“Jay is not only an outstanding teacher and a master automotive technician, but he is also a successful business owner,” says Mitchell 1’s Nick DiVerde
San Diego—Jay Kuykendall, an automotive instructor at Portland Community College in Portland, Ore., has been named the 2024 Mitchell 1 Educator of the Year. The award was presented at the North American Council of Automotive Teachers (NACAT) awards luncheon on Wednesday, July 24, in Indianapolis.
“We are proud to congratulate Jay Kuykendall as the 2024 Mitchell 1 Educator of the Year,” said Nick DiVerde, senior director, product management for Mitchell 1. “With 32 years of experience in the automotive industry, Jay is not only an outstanding teacher and a master automotive technician, but he is also a successful business owner. We are pleased to acknowledge Jay’s exceptional contributions to the classroom and the auto care industry as a whole.”
Each year, Mitchell 1 recognizes one of the nation’s top teachers for their commitment to educational excellence in the automotive repair industry. As the 2024 recipient, Kuykendall received a complimentary one-year subscription to Mitchell 1’s ProDemand auto repair information software, a one-year membership to NACAT and an all-expenses-paid trip to attend the NACAT conference.
In his position at Portland Community College, Kuykendall runs the auto shop lab and teaches engine performance classes as well as elective courses including Subaru U, electrified vehicles and light duty diesel. He is also a certified ASE Master Technician, owns and operates Green Flag Auto Repair in Molalla, Ore.,and is co-founder of the Northwest Automotive Technicians Society.
Kuykendall shared that his interest in the automotive industry began in his childhood. “I grew up with my family racing at the local short track. I helped my dad and brothers work on the race cars, and in high school, my sport was drag racing,” he said. “After high school, I attended trade school and started working in the automotive field right after graduation.”
The Mitchell 1 Educator of the Year award selection criteria requires that the recipient excel in all ASE automotive tests, including A1 – A8 (Engine Repair, Automatic Transmission/Transaxle, Manual Drive Train and Axles, Suspension and Steering, Brakes, Electrical/Electronic Systems, Heating and Air Conditioning, Engine Performance), as well as the L1 (Advanced Engine Performance Exam).
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