56 GEARS September 2007

I want to thank you for sponsor-ing me to be an American Student Ambassador with the People To People Organization in Australia. I was very privileged to go on this trip and be a Student Ambassador. The People To People Program was started by President Eisenhower, to help people learn and experience all the different cultures around the world and share ours with them. Each President since has been an honorary Chairman.

A friend of mine was a Student Ambassador last summer and gave them my name. I was interviewed and selected to be a part of their program, then did all the assignments required to get to go on the trip. Plus, I will get High School credit next year (a semes-ter worth, in Geography) and also be able to add it to my college applica-

tions. I choose the trip to Australia because I have always wanted to go there. To see all the great sites for myself, to learn what it’s like to live there and also learn more about their culture and history. We had 40 kids in our delegation/group (we all had just finished the 7th or 8th grade), with 4 leaders/teachers, that traveled together for the entire 18 day trip.

Sydney was where we flew into and started our adventure, after a very long 18 hour flight. We went to the place that they had the Olympics at and even got to swim there. Then, I was look-ing forward to seeing the Sydney Opera House. It

ATRA NEWS

To The Great People at ATRA:

People to People

Delegation, Summer

2007-Boomerang Australia Trip

Steven Crean with Koala in Cairns, Australia

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58 GEARS September 2007

was really cool and very big! After that, we went to a zoo called Crocodilius Park, where I was even allowed to feed a crocodile and hold a baby one. Then we flew to Darwin, where we saw a lot of crocodiles in the wild. It was cool to see them in their natural habitat (better than seeing them in a zoo). We also got to meet a lot of native Aborigines. I really liked to learn how they live and what their culture is like. Next we flew to Cairns (pronounced Cans). We meet more Aborigines there and we got to try their foods. We had Kangaroo tail (didn’t like it), Camel steaks (it was ok), but we had ants for dessert! They tasted like Jolly Rancher Green Apple Candy, their bodies were even the same color green. Then we stayed with a local family in their home (2-3 of us at each house). Then we went to the Great Barrier Reef and went snorkeling. It was really amazing! We swam with reef sharks, some really big fish and saw one of the biggest clams in the world. All the sea-life was really colorful and it was like a “city of fish” there. I’ll never forget it! Then we flew back to Sidney and then home. I slept most the way home so I didn’t get jetlag, but it did take a while to get used to the time change (in Australia we were 17 hours ahead of California time). It was really good to see my parents, since it had been 18 days since I’d seen them.

There is a whole lot more that we did on the trip, but these are the high-lights. I want to truly thank you all at ATRA for your help in making this once in a lifetime trip a reality.

Very truly yours,Steven Lee Crean14 years old - Palo Cedro, CA

ATRA BookStore Technical & Management Books and Supplies

This month the ATRA BookStore wants to remind you about the items that we offer to our members. We have plenty of different materials that are available exclusively to ATRA members. Whether you need a sign outside, to let potential customers know you’re part of our team, or infor-mative pamphlets, to help customers better understand our indus-try, we’ve got what you need. Purchase over $50.00 worth of Membership Items in your order and receive free ship-ping!

We have posters, envelopes, pamphlets, signs and plenty of other items that will look great around your shop! Give us a call today!

Order by 12:00 p.m. PST and your order will be shipped the same day! Sale ends 10/1/2007.

email: bookstore@atra.com phone: 800-428-8489 web: http://www.atrabookstore.com

Just ask for Shaun Velasquez or Ron Brattin.

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1 of 2 8/8/07 9:47 AM

ATRA BookStoreTechnical & Management Books and Supplies

August 2007

Welcome Back,

This month the ATRA BookStore wants to remind you about the items that we offer toour members. We have plenty of different materials that are available exclusively toATRA members. Whether you need a sign outside, to let potential customers knowyou're part of our team, or informative pamphlets, to help customers better understandour industry, we've got what you need. Purchase over $50.00 worth of MembershipItems in your order and receive free shipping!

Membership ItemsPromotion

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Give us a call or email to place an order. Order by 12:00 p.m. PST and your order will beshipped the same day! Sale ends 10/1/2007.

Thank you for your business.

GEARS September 2007 59

Dave Skora Senior Technician

Dave Skora’s parents wanted their sons to go to college; they believed it was important for a successful future. So Dave attended CalPoly University, where he earned his BS in biology and botany.

But Dave was always interested in cars. He took a part-time job at a local gas station, where he was expected to fill the tank, check the oil… you know: the things they used to do at gas sta-tions.

Dave would work nights and week-ends, and was often there when the shop mechanic had already left. Customers would come in with their car problems, and Dave would fix them. The custom-ers loved it; they could get their cars fixed right away, and not have to miss work or worry about transportation the following day. And Dave began his life-long love of fixing cars.

