Date: 6 November 2008
Hanson is the store manager of the Lewis Center, Ohio location of Glass America, a national windshield repair and replacement company.
The Auto Glass Technician Olympics is a competition among the top auto glass technicians from across the US. This annual event plays an important role in the auto glass replacement and repair industry, and provides technicians with the opportunity to showcase their skills and techniques through a premier competition and educational demonstrations. 
Glass America’s Chris Hanson is confident and excited about heading to Las Vegas. The first-place AGTO winner will receive $10,000, a gold medal, trophy, and bragging rights as the “World’s Best Auto Glass Technician.” The second place winner will receive $1,000 and a silver medal, and the third place winner will receive $500 and a bronze medal.
A second-time competitor, Hanson explains that one of the most important aspects of AGTO is promoting the Auto Glass Replacement Safety Standards, also known as AGRSS. Hanson also appreciates the competitive nature of AGTO, because it provides auto glass professionals with the opportunity to be observed and critiqued by a technical judge in the industry.
“Each competitor needs to follow the same AGRSS standards that we follow each day at work. Glass America trains all of their technicians to follow protocol during every repair and windshield installation, so I’m already very comfortable with the process. The only difference is, on a normal work day, there isn’t a clock running, or a judge following me with a checklist. I’ve been reviewing the requirements and my score sheet from last year, to see what I can improve on. You have to keep your nerves at bay, and stay organized with a game plan so that you make good use of your time. We only have an hour and a half time limit to perform the job, maintain safety, and verbalize the steps of the job to the “client” while demonstrating good customer service,” says Hanson. Hanson has lived in London, Ohio for ten years with his wife, Aimee, and their two children, Brandon and Nicholas. Hanson has been in the windshield business for almost 15 years. The Lewis Center Glass America location has served local customers since 2004 at 9032 Cotter Street. The shop is conveniently located near the intersection of Route 23 and is within a mile of Polaris Fashion Place Mall. To schedule a repair, please call (614) 841-0077.
About AGTO
AGTO is co-sponsored by AGRR magazine and the Independent Glass Association. IGA members are committed to the professional and ethical installation of glass in a safe and proper manner; members are located in all 50 states and also in ten countries internationally. Each one of Glass America’s 90 shops is officially a proud member of the IGA.
About Glass America
Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Glass America is one of the largest independently-owned automobile glass replacement and repair companies in the country. Glass America has 90 service centers conducting business under the names Glass America and Auto Glass Service which are conveniently located in the states of Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Glass America offers a complete line of auto glass repair and replacement services for all years, makes and models, foreign and domestic, commercial or passenger vehicles. In contrast to many auto glass companies in the country, Glass America buys glass only from OEM (original equipment manufactured) suppliers. This means the proper windshield with the perfect fit.
As a leader in the auto-glass replacement industry, Glass America upholds the highest levels of quality craftsmanship, and consistently maintains a proven track record for excellent customer service. The company is a member of the Independent Glass Association and the National Glass Association, and all technicians are certified by Sika Adhesive Systems and LYNX Services. All auto glass installations and workmanship will meet or exceed the AGRSS Standards, and have a national lifetime warranty. Glass America’s direct billing procedures and pricing structures meet or exceed the requirements of all insurance companies and glass networks. All of the company’s national service areas offer both drive-in and mobile services, and always strive to make business as quick and as convenient as possible for their patrons. For more information on Glass America, or to place an order, please call 1-800-634-5623 to connect to the nearest location.
For more information, please visit www.glassusa.com and www.autoglassolympics.com.
Add new comment