational publisher Delmar, a part of Cengage Learning, and administered by NACAT (North
American Council of Automotive Teachers), the $2500 annual award provides funding to allow one instructor each year to attend the summer NACAT conference and other training
events.
This year the award went to Gerald A. Lickey Jr.,
Crestwood High School, Dearborn Heights, MI. Gerald was a
master technician at Ford Motor Company for twenty years;
he completed a BS in Education at Central Michigan University in 2006.
Quoting Gerald, ―Making the switch from business to
teaching was somewhat hard. I know in my heart that the
change was definitely well worth it. I have seen my students
grow so much that it has amazed me, from the time we all entered the classroom, back in August to now, is just amazing. I
cannot say enough about how proud I am of all my students,
especially my vocational students; they started off rough, but
know they can also most run the class without me.‖
NOMINATIONS and ELIGIBILITY
The scholarship is open to automotive technology instructors
who have less than 3 academic years of automotive teaching
experience and who work at public and private, secondary
and post-secondary schools, and training centers in North America. Nominations can be made by department chairs, fellow instructors, and/or administrators. Application can be made by downloading the nomination form (Word document) from
www,nacat.com completing the form electronically, and emailing it to office@nacat.com with a subject line of "Erjavec Scholarship Nomination" by April 1, 2009.
Jeff Hunt Named 2008 MVP
The MVP Award winner is selected by
NACAT’s President; it
is awarded to a
NACAT member who
has served the organization through meritorious and extraordinary
service. The unique
hand carved plaque
was created for
NACAT by former
president Chane Bush’s
brother almost twenty
years ago. The winner
has custody of the plaque for one year but gets to keep the
smaller plaque. Jeff Hunt Department Head, of Industrial
and Engineering Technologies at Spartanburg Community
College, Spartanburg, S.C. Is the 2008 MVP. Jeff served as
a NACAT Board member , then as VP 2001-2003 and as
NACAT President 2003-2005. He was also one of he
founding members of the South Carolina Chapter.
NACAT Recognizes NATEF
for 25 Years of Service
L-R Dan Perrin NATEF Board, Tim Zilke, ASE President, Bill Kersten,
NATEF President, and Colin Williamson, Penn College
Page 9
Page 10
NACAT NEWS
Where is Career & Technical Education Going?
An Editorial by Rod Boyes
I was asked recently by a friend of 20 years, ―What is the Association for Career and Technical Education’s (ACTE) long term
view of Career & Technical Education (CTE)?‖ The friend has been a Washington, DC consultant, author, and a published academic for years.
I have explored this issue with representatives of post-secondary and secondary institutions, NATEF, and several original equipment manufacturers. I serve as Chair of the Industry Advisory Committee of ACTE and serve as an Ex-Officio member of the
Board of ACTE. The ACTE staff and board are excellent people but are pressed to pursue legislative support (e.g., Perkins IV)
and partnerships, including international organizations. All of this activity is aimed at current issues and a 10 year time frame is
not a common point of discussion. As you know, our entire business world is based on quarterly and annual financial reports, so
what is different about education?
Let me give you an opinion: Secondary technical education will decline in the next 10 years and part of the shortfall will
be served by post-secondary institutions. Some of the forces include:
No Child Left Behind and related ―everybody must go to college‖ thinking is the norm. The Department of Education was
created by Jimmy Carter by stripping education out of the department of Health, Education, and Welfare. The purpose was to
elevate the role of education. As a Cabinet Level department, politics enters in. There have been 8 Secretaries of Education—4
have been lawyers, 3 have had educational experience, and the current one has a degree in political science. Four have been
previous appointees or have political backgrounds. Conclusion: Cabinet positions are political appointees and may or may not
have much to do with education—much less CTE. That pattern is not likely to change.
Given the political desire for a positive image—every child should go to college—resources for education are affected. By
the way, it is a statistical fact that 50% of all people out there are less than average in intelligence. That does not mean that
many people are not worthy of an education. It means that not everybody needs to go to a university.
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development data suggest that the U.S. is falling behind in education, woe is us.
The emphasis is engineering, math, and science. For example, we rank about 12 th in the production of engineers. But the engineers in many other countries are not educated on the basis of ABET accreditation standards, as we define engineering curricula
in the U.S. Many products of foreign engineering schools look like technicians to me. Universities in China graduate about
1,700 engineers in each of 100 universities—a total of 17,000 per year. Are they technicians or engineers? It is very difficult to
get at the data behind the PR releases. Statistics can be a challenge, and often we measure a precision shaft with a micrometer,
mark it with a crayon, and whack it off with an axe. I have a problem understanding the original source of OECD data. By the
way, which country has the highest quality of life for its citizens—USA, China, or India? Is that a better measure of technical
progress and application? Poverty numbers are available.
State requirements are stressing math and science due to NCLB and political forces. Accordingly, hours available for CTE are
declining in many states, budgets, likewise. Realistically, an auto lab for 35 kids is a lot more expensive that a classroom for a
history class—but you already know that.
Another opinion: Technicians are the key to productivity and progress. Technicians are the ―implementers.‖ Technicians
make airplanes fly, facilitate shuttle launches, ensure reliability of power grids, maintain the Internet—etc., etc. One can make
the case that technicians are the essence of America’s productivity. There will always be a need for technicians. Will the basics
be provided by secondary schools? If not, will post-secondary institutions provide basic/remedial programs or provide adult
education material in CTE areas? Will Workforce Development programs expand? The answer is probably going to be based
on the political and financial forces that affect secondary institutions.
