– Among Ryder’s 5,900 Techs Across North America and the U.K., 1,839
Competed in the Olympic-style Competition –
MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Ryder System, Inc. (NYSE: R), a leader in commercial fleet
management, dedicated
transportation, and supply
chain solutions, today announced that the 2017 Top Technician (Top
Tech) title and $50,000 cash prize have been awarded to Robert Gonzalez.
The Ryder Top Tech Recognition Program for North America, designed to
identify, recognize, and reward Ryder’s top performing truck maintenance
technicians, hosted its competition final at the Omni Nashville Hotel
and the Music City Center in Nashville, Tenn.
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The 2017 Ryder Top Tech winner Robert Gonzalez holding his $50,000 check alongside his wife Suzanne; President of Global Fleet Management Solutions Dennis Cooke; Vice President of Maintenance & Engineering/Top Tech Chair Bill Dawson; Senior Vice President & Global Chief of Operations Tom Havens; and Chairman & CEO Robert Sanchez. (Photo: Business Wire)
“This year, more than 1,800 of Ryder’s 5,900 maintenance technicians
from throughout North America and the United Kingdom competed regionally
to make it to the finals of our Top Tech competition,” said Robert
Sanchez, Ryder Chairman and CEO. “Congratulations to Robert Gonzalez for
earning this year’s Top Tech honor. The dedication Robert has shown to
his craft is inspiring, and it demonstrates why our customers trust
Ryder to provide unparalleled customer service and vehicle uptime they
can rely on. Our technicians’ hunger to keep learning, coupled with
their willingness to help others, is truly impressive and to be admired.”
After advancing through three increasingly demanding rounds of
challenging written and hands-on tests, six finalists, including Mr.
Gonzalez, competed for the top honors in the final competition:
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Christopher Barnett of Kentucky,
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Ken Bilyea of Canada,
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Rick Grivel of Arizona,
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Rick Morra of California, and
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Wyatt Stafford of Maine.
The Top Tech finalists went head to head in a series of 10 rigorous
hands-on skill tests, including vehicle electronics, preventive
maintenance, and air conditioning. Each station test and the overall
week-long event were made possible with the sponsor support of numerous
suppliers. Ryder’s techs are trained to perform maintenance and repairs
on a variety of vehicle brands and configurations, which enables the
Company to provide the greatest level of flexibility and uptime in the
industry.
In addition to a $10,000 cash prize, each finalist, along with their
guests, was treated to a week’s worth of fun, entertainment, and dining
in the heart of Music City. They embarked on tours of the city and
visited numerous notable locations, including the Jack Daniels
Distillery and Bluebird Café.
This was the first year that Ryder U.K. held a Top Tech Competition of
its own, so the 2017 Ryder U.K. winner Shaun Dixon was also invited to
attend this year’s North America event, along with Ryder U.K.’s “Best in
Class” apprentice Byron Hammond. Byron recently completed the Company’s
U.K. apprenticeship program, in which diesel technicians in training
shadow a seasoned Ryder technician at various Ryder shop locations in
the U.K. while attending college over a three-year period.
“Top Tech continues to serve as a valuable tool in developing the best
technicians in the industry,” said Dennis Cooke, President of Global
Fleet Management Solutions, Ryder. “We are extremely proud of the
program and all that it has accomplished over the years.”
Ryder’s annual Top Technician Recognition Program highlights the value
Ryder places on its technicians, the importance of technical training
for ensuring the quality maintenance of approximately 234,100 total
vehicles, and a commitment to quality customer service for Ryder’s lease
and maintenance customers. Eligible participants for the award were
selected from Ryder’s team of 5,900 U.S. and Canadian-based technicians
and were measured on technical training qualifications, outstanding
customer service performance, and quality workmanship.
To search for available technician positions in your area, click here.
Highlights of the week-long event can be found on Ryder’s Facebook,
Twitter,
and LinkedIn
pages. For event photos, email jennifer_a_hanlon@ryder.com.
About Ryder
Ryder is a FORTUNE 500® commercial fleet management, dedicated
transportation, and supply chain solutions company. Ryder’s stock
(NYSE:R) is a component of the Dow Jones Transportation Average and the
S&P MidCap 400® index. Ryder has been named among FORTUNE’s
World’s Most Admired Companies, and has been recognized for its
industry-leading practices in third-party logistics,
environmentally-friendly fleet and supply chain solutions, and
world-class safety and security programs. The Company is a proud member
of the American Red Cross Disaster Responder Program, supporting
national and local disaster preparedness and response efforts. For more
information, visit www.ryder.com,
and follow us on our Online
Newsroom and social media pages: Facebook,
LinkedIn,
Twitter,
Instagram,
and YouTube.
Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Certain statements
and information included in this news release are "forward-looking
statements" within the meaning of the Federal Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements
are based on our current plans and expectations and are subject to
risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Accordingly, these
forward-looking statements should be evaluated with consideration given
to the many risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and
events to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements
including those risks set forth in our periodic filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. New risks emerge from time to time.
It is not possible for management to predict all such risk factors or
to assess the impact of such risks on our business. Accordingly,
we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events, or otherwise.
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Source: Ryder System, Inc.