Pub. 1 2019 Issue 2

N umber 131 reads on the bottom of Andre Babin’s plaque recognizing him as only the 131st technician in the country to be named a Kenworth Truck Master Technician. Babin, who works for New England Kenworth at its corporate headquarters in Concord is very quiet about this achievement. He is the first technician in the company’s 100-year history to achieve this major milestone. “He may be number 131 in the country, but to our organi- zation, he’s right there at the top, setting the standard for younger technicians coming up behind him”, said MaryBeth Alosa, Successor and General Manager of the Concord based dealership group. “We are so very proud of Andre, he’s worked extremely hard to earn what I would consider to be the ‘Ph.D.’ in our industry”. For Babin, the process of achieving this herculean task spanned two years and comprehensive knowledge (both online and classroom based) of Kenworth Truck basic systems, engine (both Kenworth’s proprietary engine, the MX engine as well Cummins engines), the chassis com- ponents, transmission, all electronics including on board diagnostics (OBD), HVAC, and alternative fuels which include compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquid natural gas (LNG). This is not simply knowing the what and where regarding these components but how to diagnose issues and rectify them to reduce downtime and keep customers up and running. “I wanted to be in the top 100, Babin said, but some of the courses were not offered at certain times, so I had to wait, but it’s ok, I’ll take 131”. What makes this story even more compelling, is that Babin came to this country from the Ukraine in the late 1990’s. He came over to the United States with his wife, and two three-month-old babies, not knowing a word of the English language. He hails from a family of musicians, but his desire was to work and work hard to support his family. He and his wife had friends in the Manchester area and when he asked them what job he could do to make the most money in America, his friend suggested he become a doctor or a lawyer. Babin asked how long that would take and when he found out, he gestured that he had no time for that. One thing led to another and he ended up in the trucking industry working for a national coast to coast freight carrier. Every week he would leave Boston, MA and drive across the country to Los Angeles, CA and back again. Life on the road can be a solitary one, and for someone who is single and wants to see the country, there is no better job, but Babin was missing the time away from his family and he wanted to be back in New Hampshire full time. The reces- sion of 2008 hit and hit hard, upon his return to New Hamp- shire he was having a difficult time finding work of any kind. Then, as things happen, one night he was headed south on I-93 through Concord and his wife called him to tell him the Kenworth Dealer in Concord was looking for technicians. Babin was just passing Exit 13, he slid over to the right and was able to take the exit which landed him essentially in the yard of New England Kenworth on Hall Street. He walked into the service department and asked to speak to the manager about the technician position. While he had no formal training, his long-haul experience and having to learn his own maintenance on the road, the service man- ager who was with the company at the time decided to take a gamble, and said “If you are willing to learn, we are willing to teach you”. The rest is history. Babin has been with New England Kenworth now for over ten years and has met or exceeded every challenge given to him. Since joining the team at New England Kenworth, Babin expressed his appreciation for being able to work for the fourth-gener- ation family business. “It is so much better than working for a large corporation. At New England Kenworth, you are treated like family”. When asked about his achievements, Service Manager Carl Potter says of Babin, “One of the extremely unique qualities that Andre possesses is his ability to absorb information, execute what he has learned, and at the same time he remains a quiet and soft-spoken technician. If he hits a road block during a repair he simply and quietly pursues another path to solve the issue”. Potter continued, “he is always will- ing to assist any other technician who may need a hand, and is an outstanding mentor for our younger technicians with regard to knowledge, demeanor and work ethic." Babin reflected and became a bit philosophical when asked what advice he would offer to technicians who are consid- ering entering the Master Technician program. “I’m always moving forward in whatever I do. It doesn’t matter if I’m fixing a truck or writing a piece of music. When asked what advice he would pass down to younger technicians coming up in the field, Babin said, “To reach the Master Technician level, do not be afraid of the difficult things, in the end, they will make you a better technician and a better person, and that’s what it’s all about right?" NUMBER 131 “To reach the Master Technician level, do not be afraid of the difficult things, in the end, they will make you a better technician and a better person, and that’s what it’s all about right?" N E W H A M P S H I R E 25