What do you think? Whether you are an instructor at a secondary school or a college, should you be looking at a ten year time
frame? Is there a difference between the two? Is there a need for cooperative efforts? Maybe this is a topic for discussion in
Charlotte. It would be very interesting to explore the thinking of instructors on the firing line.
(Rod Boyes is President of Melior-Delaware, Inc., a provider of www.todaysclass.com)
Page 11
NACAT NEWS
Affinia Canada Corp.
Clark County School District
Matco Tools
Thomson Delmar Learning
(Raybestos, Wix)
Consulab
Megatech Corporation
Vetronix
Alberta Advanced Education
Evaluation Guide
Mitchell 1
Apprenticeship Training
Fluke Electronics Canada
NACAT 2007
Alldata
FuelCellStore.com
NAP A Auto Parts
ASE/NATEF
Gates Canada, Inc.
Prentice Hall
A Tech Training, Inc.
Glencoe / McGraw-Hill
Pro-Cut International
Automotive Oil Change Assoc.
G-Tec Inc.
ROL Gaskets
Blue Streak
Hennessey Industries Canada
Snap-On Tools
Canada Powertrain
Hunter Engineering Company
CDX Canada
Instructional Materials Lab
STAR EnviroTech, Inc.
Chicago Pneumatic
Mac Tools
SuperFlow
Page 12
NACAT NEWS
We would like to take the opportunity
to thank our sponsors and trade show
exhibitors for their participation in this
year’s NACAT conference at Penn College. For many of them it was a long
TITLE SPONSOR
Of
NACAT 2008
and expensive trip. Without their participation,
the conference would not have been a success.
We appreciate their support for the NACAT organization and their support of us, the members.
GOLD SPONSOR
NACAT 2008
Sponsors, exhibitors, and presenters are the
backbone of the conference. It is imperative
that those teaching or are otherwise engaged in
the automotive industry be kept abreast of the
newest innovations and offerings available in
automotive technology and aftermarket products. We look to our exhibitors to showcase the newest products and technology in the market. Our
sponsors help support the cost of the conference keeping attendee registrations affordable; they also
provide our refreshment breaks So, again we whole-heartedly thank
you for your partnershipwith NACAT 2008.
SILVER
SPONSORS
BRONZE
SPONSORS
TRADE SHOW
Automotive Career Development Center
ASE
ATech Training
AutoEnginuity, L.L.C.
Automotive Electronic Services
Automotive Test Solutions
Babcox Publishing
Bergwall Productions, Inc
CarTech, Inc.
CDX Global
Central Piedmont C.C.
Consulab
Delmar Cengage Learning
Goodheart-Willcox Publishing
Electude BV
Gates Corporation
G-TEC
Hunter Equipment
ITW Permatex, Inc
MATCO Tools
Megatech Corporation
Melior, Inc.
Midstate Tool&Supply
National Bio-diesel
Mitchell 1
Page 13
NACAT
NACAT Foundation
NAPA /Quaker State
Pearson Prentice Hall
Pro-Cut International
Pro Tool
Robert Bosch Corp.
Rolling Hills Publishing
Snap-On Tools
U.S. Army
Veejar Enterprises
Wright Tool Company
NACAT NEWS
Page 14
NACAT NEWS
ATech instructors Mike Joachim and Olle Gladso presented
three consecutive seminars providing tips and examples of
how to improve learning efficiency in through the use of
simulation software. Each participant received a 1GB USB
drive and a ticket to enter the Troubleshooting contest.
WINNERS
The contest pitted instructors against the clock using the
same interactive starting system troubleshooting software
that attendees practiced with in their seminar sessions;
each participant was given five random starting system
faults to diagnose. The goal was to diagnose all five faults
correctly in the shortest time. By the end of the show on
Thursday morning, 23 contestants had participated in the
troubleshooting contest.
L-R Olle Gladso, ATech instructor accepting for 1st – Charlie
Magruder, 3rd – Thomas Chandler, 2nd – Darwin Schatz, ATech
representative Mike Joachim
Troubleshooting Contest winners were awarded ATech
Equipment Certificates at the Thursday night banquet: 1st
place ----$5,000 certificate; Charlie Magruder-Moberly Area
Tech Center , Moberly, M.O. 2nd place-$2,500; Thomas
Chandler-Laurens High, Laurens, S.C.and 3rd place$1,000 certificateto Darwin Schatz , S.A.I.T., Calgary, Alberta.
ATech Prizes totaled $21,000
The Gates Corporation is proud to provide NACAT State associations the opportunity to apply for the Gates State Association Grant for the 2008 calendar year goes to the Virginia
Chapter. The intent of this grant is to provide assistance to the
state association by helping to offset the substantial cost incurred while hosting a conference for its automotive educators.
State Association Assistance Grant
A state association must be an associate member of NACAT
and in good standing and must host a conference for the
purpose of providing education and training for its membership.
Applications for the grant must be submitted to the NACAT
office no later than April 1, 2009. Two grants will be available
and will provide $500 towards offsetting the cost of a state
association hosting their conference ( $1000 total ) . The
assistance grant and will be administered by the NACAT foundation. A state association may apply only once for one of
these grants.
