Vanessa McAleese was recently named a Technician of Influence as one of the top technicians in Navistar’s network in North America – a first for any Dawson International Truck Centres (DITC) employee.
“It’s very cool to hear you’ve won something like this. I won’t shy away from the honour – I am just happy to continue doing my job,” said McAleese, who has been with Dawson International Truck Centres for 12 years.
Management nominated McAleese to Navistar in August and she was entered into a pool with nominees from more than 700 International Trucks dealerships across North America.
“I chose Dawson coming out of school because I heard plenty of good things about the company and how family-focused they are. They have provided me with opportunities to advance my skills over the years and it has paid off,” said McAleese, who now has Red Seal certification, is Diamond certified and is a certified Cummins engine technician. “I also liked that they were a dealership and there is an emphasis on getting us educated instead of cranking out as many jobs as possible.”
McAleese came to DITC in 2011 when our Kelowna location was previously known as Cookson Motors Ltd. In 2018, she transferred down to our DITC location in Penticton to be closer to her mother. Last spring, when the Penticton shop closed their doors, she decided to return to her original bay on Gordon Drive in Kelowna, to everyone’s delight.
“I couldn’t have been more thrilled with her decision to come back to Kelowna,” said Steve Pearce, Kelowna’s Service Manager. “I’ve known her since before she started her apprenticeship and you could tell she had the right mentality for the job. She is very skilled and one of the hardest workers I know. I remember she replaced a clutch on a Volvo back at my previous job. The clutch is a tough job that takes at least a day. She managed to get the transmission out in five hours and I thought, ‘wow, she is going to be great at this.”
Growing up, McAleese always had an interest in running machines. She figured if she wanted to keep them running, she eventually needed to learn how to fix them. Her preference was to stay local and work on commercial transport rather than heavy duty equipment.
“What I enjoy about this job is that everyday presents new challenges. I love diagnosing trucks and figuring out how to fix them. I’m never pigeonholed into anything and I don’t do the same things twice,” said McAleese.
If you have a passion for mechanics or the transportation industry, chase your dreams with Dawson International Truck Centres by visiting our Careers page for all the latest postings.