The ASCCA Membership Committee proudly announces Daniel Costa of Marin Automotive as its ASCCA member of the month for September 2019. ASCCA regularly honors members who demonstrate ASCCA’s core values of integrity, compassion, professionalism, and unity. Along with these core values, Daniel also embodies ASCCA’s core purpose: To elevate and unite automotive professionals and give them voice.
Daniel has 25 years of experience in the Automotive Industry and is Certified as an ASE Technician and CA Smog Test and Repair Technician. His career began in 1991 at the College of Marin Indian Valley Campus in Novato, CA where he studied automotive technology. He started working as a technician in 1994 and moved into a manager/lead technician position that same year at Fairfax Gas in the small town of Fairfax, CA. He stayed there for 16 years, and in 2010 he started his own family business called Marin Automotive beginning his journey as a shop owner, manager and lead technician. Marin Automotive is a foreign and domestic car maintenance and repair shop well known and respected in the community of Fairfax.
Daniel joined ASCCA earlier this year and has enjoyed participating and collaborating with other shop-owners and industry leaders. When asked how ASCCA has played a role in his business, Daniel answered “ASCCA has benefited my business and opened many different doors personally and professionally. The networking is invaluable. I stay up to date with legislation information that is ever-changing in this industry. The training and information provided by ASCCA has and continues to benefit my business, technicians and most importantly our customers and elevates the industry as a whole. I truly appreciate the help and communication between members. If there is ever a question and/or situation I need a second opinion on, I am just an email or call away from valuable input from all members.”
Daniel firmly believes in Marin Automotive’s guiding principles of “Quality Precision and Safety”. He lives by and applies these principles to create a satisfying enjoyable experience for his customers, team and community members. With all the changes in the automotive industry, Daniel believes strongly in education as the key to the future. He believes the automotive industry is beginning to gain prestige as an exciting, interesting and challenging career.
“Long are the days of the stereotypical mechanic with a wrench. Today's cars possess sophisticated operations and computer systems that push technicians to keep in up to date with new technology,” Daniel remarks. He believes that ongoing education and training make his career as a shop owner and lead technician stimulating, and a never-ending pursuit of professional growth.
“I believe we need to keep creating awareness with the new generation of how rewarding this industry can be… [we must] keep cultivating new talent and the technicians of the future to somehow battle the tech shortage we’re facing. This starts in house, with investing in and growing our own technicians,” Daniel says.
When asked about his favorite part of being a member of ASCCA, Daniel replied “I enjoy Team Weekends and ASCCA Wednesday evening meetings once a month in San Francisco. I find that there is a lot of camaraderie there, and I appreciate being able to be part of a group of people that deal with the same challenges I do. ASCCA members work together to find solutions, ideas, insights and best practices.”
Thank you, Daniel for your ongoing commitment to excellence and for bringing your professionalism and constant improvement to ASCCA! Our organization and its members benefit greatly from your dedication to the industry and its growth. Congratulations!