Bobby Bassit presents Virginia Chapter $500 Start-up Grant
South Carolina Chapter
Update Award
Chuck Tedder presents $500 check to David Dees
The NACAT/SC membership voted to support an award for attendance to the next NACAT conference in the US or Canada for a
SC automotive teacher who has been teaching for a minimum of
3 years continuously. This award has the following goals:
· to recognize outstanding automotive teachers;
· to enhance the ability of the recipient to deliver quality instructtion to his/her students
· To promote academic awareness of the professionalism in
automotive education and foster contact and cooperation between automotive educators, industry, and educational institutions in North America. David Dees is the 2008 winner.
Page 15
Page 16
Joel Anstrom
ATech Group
Nathan Banke
Med Barton
Bobby Bassett
William Bencini
Tom Birch
Rod Boyes
Rachel Burton
John Buskey
Steve Cartwright
Shane Conner
Rich Cregar
David Crippen
Jeff Curtis
Steve Dale
Ernie Darrow
Paul DeGuiseppi
Pat English
Jack Erjavec
Rick Escalambre
Vince Fischelli
Ron Garner
Tim Gilles
Barry Gersten
Steve Glassinger
John Green
Jim Halderman
Don Johnson
Kay Quinn Larson
Pat Lundquist
Russ Lucas
Jack Madden
Dan Marinucci
Tony Martin
Rick Martineau
Christian Meyer
Jay Miller
Alan Nagel
Chris Peterson
Dave Pilgrim
Tom Quinn
Andy Rezin
Jack Rosebro
Al Santini
Skip Sauerman
Rick Secrest
Dave Seidel
Paul Smith
Al Steinbacher
Al Thomas
Bernie Thompson
Mark Threeton
Dennis Tobin
Steve Tomory
G. Jerry Truglia
Craig Van Batenburg
John Vlaar
Bob Wimmer
NACAT would like to thank those who sacrificed their time and energy to provide great seminars at NACAT
’08. The above is a list of presenters (if any presenter names was not listed, it was accidental and not intentional).
From the Editor
I wanted to use this space to extend my sincere thanks and the thanks of all our NACAT members
to the companies and people who have helped make NACAT 2008 a success. The staff of Penn
College, our trade show exhibiters, seminar presenters, our sponsoring companies, companies and
individuals who support the NACAT Foundation Scholarships and of course you our conference attendees.
I am humbled by the generosity of all our industry friends who support NACAT not only at our conferences but throughout the year in many ways.
A very special thanks to Kevin Boden and his staff at CONSULAB, Quebec City, Canada. Kevin’s staff
have been doing the color printing of NACAT News; this is a substantial gift to all of us. His support comes because he believes in what we do, and he wanted to help us do it better. Fritz Peacock, editor
Page 17
Page 19
NACAT NEWS
Member Recognition
Congratulations to all of these members on their NACAT milestone
anniversaries! Thank you for being part of NACAT over the years.
It is great for those of us who are old timers to see one another at the conference, through
NACAT we have become lifelong friends. Everyone in these photographs has in the past or present volunteered to serve NACAT in some capacity.
For the future of automotive education it is important for all of our members, especially
younger members to step-up and take positions of responsibility in NACAT. Service can be an
immensely rewarding experience:
It is an opportunity to develop and demonstrate leadership skills outside of the workplace
Build ties to professional interests
Expand your personal networks, develop lasting friendships
20Years-(L) Dutch Niessingh
Deepen your understanding of automotive education throughout North America
Experience philanthropy and volunteerism
Commit to a cause and to an organization
Work alongside people who share your personal interests
25Years - Dan Perrin, Ken Echternach
5 Years - Patrick English, Mike Malczewski, Chuck Tedder,
Matt Carpenter
Charter Members- (L-R ) Tony Jewell, Damon Stewart, Gene Brown center, Pete Hamlin, Fritz Peacock
Page 20
VP for CONFERENCES
STATE MEETINGS
Once again volunteer NACAT members provided a terrific
annual conference for the members. I won’t dwell on what a great job
they did because that is covered elsewhere in this issue. I will say it
was my pleasure to work with Steve Wallace, Dale Jaenke, Colin
Williamson, and all the rest of the great people at the Pennsylvania
College of Technology.
Our next conference is hosted by Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, NC. NACAT member Connie Volk is our
Executive Vice President for this conference, and she and the other
Transportation Department members have been working hard to provide NACAT members another valuable and certainly memorable
NACAT Conference. With essentially two brand new facilities, on
each side of Charlotte, offering cutting edge automotive training, we
are going to be treated to another selection of training options that
can’t be found anywhere else in one week. If you have not already
done so, go to www.nacat.com and view the video and look at the
agenda. There is a link to conference details just below the video.
Some members have questioned the cost of rooms at the conference
hotel. Planning a conference is often about compromises between
what you want and what you can do. Our hosts always keep in mind
that we have members traveling on their own and with their families.
In the case of the hotel for this conference, the options were very few.
