The winner, James Pedicone of Chilson Subaru in Wisconsin, will represent the U.S. at the automaker's international competition in Japan next year.
Subaru of America, Inc. announced James Pedicone, senior master service technician at Chilson Subaru in Eau Claire, WI, as the winner of the 2023 American National Technician Competition (ANTC), a biennial event honoring Subaru technicians nationwide by showcasing their troubleshooting abilities, product knowledge, technical expertise and hands-on skills.
"Subaru of America is proud to honor and recognize the best Subaru retailer technicians in the country. Their dedication to our great brand helps bring our Love Promise to life for our Subaru owners," said Jeff Walters, president and COO, Subaru of America. "A special congratulations to our winner, James Pedicone, who proved to be a winner among winners! We look forward to seeing what he accomplishes on a world level at the Subaru International Technician Competition next year in Tokyo, Japan."
The competition, held at Subaru of America's U.S. headquarters in Camden, NJ, presented challenges in three vehicle skill groups, each lasting about one hour, and were scored for accuracy, speed and service quality. The event included a written test on technical knowledge, and hands on challenges in the areas of precision measurement, engine performance/drivability and body electrical. The top Subaru technicians from around the country were selected to compete and represent their respective geographic sales zones, based on their technical knowledge, Fixed Right First Time (FRFT) scores, Quality Monitoring Reports and ASE certification scoring.
The winner, Pedicone, has been a technician for more than 20 years. He began working on cars in high school and pursued technical training in the U.S. Army as a M1 Abrams tank mechanic. Upon completion of his service, he earned an associate's degree in automotive repair and pursued a career as an automotive technician. Pedicone is passionate about the work he does as a Subaru technician and strives to treat his customers with the best service possible. In his spare time, he enjoys trail running, cross-country skiing, mountain biking, camping, sailing and almost everything else outdoor adventure related. Pedicone also recently earned his bachelor's degree in business management.
As both a Zone Champion (Minneapolis) and first place winner, Pedicone will receive a cash prize of $1,500 and an all-expenses paid trip to Japan to compete in the Subaru World Technical Competition, representing the U.S., in 2024.
Second place honors went to Christopher Raymond of White's Mountain Subaru in Casper, WY, who received a $1,000 total prize, while Rolando Ramirez of Albany Subaru in Albany, CA, was awarded third place, receiving a $500 prize.
Full List of Zone Champions and Runners Up (in alphabetical order)
- Josh Arnold, Subaru of Corvallis, Corvallis, OR
- Robert Burden, West Herr Subaru, Orchard Park, NY
- Robert Faraci, Stanley Subaru, Ellsworth, ME
- Adam Fiala, Hello Subaru of Temecula, Temecula, CA
- Tom Huebner, Hawk Subaru, Plainfield, IL
- Brad Longtin, Cascade Subaru, Cuyahoga Falls, OH
- John Malone, R K Subaru, Virginia Beach, VA
- Michael McCartney, Stivers Decatur Subaru, Decatur, GA
- Matthew Moyer, Sendell Subaru, Greensburg, PA
- James Pedicone, Chilson Subaru, Eau Claire, WI
- Rolando Ramirez, Albany Subaru, Albany, CA
- Ethan Ransom, Austin Subaru, Austin, TX
- Christopher Raymond, White's Mountain Subaru, Casper, WY
- Jacob Rodin, Subaru of Daytona, Daytona Beach, FL
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, on average, about 67,700 new automotive service technicians and mechanics are needed each year to keep up with demand and help offset the loss of retirees and those leaving the industry. In 2016, to address the ever-increasing need for qualified technicians at retailer service centers, Subaru of America established Subaru University, also called Subaru-U.
Subaru-U is a partnership program dedicated to working with select National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) and Automotive Youth Educational Systems (AYES) secondary and post-secondary schools, along with Subaru retailers to develop future Subaru technician employees. Students can take basic training, or advance their previous training through web-based and instructor-led courses to gain the required knowledge to properly service Subaru vehicles. Learn more at subaru-u.com.
Abby Andrews