Subaru of America announces winners of the 2025 Subaru Technician Competition

Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) today announced Zach Gibbons, Senior Master Service Technician at Dick Hannah Subaru in Vancouver, WA, as the winner of the 2025 Subaru Technician Competition. The biennial event takes place at SOA’s U.S. headquarters in Camden, New Jersey, honoring Subaru technicians from retailers nationwide by showcasing their product knowledge, technical expertise, troubleshooting abilities, and hands-on skills.

During the competition, fourteen Zone Champions competed in an 80-minute technical challenge of engine performance/drivability, as well as body electrical diagnosis. Each technician was presented with four faults and evaluated on both accuracy and service quality. The top Subaru technicians from around the country were selected to compete and represent their respective geographic sales zones, based on their technical knowledge, Fixed Right First Time (FRFT) scores, quality monitoring reports, ASE certification scoring, and feedback from field operations team members.

Jeff Walters, President and COO, Subaru of America, Inc.: “It’s always impressive to see our Subaru retailer technicians push themselves in a competitive setting, constantly working to improve their knowledge and skills. Hosting this group of the top performers from across the country at headquarters gives us a firsthand look at how the dedication to their craft translates into providing the highest level of ongoing support for our customers. We’ll be rooting for Zach Gibbons next year at the Subaru International Technician Competition in Tokyo, Japan, as he represents the United States to take on fellow technicians from around the world.”

As the National Champion, Gibbons brings over 15 years of experience to his role as a Senior Master Service Technician at Dick Hannah Subaru. From a young age, Gibbons was fueled by a deep curiosity about how things work, often spending hours building and dismantling objects to understand their inner workings. This early passion led him to a career in automotive technology, and Gibbons remains committed to staying at the forefront of the automaker’s evolving technology, including hybrid drivetrains and advanced driver-assistance systems. He is a graduate of Mt. Hood Community College, holding an Applied Science degree, and previously competed in Subaru’s 2016 Technician Competition.

Second-place honors were awarded to Brenden Maurer of Boardman Subaru in Youngstown, OH, who earned a $1,000 prize. Alan Garza of Gillman Subaru Southwest in Houston, TX, secured third place, receiving a $500 prize. The full list of Zone Champions and runners-up is included (in alphabetical order):

Patrick Bonner – Lancaster County Motors Subaru, Lancaster, PA

Joseph Botkin – CMA’s Valley Subaru, Staunton, VA

Michael Flud – Lithia Subaru Fresno, Fresno, CA

Alan Garza – Gillman Subaru Southwest, Houston, TX

Zach Gibbons – Dick Hannah Subaru, Vancouver, WA

Benjamin Imhof – McGovern Subaru of Acton, Acton, MA

John Knapp – Lee’s Summit Subaru, Summit, MO

Ryan Koeppen – Berman Subaru of Chicago, Chicago, IL

Brendan Maurer – Boardman Subaru, Youngstown, OH

Rolando Ramirez – Albany Subaru, Albany, CA

Christopher Raymond – White’s Mountain Subaru, Casper, WY

Giuseppe Russo – Brewster Subaru, Brewster, NY

Guilherme Tasca – Schumacher Subaru, West Palm Beach, FL

Timothy Thomas – Stivers Decatur Subaru, Decatur, GA