While in college, a friend from high school convinced Dave to open a small repair shop with him, special-izing in imports. His friend handled the British cars while Dave worked on the Italian cars. He never got rich, but that little shop helped pay his way through college.

After college, he tried his hand at sales for a short time, as a wine salesman for Gallo wines. There Dave learned that he really wasn’t a sales-man, and went back to fixing cars.

A number of years passed, and Dave heard about an opening at Mitchell Manuals. They hired him on the spot. And because he was the only one there with any transmission experi-ence, suddenly he was the transmission editor. He taught himself the intricacies of transmission technology — terrific preparation for his future with ATRA. He worked for Mitchell for over 10 years, and joined ATRA in 1995.

As an ATRA HotLine technician, Dave handles pretty much every type

of transmission, as well as electrical systems diagnosis and driveability; he holds ASE Master and L1 certifications. But his personal favorite is the VW transmission. He’s known for being the guy who’ll take on the difficult tasks that no one else wants.

Dave has also researched, devel-oped and presented numerous classes for ATRA at Expo and regional semi-nars. This year his Expo seminar is on the F4A42/51 and F5A5A, used in Mitsubishi, Hyundai and Kia.

Dave takes more than job satisfac-tion away from his work: That’s also where he met his wife, Nancy. They’ve been married for 6 years, and Nancy’s

son Brandon, who’s almost 18, and daughter Grace, 16, live with them.

In his spare time, Dave collects and rebuilds old cameras, and it’s a hobby he’s begun to share with his step-daughter. While they both have digital cameras, he’s quick to point out that “there’s something special about the look of film.” He also collects old vinyl records, clocks and antiques.

What’s Dave’s favorite thing about working for ATRA? “It’s when some-one on the other end of the phone sud-denly makes sense of a concept that had been beating them up. That’s the best part,” he says.

The ATRA Tech Department Revealed!

Dave Skora

60 GEARS September 2007

Bill Brayton Technical Advisor

According to Bill Brayton, he spends his days helping others fix auto-motive problems to atone for the mini-bike he took apart as a small child. “I was never able to get that thing to run again,” he says, with equal amounts of sadness and humor in his voice. He was 10 at the time.

By the time he finished high school, Bill was working as a teacher’s aide in the auto shop, building a foundation for what was to become his career. He then spent two years taking auto repair classes at Rio Hondo college.

After graduating, he took a job as an R&R tech for a local transmis-sion shop. They didn’t have lifts, so he removed transmissions lying on a creeper, using jacks to raise the car enough to get the transmission out.

In addition to working the ATRA HotLine, Bill has written 9 books: 7 rebuild books and two diagnostic books — all available through the ATRA BookStore. While he handles a wide range of subjects and manufacturers, his personal preference and expertise is the Ford line.

Bill claims that every step in his career was working toward his job with ATRA. He’s quick to admit that he loves his work. And, as with so many of ATRA’s HotLine technicians, Bill knows that part of that enjoyment is it allows him to spend his day helping others.

His favorite part of working for ATRA is researching problems and developing new fixes for the industry. “There’s something special about com-ing up with a fix for a problem before anyone else in the country,” he explains. “It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it’s time to ring the bell.”

This year at Expo, Bill will be doing a seminar on Ford transmissions; specifically, the 6R60 and 5R55N/S/W units.

At the end of the workday, Bill’s greatest joy is to spend time on the water. He’s a boating enthusiast, and loves spending his afternoons sailing on his Erikson 35 sailboat.

When not sailing his own boat, Bill is involved in racing sailboats, and

crews for other owners. He’s hoping to take part in a national event to take place in Lake Tahoe, in which everyone races identical boats.

Boating is important enough to Bill that he earned his captain’s license from the Coast Guard; he’s licensed to captain a boat up to 50 tons.

Bill’s also a master with a pool cue; last year he competed in the Nationals in Las Vegas.

He has two grown children: a son, Nick and a daughter, Windi Summer.

And Nick has a 4-year-old daughter, Tiahna Rose, making Bill a grandpa. His granddaughter lives in Minnesota, so he doesn’t get to see her as often as he’d like. “But hopefully that’ll change soon,” he says.

Most importantly, Bill likes to think of himself as a good friend, and hopes others see him that way. “If you need me, I’ll be there for you,” he says.

ATRA NEWS

Bill Brayton

GEARS September 2007 61

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Members Directory Updates

ATRA News Quote -September“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss

the future.” – John F. Kennedy

These firms have recently applied for ATRA membership. Please add their names to your directory. If you know of any valid reason these firms should not be members of ATRA, please contact ATRA Membership Services at 805-604-2000.

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2006 ATRA Powertrain Expo Binder - These two binders contain all of the handout materals that were covered in Orlando, Florida, at our annual ATRA Powertrain Expo.

$115.00

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