This is the only property in the area with facilities that can handle our
general meeting and banquet. The training facilities on the campus
are great but neither campus had an adequate business meeting
room or facility for the banquet. When budgeting for the conference,
please keep in mind that this hotel provides a deluxe breakfast for
everyone in the room and a reception each evening. There are other
hotels in the area that may have less expensive rooms, but all transportation will depart from the conference hotel. Staying at the conference hotel is not only convenient, but if we meet the required number
of rooms, the conference costs are reduced significantly. You will not
want to miss this conference in the heart of NASCAR country!
Our conference sites are booked through 2012; they are
listed on nacat.com. It is time to select the site for the 2013 NACAT
Conference. If you and your school would be interested in bringing
the annual NACAT conference to your area, please contact me for
more information. I can send you the conference manual for your
review and will try to answer questions. NACAT goes where we are
welcome and have dedicated members who always do a great job.
We have been in big cities, small cities, and everywhere in between.
Conferences can be all on campus, all in a hotel, or any blend of the
two. The only reason we would not consider an offer is if we do not
have members at that location who are up to the task and willing to
work on behalf of the other members. The fact that members and
their schools are willing to do repeat conferences demonstrates that
the rewards are greater than the sacrifices. Talk it over with your administration. I can provide you much rational you can use to help
them understand why other schools have hosted. Be more than just
another automotive program, be one that shares it skills and personal
recourses with your peers. It is a lot of work, but automotive educators are good at that. Call Me! 843-556-7068 or office@NACAT.com
Dan Perrin, Vice President for Conferences
FALL CONFERENCE VIRGINIA
OCTOBER 12-13
NEW NACAT
STATE CHAPTER
Conference Overview: Instructors across the state meeting in one location, SVCC, to share ideas, learn new teaching strategies; receive NATEF Technical Update training
with drivability classes, new technology, paint technology,
diesel technology and door prizes, raffles, great food, and
fun.
Agenda: Keynote speaker Friday morning after registration. Technical update training provided by ATECH Training, Snap-On, Bosch, Star Enviro Tech, Paint & Body,
BASF, Sauda, and Norton, then break for lunch. Four
more hours of classes. A trade show that evening along
with a barbeque. Saturday morning from 8 to 12 technical
update classes continue. We will then meet briefly for a
book swap, certificate presentation and closing comments.
Registration: Contact:Bill McKee for RSVP:
va_nacat_secretary@cox.net
Please send registration form to Ronnie Goad at
goad@floyd.k12.va.us Mail: Ronnie Goad
FAX: 540-745-9481 Floyd County High School
721 Baker Street
Floyd, VA 24091
Fall 2008
66th ICAIA Conference
October 9-10, 2008
Hosted by
Ranken Technical College
4431 Finney Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63113
(314) 371-0236
Contact Information:
Joe Jackson
314-371-0236
jejackson@ranken.edu
Please Pre Register
Mail all forms to:
Art Koudelka, Treasurer
Illinois Valley Comm. Coll.
815 N. Orlando Smith
Page 21
NACAT NEWS
ELECTION RESULTS 2008
Peter Kaufmann, Election Chair
The summer conference was a great success and along with that we had elections
for several positions. I want to thank all the candidates who ran for the various positions. They are willing to give their time and effort to make NACAT a great organization. Everyone should think about running for office if you have the time and ambition. Please step up to the plate and support our great organization.
Ben Haggeman – Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, Calgary, Alberta.
―I have been involved in various Alberta committees for the past 20 years. I
have held the position of Presiding Officer for both the local and Provincial Apprenticeship committees for Alberta. I have been attending NACAT conferences since 2005 at
Spokane. I feel I am capable of performing the required tasks as Secretary. I look forward to serving NACAT and my fellow members for the next two years.‖
NACAT Secretary
Ben Haggeman 2008-2010
Board Member 2008-2011
Patrick Brown-Harrison
Every NACAT member is encouraged to run for office as the positions open each year. If you have
any concerns, please contact one
of the Officers or Board Members
and let them know what you are
thinking. Visit the web site for
periodic up dates on election information. The nomination form
is there. Congratulations again to
the winners.
Peter Kaufmann
Election Chair
Chuck Tedder-Applied Technology Education
Campus, Camden, SC
Chuck is a Certified Diesel Technology
Instructor and ASE Master Certified. He was the
2005 Imaca Educator of the Year Award winner
and and the recipient of the Imaca Grant to Update Professionalism in Air Conditioning.
―This was a grand night for me, being
honored by such a large and talented organization.
It really felt great. I have been active in the S.C.
Chapter and served most recently as National Representitive to NACAT. Thanks for allowing me
this opportunity to serve on the NACAT Board of
Directors.‖
Board Member
Chuck Tedder 2008-2011
Patrick Brown-Harrison – Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, Calgary, Alberta.
Patrick was first elected to the board in 2001, this will be his third term serving as an
NACAT Board member. He has acted as master of ceremonies at our Conference Banquets for a number of years. He has served as past Foundation Chair and helped initiate
the silent auction at the NACAT conference in Spokane. Patrick was recipient of the
Canadian Life Saving Award. (see Summer 2008, pg.10 issue for details)
Don Sykora – Morton College, Cicero, Illinois
―As a board member, I will actively assist the organization in achieving its overall goals. I have
over 20 years of varied experience in the automotive industry, including repairs and management,
aftermarket parts development, and instruction. I
am a strong advocate of vocational education, and
I understand the growing need to support Automotive Technology programs throughout North
America. I recognize the need for continuing education and professional development and would
like to help NACAT grow as it continues to support and improve automotive education.‖
Page 22
Board Member
Don Sykora 2008-2011
NACAT NEWS
Page 23
NACAT NEWS
NACAT EDUCATION FOUNDATION TRUSTEES
Ron Brown was appointed from the membership by the
NACAT Board to serve as a Trustee of the NACAT Education Foundation he was chosen by the trustees to be Chairman. Since 1977
Ron has owned and operated his own company now known as AutoKnow Inc. and has conducted automotive technical training classes all
across Canada to update technicians with all the latest technologies
and service techniques. He has been a member since 1981. He has
served two terms on the NACAT Corporation Board. Ron lives in Oakville, Ont.
