Dec. 6, 2022—Automotive technician Daniel McCrum of CarMax in Gulfport, MS was named TechForce Foundation's 2022 Techs Rock Awards Grand Prize Winner, the organization announced in a press release. Along with McCrum, five other techs were honored with $17,500-plus in prizes.
The award honors professional technicians who mentor the next generation of techs and who infuse the industry with passion and excellence. As the grand prize winner, McCrum will receive more than $10,000 in total prizes from TechForce, Advance Auto Parts, AutoZone, Caliber, Cengage Learning, CRC Industries, Ford Motor Company, Snap-on Industrial and WD-40 Company. He will also get an all-expenses-paid trip to STX 2024 in Orlando, Florida.
The complete list of 2022 Category Winners includes:
- Barrier Buster - Daniel McCrum, Carmax. Recognizes a passionate and resilient technician
- Die Hard - Joshua Ferrantino, Rodman Ford. Recognizes industry superfans who live, breathe, sleep, and thrive in their career.
- Outstanding Mentor - Frank Mendoza, Flow Nissan & NASCAR Technical Institute. Recognizes techs who bring up, the next generation of techs.
- Pay it Forward - Zachary Carlsen, Northern Auto Repair. Recognizes technicians for community advocacy.
- Rookie of the Year - Kael Gortat, Carmax. Recognizes up-and-coming techs with fewer than two years’ of professional experience.
