TECHNICIAN TUESDAY: Jon Brawdy

For this week’s Technician Tuesday, we headed over to West Herr KIA to meet long time Technician, Jon Brawdy. Jon has been on Team West Herr for over twenty-five years now!

When talking to Jon about starting in the automotive industry, he mentions the main reason he got into it was because of his dad. His dad owned a truck, but needed help on maintaining and doing repairs, so that’s where Jon stepped in. He was mostly self-taught but really took an interest in the craft and knew he wanted to peruse it as a career. Jon went to a Vocational School for diesel and welding and knew from the start that this is what he wanted to do with his life.

Since the beginning, Jon has always been at our West Herr KIA store, and he plans on staying. He says it was just the right place & right time. There happened to be an opening when he was looking, and he jumped at the opportunity.

Over the twenty-five years, Jon says there are far too many memories to recount. One thing he adds is how he’s been treated over the years. “I’ve always been treated well; that’s the main thing. That’s why I keep hanging around,” Jon jokes.

Over the last few decades or so, Jon has seen a lot of change in the automotive industry. He says the most rapid change is the technology in the cars. “It seems to change every year. Just when you think you got something down, they change it on you,” Jon jokes.

Prior to starting his career at West Herr, Jon worked at a rental car company as a Mechanic for about twenty years. He mentioned when he approached twenty years, he realized that he needed a change of pace. That is where he found himself finding the opportunity at West Herr!

When asking Jon about his hobbies outside of work, he simply answers, cars! He says he has a couple of classic cars that keep him busy. He loves working on his ’58 Cadillac and his ’69 GMC pickup. He says he is working on fixing up the interior on his Cadillac and jokes that it seems to be a never-ending project. He enjoys showing them in shows from time to time, especially in North Carolina because his son lives there! Jon has family all over the country including Texas, Tennessee, Western New York and even Canada!

In the twenty-five years Jon has been at West Herr, he’s crossed paths with so many people that he’s enjoyed working with. There are two people specifically that Jon wanted to shout out. Rich DiPaolo, who was at one time the Service Manager for West Herr Kia, is now at our West Herr Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM of Lockport store! “If I had an issue, he always took care of me,” Jon says. He also wanted to shout out one of his fellow Technicians, Dwayne Hogencamp. Dwayne has been at West Herr Kia for almost twenty years now, and Jon says they lean on each other for any help they might need!

We are so thankful for the twenty-five years of hard work and dedication that Jon has provided to Team West Herr. Keep up the amazing work, Jon. We are so lucky to have you!