Dennis Grace is a member appointed to serve as a Trustee of
the Foundation. Dennis was asked by the Trustees to serve as SecreChairman Ron Brown tary/Treasurer of the NACAT Education Foundation. He is a Charter
Dennis Grace
member of NACAT and has served as a NACAT Board member. He is retired from Lakeshore
Technical College, Cleveland, WI where he was Automotive Department head for more than twenty years.
Bobby Bassett, North America Manager Sales Training, Automotive Aftermarket of
the Gates Corporation was appointed as Trustee representing industry. Bobby has been associated with NACAT for a number of years as
a presenter and trade show supporter at our yearly conference. He
joined NACAT as a regular member and has worked with various supporters of NACAT to help expand the Foundation’s Award program.
Bobby hales from Ridgeland, MS.
Tom Connors, current NACAT Board member, teaches at
Spokane Community College, Tom was our NACAT 2005 Conference
Host; he has been a member since 1994.
Fritz Peacock, current member of the Board, Charter member
of NACAT. He is past Chairman of the Foundation and current editor
of NACAT News.
Bobby Bassett
Tom Connors
EDUCATION FOUNDATION SILENT AUCTION
―One person’s trash is another person’s treasure.‖ How true is that statement? The NACAT Foundation
silent auction at the trade show raised more than $1700, but it should have been twice that. We would
like to expand the auction for 2009 and make it better with your help. July is fast approaching, and the
NACAT Silent Auction will be here before you know it. Have you found an item that you would like to
donate for this worthy event? I
know that many of you guys
have treasures that your wives
would love for you to donate.
What better cause than to raise
scholarship money for students
Fritz Peacock
and fellow young teachers?
Bidders, remember this is not a yard sale, the
idea is to make money for the foundation. Many bidders
received some terrific bargains; there was some really
nice stuff that went way too cheap.
Check the NACAT website under the Foundation tab for latest information and donation forms. This is
a fun and fairly painless way to raise money in these
rough economic times. Please consider helping with a
donation or bring some extra money to the conference
and make some generous bids. If you have questions or
concerns, please phone
me at 765-589-3078.
Brenda Taulman-Peacock
Page 24
NACAT EDUCATION FOUNDATION
NACAT NEW TEACHER AWARD
Randy Nussler receives Award from Foundation Chair Fritz Peacock
Randy H. Nussler is this year’s winner of the NACAT New
Teacher Award. He has been teaching at Midlands Tech, Columbia, S.C. since 2006. Randy earned an AS in Automotive
Science from New England Institute of Technology in 1989; he
has 19 years experience and is ASE Master Certified with L1
endorsement.
Program Director Carson Conner said, ―Randy is an
asset to the learning process to say the least. He has demonstrated his leadership potential in the lab, where he often completely revises a lesson or task procedure to more thoroughly
demonstrate the real world scenarios and challenges our students
will face upon graduation and employment. Additionally, he
constantly performs both community service and recruiting endeavors outside of his normally assigned responsibilities. His
efforts are truly a positive reflection on this institution and the
automotive industry. The publics' perception of the Mechanic vs.
the Technician is greatly enhanced due to his professionalism.
Randy is always willing to go the extra step or put forth whatever
effort was nesscerary to accomplish the mission.‖
Gates Corporation Conference
Scholarships
L. Bobby Basset, Gates Corporation Awards Thomas Chandler $1000
Gates Conference Scholarship. Below R. Runner –up Mike Rodgers
Thomas Chandler, teacher at Laurens District 55 High School,
Laurens, S.C was the recipient of the Gates Corporation NACAT
Conference Scholarship. Thomas has an impressive resume with
more than thirty years in the automotive repair business he has
earned ASE certifications in 24 areas including truck and auto
body. Thomas inherited a program that was ailing; his efforts
turned it into an up-to-date, modern automotive technology curriculum that teaches students how to properly repair cars, but
also helps them develop appropriate work ethics, and other expectations of today's quality employers.
In 2005 he took the initiative to get his high school
automotive technology program nationally certified by NATEF.
His high school became one of only two comprehensive high
schools with a NATEF-certified automotive program in SC .
Thomas is a master teacher and has received his district’s Teacher of the Year Award, as well as his school’ s
teacher of the Year award.
Michael Rodgers, Lex Walters Campus of Piedmont Technical College, Greenwood,
SC was awarded a $500 Gates Conference Scholarship. Mike’s student project Cobra
appeared in the Fall 07 issue. Mike also developed an innovative recruiting and public
education program for middle school students and their parents. The five-day program
is designed to enlighten the kids, their parents, and school counselors to the level of
technology and the opportunities available in today's automotive field. Nearly 40 area
teens participate each year in the "Driving Your Future" Automotive Technology Camp
held at Piedmont. (NACAT News Winter 2006) Mike earned his A.S., Piedmont Technical College, B.S., University of South Carolina, and he holds an Master ASE Certification, L1 Advanced Engine Performance Certification..
