Moving Up

Congratulations to our Nissan SCOPE & Infiniti KEI Masters

Steve Beaman

Nissan SCOPE Master Technician

Columbia Nissan

Longview, WA

Steve Beaman’s advice for technicians looking to become Master Technicians is to get all of their ASE certifications first. Beaman began his technician career in 1978 after graduating from Sequoia Automotive. After graduation, he started as a lube tech at a Datsun dealership. He has been with Nissan almost his entire career.

“CIII-plus is awesome. I use it daily,” Steve says.

Beaman says his dealership gets a lot of fleet business from the state of Washington. They require four sets of keys be registered for each vehicle, without CIII-plus this would be very difficult.

When asked what being a Master Tech means to him, Beaman stated certification gives him confidence that customers will be satisfied with his ability to properly repair their vehicle.

James Sheppard

Nissan SCOPE Master Technician

Hunt Nissan

Chattanooga, TN

Deciding on a career path as an automotive technician was a natural choice for James Sheppard. He began his career in 1991 after graduating from Technical Career Institute. Sheppard has been working on Nissans at various dealerships his entire career.

Becoming a Master Tech has been a longtime desire for Sheppard. First, James had to find the time for all the training involved in becoming a Master Tech. “Once I was given the time for training becoming a Master Tech just happened.”

Asked what he enjoys most about the job, Sheppard says he likes the camaraderie among the service department techs. “We all help each other when one of us has a difficult repair,” he said.

James said the owner takes care of his employees and makes the dealership a great place to work, which is why he has been there so long with no plans to leave.

Jerry Tharp

Nissan SCOPE Master Technician

Kerry Nissan Inc.

Florence, KY

Master Technician Jerry Tharp believes in hands-on learning. “There is more to do than just reading a book. The books don’t tell you how to deal with rusty bolts,” Jerry explained.

When Tharp was 12 years old, he would look out a window and wait for his neighbor to come outside and pop the hood. “As soon as I saw that hood pop open on his car, I was out that door in a flash trying to help,” he said, laughing.

Jerry’s favorite hobby is restoring his 1957 Chevy with his two younger boys. This Master Tech has been working for Nissan for 10 years. When asked about the Nissan brand, he had one word to describe it: “innovative.”

Tharp enjoys helping new technicians as much as he can. “The kids who want to be technicians need to take as many electrical classes as possible,” he said. “They’ll need to stay up to date electronic systems!”

Pascal Nachimson

Nissan SCOPE Master Technician

Town City Nissan

Kennesaw, GA

“Satisfaction guaranteed” is the motto for this Master Technician. Pascal Nachimson, who lives in northern Georgia, has been a technician for 21 years. His advice for anyone interested in becoming a technician is simple: “Get yourself into a Automotive Technology Trade school.”

Pascal works hard during the week, but when Saturday comes around, he brings a special person to the shop. “Every Saturday, I bring my daughter into the shop for some quality bonding time,” he stated.

Nachimson is a quiet man who keeps to himself. His hobbies are hunting, fishing and anything to do with motorcycles. When asked what he thought about the Nissan brand, he said: “Nissan is a great brand; they are just incredibly reliable vehicles.”

Razzaq Wali

Nissan SCOPE Master Technician

Go Nissan Arapahoe

Centennial, CO

Master Technician Razzaq Wali started his career as a technician 17 years ago. “I worked on remote-control cars as a kid, trying to make them go faster, but when I saw ‘Smokey and the Bandit,’ I knew I wanted to be a technician.” When Wali first started out as a lube tech for Firestone, he was very nervous. “The first time I saw a wiring diagram, I was scared,” he stated. Razzaq got over his fear of wiring diagrams and had this advice for newcomers: “You really have to build up your electrical skills in this day and age.”

When he is not working hard in the shop, Razzaq is on the hunt for a 1978 Trans Am to restore with his 10-year-old son. He also has been going on rides with his daughter, who just received her driving permit. “After driving with my daughter, I truly know what anxiety feels like,” he said with a chuckle.

When asked what he thought about the Nissan brand, Wali had this to say: “My favorite vehicle is the Pathfinder, but all the vehicles have a smooth ride and are very luxurious.”

