A Nebraska technician and shop owner was named Technician of the Year in conjunction with the recent Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX).

The expo’s annual AAPEX Service & Repair Awards recognize individual contributors for exceptional dedication across three categories: independent repair shop owners, service advisors and repair technicians.

The award program, now in its seventh year, accepts nominations from anyone in the automotive aftermarket. The winners are selected from a volunteer panel that scores each award application; the highest score in each category wins.

The Technician of the Year title belongs to Matt Wagg, the founder, owner and lead technician at Accelerated Diagnostic and Automotive, in Bennington, Nebraska. The award recognizes technical proficiency, extraordinary diagnostic skills and strict adherence to safety requirements.

“Receiving this award is one of the most prestigious honors and I feel it is a lifetime achievement for our profession,” Wagg told AAPEX said by email. “It really proves that all of the hard work, effort and dedication that we professional technicians put into what we do each day is recognized, valued and very rewarding.”

Wagg has served as a community college faculty member, a technical trainer for Caterpillar and holds 19 different ASE certifications, including as a Master Automobile Technician. When asked what advice he’d offer young people considering a career as an auto technician, he wrote:

“Focus on continued learning and development. With the rapid advancement of vehicle technologies across all vehicle systems, learning must never stop. We need people who are good critical thinkers, analytical and good problem solvers.” 

The Shop Owner of the Year award went to Bill Nalu of Interstate Auto Care, and the Service Advisor of the Year award was given to Mike Austin of Schearer’s Sales & Service.