Page 25
Page 26
NACAT NEWS
Automotive Technology Outstanding
Student Scholarship
L-R Steven Herring, Chuck Zerambo, Mitchell Publishing
Present Troy Thomson his Award Check
Troy Thompson from Ramona, Calif. received the Automotive Technology Outstanding Student Scholarship at the
North American Council of Automotive Teachers (NACAT)
2008 Conference held recently at the Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport, Penn.
During the awards ceremony, Thompson was presented with a check for $2,500 along with a recognition
certificate courtesy of Mitchell 1.
Thompson currently attends Cuyamaca College in
El Cajon, Calif. where he is enrolled in the Ford ASSET
program, pursuing an associate of science degree in automotive technology. Upon graduation, Thompson plans on
becoming a drivability technician with diesel certification.
He has also been interning at the Perry Ford dealership in
Poway, Calif. for the past year to get hands-on experience.
During high school, Thompson participated in
many automotive competitions, including four years of
Skills USA where he received gold and bronze medals, the
National Auto Tech challenge in New York City where
Thompson placed fourth, the Cuyamaca challenge where
he placed second, and the Ford AAA competition.
2008 Educator of the Year
John Garippa of Wayland, N.Y has been named the
2008 Educator of the Year at the North American
Council of Automotive Teachers (NACAT) Conference
held at the Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport, Penn. Garippa is an associate professor at
Alfred State College in the SUNY College of Technology in Wellsville, N.Y.
Each year Mitchell 1 recognizes one of the
nation’s top teachers for excellence in automotive repair instruction. Garippa was presented with a check
for $500 and a recognition certificate.
―Mitchell 1 is proud to join with NACAT for another year to honor those who have demonstrated a
commitment to educational excellence in the automotive repair industry,‖ said Karen Wagner, marketing
manager for Mitchell 1. ―John Garippa has an outstanding reputation as an instructor, and we feel he is
an outstanding choice for this award. Everyone at
Mitchell 1 would like to extend our sincerest congratulations to John on his achievement.‖
Garippa graduated from Alfred State College’s
automotive program at the top of his class in 1984. He
has been an automotive instructor since 1994.
L-R Steven Herring, Chuck Zerambo, John Garippa, and
Mrs. Garippa during Banquet Ceremonies
Garippa has been ASE Master Certified since 1984. In
addition, he is ASE Certified Advanced Level Specialist;
ASE Certified Truck – Brakes, Steering/Suspension,
HVAC; and ASE Certified Collision – Mechanical/
Electrical.
Page 27
NACAT NEWS
Page 28
NACAT NEWS
My First Time at NACAT Conference
As a first-time attendee of the yearly NACAT conference, I wasn’t sure what to expect. After being a NACAT
member for a number of years and hearing about the conference from peers, I decided it was time to check it
out. Williamsport, PA was within a reasonable drive and a weeklong conference with a group of other automotive
teachers from North America sounded like fun. Fun was only one part of it……..
From the opening ceremonies to the closing ceremonies, the conference was very well run, organized, informative, and a great way to meet new people. The facilities provided by the Pennsylvania College of Technology were
second to none, and everyone went out of their way to make sure the event went well for everyone. I was impressed
by the dedication and amount of work the organizers put in, and I can see why it takes years of planning to host a
NACAT conference. Once you host one, it seems like you are almost sure to host another down the road. That says
a lot about how much people enjoy being part of NACAT and helping out.
The seminars were all so good I had a hard time picking out which ones to attend each day! I wanted to go to
each and every one, but there are only so many hours in the day. Good thing because my car was pretty full by the
end of the week. The trade show was excellent, had great vendors, and was a very good place to make contacts.
Besides the seminars and the college, there was something else I noticed while there. It was the fact that people
had traveled very long distances with their
families to attend, using the conference as
their summer vacation. Proud parents
were helping their kids get ready for the
valve cover races, spouses were having
fun. I noticed friendships that had begun
at previous events and stayed strong
throughout the years. A sense of camaraderie and being part of a great organization is what struck me the strongest. The
board of directors and NACAT staff are
all volunteers who put their time into
make NACAT what it is, and I could see
why. During the banquet when service
awards were being handed out, I found
myself wondering how many NACAT
events I could make it to in the coming
years. People had been part of the organization for 35 years! Overall, it was a welcoming environment with a family feel
that provided excellent training and many
opportunities to network with fellow
teachers. Hard to beat that. I was trying to
figure how to get to the 2009 NACAT
conference by the end of the first
day! Hmmm, let’s see, how far of a drive
is Charlotte…… Hope to see all you
NACAT members there next summer, and
if you have never been, I highly recommend it!
Baxter Weed
Cold Hollow Career Center
Enosburg Falls, VT bweed@chccvt.net
Page 29
NACAT NEWS
MACS Worldwide to Award Automotive Instructors
MACS Convention Registration Scholarships
The Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS) Worldwide is awarding
scholarships to the MACS 29th annual convention and trade show, New
Frontiers in Mobile A/C Service, to be held February 5-7, 2009 at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas. Go to MACS’ website
(www.macsw.org) to see all of the classes and events they have scheduled for their 2009 convention.