Travis Moorhouse

Nissan SCOPE Master Technician

Billion Automotive Sioux City

Sioux City, IA

Travis Moorhouse bleeds Nissan. “Only vehicles allowed in my garage at home are Nissans,” he said. Travis and his wife own Nissan vehicles. “My wife has a 2012 CUBE and I have a 2013 Sentra SR. Travis has some very interesting hobbies. He enjoys paintball and is a part of a ghost-hunting team. When asked about the scariest unexplained event or encounter he’s witnessed, he said: “slamming doors.”

Moorhouse has wanted to be a technician since he was 16 years old. His first job was a lube tech for GM. Now that he is a Master Tech, he really enjoys friendly competition with the other technicians. “We are always challenging each other, but it’s all in fun.”

Travis’s favorite Nissan vehicle is the CUBE. “I love that little car. It’s so unique,” he said. When he was asked why he is so in love with the Nissan brand, he had a simple, one-word reply: “quality.”

Carlos Zabala

Nissan SCOPE Master Technician

Harrisonburg Nissan, Inc.

Harrisonburg, VA

Carlos Zabala considers himself to be a very dedicated technician. “I like details,” he said. “I like the customer to be happy, I don’t like comebacks. The only way to keep the customer coming back is to fix it right the first time.”

Zabala’s journey to becoming a Master Technician started almost 30 years ago in the Dominican Republic. Carlos said, “I worked on Nissan vehicles, BMW’s, Saab’s and others. The basic functions are similar.”

Carlos likes to work on the whole car from bumper to bumper, but particularly enjoys the electronic part of repairing vehicles. “I get to use my mind,” said Carlos, “I love those jobs.”

Master Technician Carlos Zabala used to play baseball in his home country and still enjoys watching sports. He also likes to play double-six and double-nine dominoes.

Kevin Petaway

Nissan SCOPE Master Technician

Cowles Nissan

Woodbridge, VA

Kevin Petaway started repairing cars as a hobby. “I just like working on cars,” he said.

Kevin worked on cars in the high school shop and then went on to an aftermarket shop before going to work at Cowles Nissan. He said Nissan’s training is the most in depth and has helped his career the most. Recently, Kevin attended new model training for the 2013 Sentra and Pathfinder. Petaway works from bumper to bumper without a preference for vehicle or type of repair. His motto is, “I just get it done.”

Kevin spends his spare time racing cars. The vehicle he just sold ran the quarter mile in the high nines. “I’ve been thinking of getting into road racing,” he said. “Drag racing is fun, but quick.”

Todd Cahill

Nissan SCOPE Master Technician

Gurley-Leep Nissan

Mishawaka, IN

Master Tech Todd Cahill has always been fascinated with cars. While still in high school, Cahill spent two years at a vocational school to study automotive technology. Shortly after high school graduation, he continued his passion for automobiles by attending UTI. Todd has spent his entire technician career at Nissin and Infiniti dealerships.

Specializing in drivability diagnostics, Cahill has the opportunity to use the CIII-plus tool on a daily basis. He said CIII-plus is a better version of CONSULT-III and is much easier to navigate. When asked about his thoughts on the new technology Nissan is putting into its vehicles Todd stated: “I’m always intrigued with new technology. LEAF is a good vehicle, and it’s cool that Nissan has the best mass-produced electric vehicle on the market.”

Outside of work, Cahill enjoys spending time with his family and racing his super charged F-150 SVT Lighting.

Paul Serrano

Nissan SCOPE Master Technician

ABC Nissan

Phoenix, AZ

When asked how he became interested in repairing cars, Paul Serrano said, “I’ve been fooling around with vehicles since I was a kid. I started working on go carts.”

After high school, Paul went to the Phoenix Institute of Technology to learn more about vehicle repairs. He then worked in a Texaco gas station for a period of time. From there, Serrano worked at independent repair shops for about 10 years before going to work for the Nissan dealership.

Paul trains newer technicians at the Nissan dealership where he’s worked for the last 21 years. Serrano’s advice to the newer technicians is, “Keep an open mind. Always learn. Stay on top of everything. Nissan’s Virtual Academy is a big help.”

Paul never stopped working on cars; in fact, one of his hobbies today is repairing old cars. Serrano also loves to go to the lake to ski in the summertime.

Stephen Slowik

Nissan SCOPE Master Technician

Habberstad Nissan

Huntington Station, NY

Stephen Slowik said, “I started working with classic cars,” when asked why he became a technician, after that, he worked for independents from 1980 until 1999. “Around that time it became too hard to fix the cars right the first time because the independent garage did not have the right tools or information.”

