October 2023 - 29

Sponsored by
GRAND PRIZE
As the winner of the Best Young Tech
Award, Derek Mohart received the
following prize pack:
* All expenses paid trip for two to
the 2023 AAPEX/SEMA Shows in
Las Vegas provided by Motor Age
and PTEN magazines
* All expenses paid trip for two to
the 2024 STX Supplier and Training
Expo in Nashville provided by CTIWTI
(Advance Auto)
* A tablet and complimentary
ALLDATA subscription for 12
months provided by Duralast Parts
* Haynes Model V8 Engine provided
by TechForce Foundation
* A TBD prize provided by Solera
* An award plaque and uniform
patch
more efficient at the process, " Chesney
notes. " [He] started scanning the vehicles
that he was hooking up in the shop, no matter
what manufacturer the vehicle was from,
[and] eventually became the highest scanning
technician in the company, while still
managing a shop full of cars. "
Early on in 2020, Mohart's career shifted
once again. This time he found himself
working as a remote diagnostic technician.
Remote isn't a word most people think of
when it comes to fixing cars, and four years
ago when Derek started at asTech, he never
thought he'd eventually be a technician
working from home.
" It's a different mindset, " Mohart
explains of his transition from in-shop to
remote. " You can't really see what happened,
even though the shop will tell you where the
damage is, [and] what kind of damage it is.
You've got to think in different ways once
you go remote. "
As was Mohart's norm throughout his
career, Chesney notes that as a diagnostic
technician, Mohart focused on becoming
the most efficient and best technician he
could be. Through that determination,
Mohart became the top remote technician
in the company within a month. On
average, Chesney says Mohart was scanning
80 vehicles a day compared to the
company average of 40 to 50 per technician.
Eventually, his scanning average hit
100 vehicles per day with an all-time high
of 203 scans in one day.
" After becoming efficient in his own
work, " Chesney says, " Derek started looking
for ways to make everyone around him
more efficient. "
ALL ABOUT EFFICIENCY
Mohart's drive to create efficiency in his
workplace perfectly set him up for the position
he's working now - continuous process
improvement manager.
Though he still jumps into helping with
scanning when need be, his current job has
him scrutinizing the processes they have in
place in order to streamline them, making
work a bit easier for everyone.
" Derek's ability to review processes and
identify areas of improvement in a short
amount of time is unique, " Chesney says.
" He brings a 'can-do' attitude to work every
day and has become an essential team member
on every project in our organization. "
RUNNERS-UP:
Be on the lookout, starting January 2024, for the first online exclusive interview
featuring one of the talented top nine runners-up for this year's Best Young Tech Award.
Throughout the year, Motor Age editors will be chatting with the top nine to get the
inside scoop on how these techs have come to thrive in the industry. The top nine
include the following:
* Josh Whiteman
* Nick Kolodgie
* Logan Garber
* Blaine Vanderberg
* Joseph Dixon
* Melina Algier
* Aaron Schnabl
* Logan Tate
* Nathan Wonderly
way, looking for a different way to do things.
" I've always just kind of tried to find the
inefficiencies in everything I do and just
find ways to make any processes better, "
Mohart explains.
For example, he notes that for his
remote office setup, he has multiple computer
screens on his desk. While he worked
as a diagnostic technician, he would set the
screens up in a way that created a natural
flow with the information he was looking
at, which helped to create a good working
rhythm.
FOR THE LOVE OF A CHALLENGE
After having worked in many parts of the
automotive industry, diagnostics is still
Mohart's favorite part of being a technician.
" One-off instances are my favorite
because you just get to dive into the wiring
diagrams or the exploded parts view diagram, "
Mohart says. " It's really fun being
able to diagnose an issue that nobody else
has figured out. "
It's challenges like these that keep the
young tech motivated to continue growing
his knowledge as new technology emerges
in the industry. Though he notes, now that
he's in a leadership position it's not just about
expanding his own knowledge, it's about
helping others learn as well.
" This industry is ever-changing, " Mohart
says. " There's never day-to-day, month-tomonth,
year-to-year - nothing stays the
same with automotive. "
For Mohart, it's about helping the other
technicians become better technicians.
Looking ahead, he wants to do much of the
same - continue learning, build more skills,
get more certifications, and just do anything
that can help him do his job better, so he can
continue helping others be their best.
" [Derek's] example of continuing to look
for a rich challenge to express his skills is
worthy of sharing with entry-level technicians
as they consider a career in our industry, "
Chesney says. " As well, his path serves
as a wake-up call to shop owners and other
business owners that they should continue
to invest in and stretch the talent on their
teams to allow people like Derek to find
their best opportunity. "
www.VehicleServicePros.com OCTOBER 2023 PROFESSIONAL TOOL & EQUIPMENT NEWS 29
Mohart notes that he's always worked this
http://www.VehicleServicePros.com
October 2023

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