Generationally Speaking – July/August 2015
See what makes us different … and the same!
In this issue, we feature the father-son team of Denny and Jacob Mandeville of Canyon Automotive in Sedona, Ariz. Denny is the owner of the shop and the lead technician, while Jacob works as an apprentice technician.
Ron Haugen
Baby Boomer
What is one piece of advice your parents gave you that still sticks with you today?
Hard work never killed anybody.
What is the best decision you have ever made?
Marrying Jenny, who took me to a higher level of being a decent human being.
Drink of choice?
Ice tea.
How did you get into the automotive service business?
I was the kid who was always taking things apart to see how they worked (and my dad told me, “with varying degrees of success putting them back together”).
Best vacation you’ve ever had?
Vacation? Mmm … does it count as a vacation going home for funerals?
What do you drive?
A 1999 F250SD, 7.3 with 350,000+ miles.
If you had a free weekend by yourself, what would you do?
Either yard work or remodeling my home.
What piece of advice would you give a young person who is graduating from high school today?
Don’t be hounded into college for college’s sake. Trade schools and apprenticeships are perfectly honorable. Just be the best, because when you’re the best, you’ll always have a job.
What do you like most about your work?
The challenge of repairing the mechanical beast. In my shop, I get the hard ones.
What is one thing you wish you knew how to do?
Be as computer literate as my wife and my kids.
Speaking on behalf of your generation, how do you see the future of the industry?
? The future of this industry is going to be women. They think differently than men and are better at computer-controlled system diagnosis.
Jacob Mandeville, Generation X
What is one piece of advice your parents gave you that still sticks with you today?
Pray, always, and pay an honest tithe.
What is the best decision you have ever made?
Becoming a husband and father and then joining the Army.
Drink of choice?
Rockstar Recovery Lemonade
How did you get into the automotive service business?
My father started his business in 1987, and I shadowed him, sweeping floors, etc. … for a long time.
Best vacation you have ever been on?
I enjoy spending time at home with my family.
What do you drive?
A 2001 Ford Taurus and a 2006 Chrysler Town & Country.
If you had a free weekend by yourself, what would you do?
Catch up on some sleep, clean up the house, go target shooting, maybe watch a movie.
What piece of advice would you give a young person who is graduating from high school today?
Invest in yourself, your future and your savings account.
What do you like most about your work?
I like the challenges of learning new technology that’s evolving in the industry.
What is one thing you wish you knew how to do?
I wish I had a better grasp of the basics so I could improve on the more challenging aspects of this industry.
Speaking on behalf of your generation, how do you see the future of the industry?
I fear that the technical skills and dedication to this craft, and others, are going to fade away as fewer young people attempt to better themselves.