In his spare time, Slowik raced cars with Skip Barber until it got too expensive. Currently when Stephen is not at the dealership, he shows his award-winning classic cars in area car shows.

In 1999, Slowik went to work for a Nissan dealership because, “The cars were well made. The dealership diagnostic capabilities were better because they had the information and the tools.” Stephen has been with Nissan ever since.

Slowik calls TECH LINE a couple times per month. “They are very helpful, especially on the new vehicles such as the Altima and the Pathfinder,” he said. Stephen likes working on engines and electronic systems. His advice to new technicians: “Take your time and do it right the first time, or you won’t like it when it comes back.”

Matthew Piscione

Infiniti KEI Master Technician

Dreyer & Reinbold Infiniti

Indianapolis, IN

Being part of an elite group of hardworking technicians who are recognized as being the best of the best is what being a Master Tech means to Matthew Piscione. Becoming a Master Tech takes a lot of hard work and dedication, but it was worth every bit it, Matthew says.

Piscione says becoming an automotive technician has been a life passion since he was in high school. It was just a logical step.

Matthew attended Lincoln Technical Institute after high school. He started as a tech with Nissan after graduation and has been at the same dealership ever since.

Piscione enjoys learning new technology and how it’s incorporated into the vehicle.

“Anyone interested in becoming a Master Tech should get familiar with electronics and electrical systems” is Piscione’s advice to technicians pursuing a career and success.

Arnold Seko

Infiniti KEI Master Technician

Hoehn Infiniti

Carlsbad, CA

This 31-year automotive technician veteran remembers when Nissan offered only a few models. Master Tech and shop foreman Arnold Seko is glad to see what the Nissan brand has grown into.

Helping customers is what Arnold enjoys most about his job. He gets a good feeling when customers come back to see him because of the trust and confidence he’s instilled. Some customers have been coming to him for 24 years.

Seko is the main contact between the dealership and TECH LINE. He says all the guys at TECH LINE are helpful, and he appreciates their support and continuous efforts to reduce hold times. Seko is also impressed when the guys at TECH LINE call him back to follow up on a problem vehicle.

Jeffery Delong

Infiniti KEI Master Technician

Infiniti of Kirkland

Kirkland, WA

“I’ve always been a tinkerer,” said Jeffery Delong, KEI Master Technician. “My mom told me that there was not a toy or gadget in the house that didn’t get taken apart and put back together — and to her amazement, they all still worked!”

Jeffery is still figuring out how to take things apart, fix them and put them back together. He recently took apart a discarded HomeLink™ mirror, found out where the circuit board attached, and wired it up so it could plug into a cigarette-style power outlet. This made it a standalone HomeLink™ mirror, which he carries with him and uses in any car he happens to be driving.

“I’ve learned how to dissect service manuals so I can get to the information I’ll need to solve vehicle incidents and customer concerns,” he said.

This learned ability recently helped Delong figure out an unusual intermittent vehicle repair incident that another technician had given up on trying to fix. A customer arrived at the dealership with a 2011 M car that had the peculiar incident occurring of the radio shutting off every time the door closed hard. After studying the wiring diagram for more than an hour to figure out the cause, Delong repaired the vehicle in 15 minutes. The customer apparently had the windows tinted, and during that process, water got into a connector, which Jeffrey disconnected and dried out.

In his spare time when Delong is not taking something apart, he and his dog hike through the Cascade mountains.

Dave Capalbo

Nissan SCOPE Master Technician

Fort Wayne Nissan

Fort Wayne, IN

The journey Dave Capalbo took to become a Master Technician began 22 years ago when he went to trade school to become a machinist. After trade school, Dave became a technician at an independent shop for a dozen years. For the last 10 years, Capalbo has worked at the Nissan dealership.

Dave prefers the hands-on approach to learning. “The training between the shop and attending actual classes helped me the most,” he said.

Capalbo also refers to the ASIST, ESM and TSBs daily to learn if new information is available to help make proper repairs. “I really like the electronic wiring diagrams, but not all vehicles have them,” he said.

Engine mechanical repairs are Dave’s favorite, which is what you might expect from a person with a machinist’s background.

Capalbo spends his spare time with his family and two children. He also loves to spend his free time tinkering with, riding and repairing motorcycles.

Dave currently is training two newer technicians. His advice to them is: “Be on time, well rested and ready to work.”