The VISION awards committee awarded the annual VISION Educator of the Year award during the 2016 VISION HiTech Training & Expo in Overland Park, Kansas.

The award was established to honor an educator that goes above and beyond in inspiring students, developing innovative training programs and working with the industry to further the opportunities for tomorrow’s technicians. This award was presented during the VISION eXchange luncheon on Friday, March 4, 2016.

The 2016 Educator of the Year Award was presented to Jeffry Curtis. Curtis has over 45 years of experience as a diesel equipment technician and has been an instructor for over 22 years, currently holding the position of Diesel Equipment Technology Instructor at Bellingham Technical College. To help his students gain knowledge and experience outside of the classroom, he takes them to Europe to visit transportation factories and museums. But his dedication to the automotive industry reaches much farther than the classroom. Curtis has served numerous officer positions for the National Association of College Automotive Instructors, including president and vice president, and currently serves as a board member. He has influenced many with his contributions on iATN and was instrumental in the development of the iATN educator forum. Curtis has volunteered his time to be a part of the VISION Educator Think Tank program since its inception.

“Jeff’s energy, passion and commitment to tomorrow’s automotive professional is inspiring to all. He is respected and admired by many of his industry peers and continually goes above and beyond in offering advice and assistance to fellow educators. We are proud to have Jeffry Curtis as the recipient of our 2016 “VISION Educator of the Year,” praised Sheri Hamilton, VISION conference manager and ASA-Midwest executive director.