All high school, secondary school, and post-secondary school automotive instructors are eligible
to receive scholarships. The scholarship will cover the expense of MACS convention registration
to attend all technical training sessions, social functions, and the trade show, an approximate
value of $400. Recipients are responsible for their own transportation and lodging.
To receive a scholarship to attend the 2009 MACS Convention, simply complete the application
form on the NACAT web site WWW.NACAT.com and mail, fax or e-mail it to MACS no later
than Friday, November 21. Recipients will receive their registration materials by mail sometime
in December or January.
Page 30
NACAT NEWS
CAF-FCA STUDY
RETURN ON TRAINING INVESMENT
Canadian Apprenticeship Forum – Forum canadien sur
l’apprentissage (CAF-FCA) would like employers who
train apprentices to complete a survey on the costs and
benefits of apprenticeship training so an accurate return
of training investment can be obtained. This document
provides information about the project.
• R.A. Malatest and Associates will conduct the research.
• This work is being overseen by the CAF-FCA Board of
Directors and a Working Group which includes a
broad cross-section of the apprenticeship community
with employers, labour representatives, and Sector
Council members.
• The data will be collected from June to September
2008.
• Employers can complete the survey via telephone, paper, or online.
• Employers seeking clarification on the questions being
asked can talk directly to a survey administrator by
calling a toll free number 1-877-386-1824. Contact
information will be kept strictly confidential.
• The survey will take approximately 1 hour to complete.
CONTACT: Emily Arrowsmith, Project Manager, CAF
-FCA
(613) 235-4004, ext 201 or emily_arrowsmith@caffca.org
GAAS Scholarships Awarded to 10
Exceptional Canadian Students
September 5, 2008, Ottawa, Ontario -- The Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA) is pleased to announce that
10 Canadian students received Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) scholarships for 2008.
Each student received $1000 towards their post-secondary
education. Several students are pursuing careers in automotive
-related fields such as motive power and automotive service
technician programs, and others are studying in fields outside
the automotive sector.
―Each of these students has shown commitment to excellence
and great enthusiasm for their area of study. They set a positive example for other young people and demonstrate the huge
potential that the younger generation holds for our and other
industries,‖ said Marc Brazeau, President of AIA Canada.
―AIA Canada is pleased to work with the GAAS Selection
Committee year after year to bring the benefits of this grant to
exceptional Canadian students.‖
Canadian GAAS scholarship applicants must be enrolled fulltime in a college-level program or an accredited automotive
technical program. Priority is given to those pursuing a career
in the automotive aftermarket. The annual investment to help
develop future aftermarket industry leaders is primarily
funded through proceeds from the annual Global Automotive
Aftermarket Symposium.
Scholarship applications are available from the AIA Canada
website at www.aiacanada.com. Additional information on the
symposium is available on the Symposium website
www.globalsymposium.org.
AIA Canada offers five separate scholarships for five distinct student types:
The SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund: For students pursuing careers in the automotive aftermarket (Deadline: April 28
of every year)
AIA and the Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) Scholarship Program ($1,000): For all students in secondary education. (Deadline: June 15 of every year)
The Marion Roberts Memorial Scholarship ($500): For children or spouses or employees of AIA Member Companies (Deadline: July 15 of every year)
Hans McCorriston Motive Power Machinist Grant Program ($500): For students in a motive power machinist course or
following the AIA training standards (Deadline: October 15 of every year)
The Arthur Paulin Automotive Aftermarket Scholarship Award ($700): For automotive students (Deadline: October 31 of
every year)
Page 31
NACAT NEWS
Presenting a Successful Seminar at NACAT
A friend of NACAT’s and a friend of mine suggested the following after the Penn College
conference as a suggestion to help some of the seminar presenters in the future as they assemble their presentations. This is a good general guideline for the use of all, and I would
like to pass this on in its entirety.
Thank you for submitting a seminar for this year’s annual NACAT conference!
Presenting at NACAT is an opportunity to share your knowledge with colleagues,
get feedback from your peers, and perhaps try a new thing or two. If your presentation is selected, we have a few tips that will hopefully help you and your audience have a more satisfying and rewarding experience at the conference.
Know Your Audience
For the most part, you will be presenting to other automotive instructors, and you will generally
find them to be an eager and encouraging bunch. If you come from the aftermarket side of the industry and are used to teaching veterans of the trade, you may want to keep in mind that most
NACAT attendees teach at high schools, community colleges, and vocational schools. Most of all
just relax and have fun.
How Long Is Your Seminar?
Although most NACAT seminars are ninety minutes to two hours in length, seminars can be made
up of more than one time slot (advertised as Part A and Part B, for example). A common mistake
is to take an existing curriculum that is much longer than the scheduled seminar and try to compress it into the time that is allotted. All presenters are strongly encouraged to tailor seminars to
the amount of time that they have been given. It might be better to teach a little less—but teach it
well—than to overwhelm your audience with information.
Your fellow instructors will be attending many seminars during the conference. Your message will
be more effective if you take it down to its bare essentials.
Selecting a Teaching Style
―But I already have a teaching style!‖
NACAT conferences are as much about teaching itself as they are about the automotive and truck
technology that we teach. Perhaps you’d like to try something new. Perhaps you’d like to get interactive. Many of the most successful seminars have been about the art of teaching itself.
