The Automotive Industry Planning Council (AIPC) National Selection Committee has named North Iowa Area Community College the 2004 National Winner for the prestigious ASE Automotive Award of Excellence.

"We’re thrilled to earn national recognition for our top-notch Automotive Service Technology program," Dr. Michael Morrison, NIACC President, said. "This award signifies the high quality education that NIACC students receive."

NIACC will receive a special award from ASE and be recognized at the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) Convention later this year in Las Vegas, Nevada. The program will also receive additional training materials from the automotive industry.

The initial process to become ASE certified was completed on a five-year timetable, working on one section at a time, checking requirements, and evaluating progress. A key component of the process was NIACC’s Automotive Service Technology Advisory Board.

"Achieving ASE certification requires a great deal of work," Tom Hovland, NIACC Automotive Service Technology Advisory Board Chair, said. "To take it to the next level and earn the ASE Automotive Award of Excellence is unbelievable. It means NIACC has been chosen as the top program among the best of the best in the country."

The ASE Automotive Award of Excellence requires a competitive and rigorous application process. Candidates are judged on the quality of their automotive program, recruitment methods, entrance requirements, assessment methods, courses, advisory committee involvement, budget/financial management, instructional equipment, faculty and staff qualifications, professional development, facilities, student services, and student satisfaction.

NIACC Automotive Service Technology is a NATEF/ASE Master Certified program and is led by ASE Certified instructors Greg Arrowood, Rob Heimbuch, and Jack Rohde. The program has experienced a 100 percent placement rate for eight of the last eleven years.

In 2001, the program was selected as the National Runner-Up for the ASE Automotive Award of Excellence. NIACC’s Automotive Service Technology program also won the State of Iowa award in 2001, 2002, and 2004.

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For more information, contact the Marketing and Community Relations Department
North Iowa Area Community College, 500 College Drive, Mason City, Iowa  50401
422-4295 or 1-888-GO NIACC, ext. 4295
www.niacc.edu