After donating two vehicles to Wilson Tech’s auto body repair program, two State Farm employees visited with Tech students to see the repairs underway. Discussing the damage to the 2004 Mazda 6S are (l. to r.) Mandell Smith, State Farm agent; Brad Amendola of Deer Park; Brian Greenzang, Estimatics Team Manager; Joseph Aveline of Northport; Dylan Courtemarche of Commack; Miguel Aybar of Deer Park; and Stephen Rizzuto, Tech instructor.
After State Farm Insurance donated a 2009 Pontiac G6 GT and a 2004 Mazda 6S to Wilson Tech’s auto body repair classes, the company recently sent two representatives to speak to students about automotive careers at State Farm.
Brian Greenzang, State Farm Estimatics Team Manager, spoke about the importance of having technical auto body repair skills for many jobs within the company and how the company pays employees for college or technical education. Mandell Smith, a State Farm agent with his own business, explained how State Farm has many career opportunities from appraisers to adjusters to sales agents. Students asked about entry-level positions with the company and were told there were various routes a young person could take within State Farm.
“I was eager for students to understand the electronics and the airbag systems on these newer model cars and I wanted them to learn to use the machine Tech has to straighten auto frames damaged in accidents,” said Stephen Rizzuto, the Tech instructor.
After the students realized that the frames were not severely damaged, however, they wanted to see if they could repair all the body damage.
Although Rizzuto did not have the money in his budget this year to make those repairs, he made a pact with the students. They were to evaluate the damage, compile a list of needed parts, and then write letters to General Motors and to Mazda asking them to donate the necessary parts. The letters with the lists are in the mail!
According to Rizzuto, if the companies agree, students will begin making some of the repairs this school year. If not, he will incorporate some of the parts into his budget for next year so students can make the repairs next year.