Keeping It Non-Commercial
While industry representatives and independent aftermarket instructors generously teach many
NACAT conference seminars, the spirit of the conference is one of peer-to-peer exchange. In that
spirit, all seminars are free from advertising of any products or services. Please keep this in mind
when designing and presenting your seminar.
Jeff Curtis
Page 32
NACAT NEWS
Page 33
Join us for the 36th annual conference of the North American
Council of Automotive Teachers
(NACAT) at Central Piedmont
Community College in Charlotte
North Carolina! Save the dates
now: July 20 – July 24, 2009.
What you will find at the
NACAT09 Conference:
Seminars in leading edge technologies which satisfy your NATEF required 20 hours per year of recognized industry update training relevant to the areas in which your program is certified. CPCC will offer training in Auto Body,
Heavy Equipment/Diesel and Motorsports, as well as, Automotive Technologies.
A place where dangling/pregnant chads aren’t tolerated and there is no electoral college – your vote counts when
it comes to electing NACAT Officers and Board Members at the conference.
A week long opportunity to exchange ideas and best practices with professional educators from all over North
America. The camaraderie built with your new NACAT associates will last a lifetime.
The golden opportunity to network with manufacturer representatives and other industry professionals.
Tool suppliers, book authors and publishers, diagnostic equipment manufacturers, industry software developers,
with systems and services relevant to the transportation industry, exhibited in a Trade Show environment.
Just enough social events to make you wish the conference lasted a couple more days.
Our conference Online Registration is up and running, and can be found on our conference website: www1.cpcc.edu/
nacat. Thank you to our Canadian friends for their patience while we made the corrections necessary to accept their
provinces and postal codes. Please remember to make your reservations at the Embassy Suites Charlotte-Concord
early. Based on your responses to the NACAT08 survey, you want to be under one roof (and not too far from refreshments). We hear you! The only way we can accomplish this is if we know we need to add more rooms in the next
couple of months. We have obtained an even lower rate than we initially boasted about last summer - $140 per night
for up to four adults in each room. This includes a full breakfast each morning and opportunity to unwind each evening
at the Manager’s Reception with complimentary drinks and snacks. For those of you who are bringing your families;
the pool, spa, and exercise facilities are exceptional!
You will need to call the hotel directly, and request the NACAT rate.
Embassy Suites Resort Hotel
& Convention Center
5400 John Q. Hammons Drive NW
Concord, NC 28027
Phone: 704-455-8200
Please check back on our NACAT09 website, as it is an ever-evolving masterpiece: www1.cpcc.edu/nacat . We will
add seminar presenter, sponsor, and tradeshow exhibitors as we get closer to the event and shore them up.
If you have any suggestions, comments, or questions, do not hesitate to contact your NACAT09 Conference team! A
few of the key members:
Mark Spisak is coordinating the Trade Show, and can be reached at (704)330-4365 or mark.spisak@cpcc.edu. Dave
Seidel (Conference Co-Host) is responsible for coordinating the seminar presenters and our website. Dave is at (704)
330-4366 or dave.seidel@cpcc.edu. Clarine Moore is our Registration Wizardress, and you can contact Clarine at
(704)330-4122 or clarine.moore@cpcc.edu.
We thank you, in advance, for your support! We are excited about the NACAT09 Conference and look forward to seeing you in Charlotte NC!
Connie Volk
(704)330-4154
Page 34
Prepaid lunch options for Monday, Wedensday, and Thursday are
optional @ $9.00 per/day check our web site for details http://www1.cpcc.edu/nacat
Page 35
How You Can Join NACAT
.
In order to receive your membership promptly, please fill-in the appropriate spaces below and mail this
application form with your check or money order to NACAT's ―International Headquarters.‖
North American Council of Automotive Teachers
PO Box 80010
Charleston, SC 29416
Please make copies of this application, if needed
If you would like more information about NACAT, please phone, fax, or visit our web site:
Phone and FAX 843-556-7068 or visit www.NACAT.com
Name______________________________________
Home Address________________________________________
City ______________________________________
State/Prov_________________ Zip/Postal Code ____________
School/Business ____________________________
Bus. Address _________________________________________
City ______________________________________
State/Prov_________________ Zip/Postal Code ____________
Home Phone (______) _______ - _______________
Work Phone (_______) ________- _______________________
Please send mail to: _____ Home ______ Workplace
E-mail_______________________
Check your area of expertise:
______Automobile Technology _______Auto Body Repair______ Diesel Technology ______Parts Technology
(check one only)
General Member or an
Associate Member
You may pay by credit card or online check at www.nacat.com.
I am enclosing a check or money order in US funds for (check one only)
[
] Annual Membership Dues - $50.00 US Funds
[
] 3 Year Membership dues - $135.00 US Funds
[ ] 5 Year Member - $225.00 US Funds
[ ] Group Member Annual Dues - $45.00 US Funds
If group rates apply, please list three names of the NACAT members from your facility or mail four more individual membership
applications from your facility together.
1.________________________________ 2._________________________________ 3._____________________________
Check out our website @ www.NACAT.com
EXECUTIVE MANAGER
Dan Perrin
NACAT
PO Box 80010
Charleston, SC 29416
www.NACAT.com