Kandie joined Tom’s Automotive in West Seattle in 1991 and served as a service adviser and manager prior to purchasing the business in July 2010. She has earned here Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) designation, and the prestigious Accredited Master Automotive Manager (AMAM) certification from the Automotive Management Institute.

Long active in community and education affairs, she has served on the advisory board of the Automotive Technology program at South Seattle College for many years, In addition, she serves on the general advisory board that covers all automotive training programs at Shoreline Community College, including the General Service Technician program.

For many years Kandie has been on the advisory board of the Puget Sound Skills Center and has served as chair the board the past two years.

Further, she has been involved at Career Fairs at South Seattle College and Puget Sound Skills Center and has hosted a Girls Scout group at here shop for a clinic about auto care and promoting careers in our industry.

In addition, she spent some two years and countless hours with Butch Jobst developing ASA Northwest’s Independent Technician’s Automotive Committee (ITAC) apprenticeship program.

She recently said to one of our members (that would be me) “I’ve always had a personal mission to get people into our industry.” And from this impressive resume of involvement, she has succeeded with that goal.

Within the community, she has been active in the local Rotary Club for decades and has helped organize various programs, including the Kiddie Parade, and served three times as the Community Service Chairperson.

At the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, she serves on the board of directors and the Government Affairs Committee.

She has worked vociferously on the West Seattle Light Rail project and other community efforts in recent years.

During her tenure as a service advisor and manager, Tom’s Automotive received numerous awards, including the Mayor of Seattle’s Small Business Award.

Within ASA Northwest, our recipient has been an active force on many levels.
She served as treasurer of the Seattle Chapter (now Sno-King South) for more than a decade, as well as president of that group.

She is the former president of our Ascettes group and currently serves on the regional board of directors of ASA Northwest as our Secretary.

Used by permission of the Automotive Service Association Northwest, Dateline Newsletter.