Bridgestone Retail Operations (BSRO), a subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas, announced Andrew Richards as the company’s 2023 Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Master Technician of the year. Richards was recently honored at an awards ceremony held by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence.
After graduating from Houston-based Universal Technical Institute, Richards joined a Firestone Complete Auto Care store in Arlington, Tex., as a maintenance tech in 2012. Since then, he has remained committed to enhancing his skills as a technician, achieving both his ASE master certification and L1 certification. Now as a lead technician, Richards said he enjoys sharing his knowledge with new technicians and serving as a mentor to those beginning their careers. He also volunteers with the National Stuttering Association, helping people with stuttering challenges speak openly in group settings and develop their public presentation skills.
ASE Technician of the Year honorees are submitted by their employers based on criteria including ASE test scores, on-the-job performance and community activities. Each year, BSRO considers teammates from its more than 2,200 retail locations in the U.S. that operate under the brand names Firestone Complete Auto Care, Tires Plus, Hibdon Tires Plus and Wheel Works.
