This week, we cover grand openings and a contest winner.

Surf Thru Express Car Wash adds two locations

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — According to a company press release, Surf Thru Express Car Wash recently announced the opening of two new express exterior locations.

Surf Thru opened a new location in Chico, California, continued the press release, at 2573 Esplanade on Feb. 13th, and another at 2050 Pyramid Way in Sparks, Nevada, outside of Reno.

The opening of these two locations extends Surf Thru’s footprint in the western U.S. to 19 locations, with many additional sites under construction and in planning, stated the release.

Todd Gall of Surf Thru said, “We’re excited about our growth, it was certainly a challenge to open two locations in the same week, but our fantastic team did a great job of making the openings go smoothly.”

Richardson wins 2018 Full Throttle Tech U™ Training & Rewards contest

HOUSTON — According to a press release, Jeremy Richardson, the manager of the Speed Lube #2 store on East Pershing Rd. in Decatur, Illinois, was the runaway winner of the 2018 Full Throttle Tech U™ Training & Rewards contest sponsored by ITW Professional Automotive Products. Richardson finished third the previous two years.

For his efforts, Richardson collected the grand prize of $10,000, the release stated.

During the year-long contest, he sold a Full Throttle® Fuel System Cleaner or GDI+2 Fuel System Cleaning Service to more than 2,400 of his customers, which represents 16 percent of the total amount of cars that his store serviced last year, according to the release.

“I attribute the success we had with this contest to being extremely consistent with the service we offer and carry out for our customers,” said Richardson, who has worked at Speed Lube for 10 years, the last seven and a half years as a manager. “I am an extremely competitive person and after coming close the previous two years, we made it a point to get all the guys on the same page for this contest.”

ITW Professional Automotive Products developed and introduced the contest in 2016 as part of a comprehensive training program for service advisors and technicians involved in the quick lube business, noted the release.

The national Tech U Training and Rewards program is free and consists of six courses: Fuel System, Oil System, Transmission, Cooling System, Power Steering System and Wiper Blades.

During the program, which was expanded last year, contestants could earn more rewards on oil system cleaners, oil and transmission additives and power steering fluids, explained the release.

“Employee turnover rates are normally high in the quick lube business,” remarked Joe Farr, director of sales-Quick Lube/WD for ITW Professional Automotive Products. “A training and rewards program of this caliber works to help reduce those rates because technicians see the positive results from their efforts. They can leverage their training and it becomes easier to properly educate and recommend services to their customers.”

According to the press release, Donatto De Leon, the 2017 champion who works for The Oil Well store finished second and Jorge Lacayo of Jiffy Lube placed third.

Jeremy Richardson (center) of Speed Lube in Decatur, Illinois, was the runaway winner of the 2018 Full Throttle Tech U Training & Rewards contest. Presenting the check to him is, from left, Carl Muench, Speed Lube president, and Sergio Dimichino, eastern regional manager for ITW Professional Automotive Products.