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    Winners circle: Techs join Rush Truck Centers' elite family

    Dec. 13, 2017
    Rush Enterprises announced the winners of its 2017 Tech Skills Rodeo in San Antonio.

    SAN ANTONIO. It was Justin Euler of Rush Truck Center - St. Peters (MO) who won Rush Enterprises' Tech Skills Rodeo as overall grand champ this year, taking home $18,000 in cash and prizes. But all the finalists who make it to this competition become part of a family of sorts. 

    Think of it as an elaborate, more than $1 million event that's the keystone of an employee appreciation program at the largest commercial vehicle dealer group in North America. There's the allure of the competition, prizes and winnings, and the timing right before the holidays sure doesn't hurt.

    But the technicians that come here to Rush's corporate headquarters city for the event also spend time with the company's leadership and experience something else very unifying, and it's plain to see. About 70% of Rush's technician force tried out for the event this year, which is record participation.

    "It's such a special night," said W.M. "Rusty" Rush, president, CEO and board chairman of Rush Enterprises, at the awards ceremony Tuesday evening. "We have a culture; we're a family."

    Ask the company's leaders about it, and you'll hear that it's not just a perk but rather something integral and essential to the technician career at Rush. And if you come here in person, you'll be convinced — check out our full slideshow to see for yourself.

    Photo: Aaron Marsh / Fleet Owner
    Rush Truck Centers Tech Skills Rodeo 2017 awards
    The group of 2017 Tech Skills Rodeo winners pose for a photo with NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer of Stewart-Haas Racing (sixth from left in bottom row) and Rush Enterprises President, CEO and Chairman W.M. "Rusty" Rush.

    Here's the full list of the 2017 Tech Skills Rodeo winners:

    OVERALL GRAND CHAMPION

    Justin Euler, Rush Truck Center - St. Peters (MO)

    GRAND CHAMPIONS

    Aftermarket Sales: Tony Abbott, Rush Truck Center - Haines City (FL)
    Parts: Michael Lyles, Rush Truck Center - Phoenix
    Medium Duty: Justin Euler, Rush Truck Center - St. Peters (MO)
    Heavy Duty:  Erick Lincoln, Rush Truck Center - Albuquerque

    RESERVE GRAND CHAMPIONS

    Aftermarket Sales: Gary Gates, Rush Truck Center - Houston
    Parts: David Zainfeld, Rush Truck Center - Houston
    Medium Duty: Travis Graham, Rush Truck Center - Orlando
    Heavy Duty: Jason Swann, Rush Truck Center - Dallas

    HEAVY DUTY

    Navistar
    1st place: Dylan Moser, Rush Truck Center - Richmond
    2nd place: Maciej Gal, Rush Truck Center - Chicago
    3rd place: Andrew Frieling, Rush Truck Center - Joliet (IL) 

    Vocational
    1st place: Carl Trevino, Custom Vehicle Solutions - Denton (TX)
    2nd place: Travis Webster, Rush Truck Center - Houston Northwest

    PACCAR MX
    1st place: Glenn Boothe, Rush Truck Center - Nashville
    2nd place: Johnny Mendez, Rush Truck Center - San Antonio
    3rd place: Eduardo Gutierrez, Rush Truck Center - Phoenix

    Cummins
    1st place: Michael Jones, Rush Truck Center - Tucson
    2nd place: Erick Lincoln, Rush Truck Center - Albuquerque
    3rd place: Wesley Appleton, Rush Truck Center - Odessa (TX) 

    Alternative Fuels
    1st place: Matt Chilson, Rush Truck Center - Houston Northwest
    2nd place: Gonzalo Uribe, Rush Truck Center - Fontana (CA) Vocational Services 

    Eaton
    1st place: Jason Swann, Rush Truck Center - Dallas
    2nd place: Sylvester Chandler, Rush Truck Center - Dallas
    3rd place: Pieter Dezwart, Rush Truck Center - Doraville (GA) 

    MEDIUM DUTY

    Bus
    1st place: Derrick Kollin, Rush Truck Center - Cincinnati
    2nd place: Barry Thompson, Rush Bus Center - Dallas 

    Hino
    1st place: Steven Brain, Rush Truck Center - Dallas Medium Duty
    2nd place: Billy Stanley, Rush Truck Center - Houston

    International
    1st place: Justin Euler, Rush Truck Center - St. Peters (MO)
    2nd place: Tom Hamilton, Rush Truck Center - Smyrna (GA)

    Isuzu
    1st place: Mark Smith, Rush Truck Center - Doraville (GA)
    2nd place: Kory Sangster, Rush Truck Center - Dallas Light and Medium Duty

    Peterbilt
    1st place: Travis Graham, Rush Truck Center - Orlando
    2nd place: Louis Fontano, Rush Truck Center - Fontana (CA)

    PARTS

    1st place, Ford: Timothy Howard, Rush Truck Center - Las Vegas
    1st place, Peterbilt: Michael Lyles, Rush Truck Center - Phoenix
    1st place, International: Tom Murray, Rush Truck Center - Gary (IN)
    1st place, Isuzu: John O'Brien, Rush Truck Center - Orlando South
    1st place, Hino: David Zainfeld, Rush Truck Center - Houston

    RISING STARS
    1st place: Peter Smith, Rush Truck Center - Lima (OH)
    2nd place: Kyle Phaneuf, Rush Truck Center - Phoenix
    3rd place: Todd Kunke, Rush Truck Center - Idaho Falls (ID) 

    COLLISION

    Body Repair
    1st place: Larry Edwards, Rush Truck Center - Richmond
    2nd place: Luis Gonzalez, Rush Truck Center - Dallas 

    Paint
    1st place: Matthew Hicks, Rush Truck Center - Oklahoma City
    2nd place: Angel Gallegos Elizando, Rush Truck Center - Phoenix

    About the Author

    Aaron Marsh

    Before computerization had fully taken hold and automotive work took someone who speaks engine, Aaron grew up in Upstate New York taking cars apart and fixing and rewiring them, keeping more than a few great jalopies (classics) on the road that probably didn't deserve to be. He spent a decade inside the Beltway covering Congress and the intricacies of the health care system before a stint in local New England news, picking up awards for both pen and camera.

    He wrote about you-name-it, from transportation and law and the courts to events of all kinds and telecommunications, and landed in trucking when he joined FleetOwner in July 2015. Long an editorial leader, he was a keeper of knowledge at FleetOwner ready to dive in on the technical and the topical inside and all-around trucking—and still turned a wrench or two. Or three. 

    Aaron previously wrote for FleetOwner. 

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