SD COMPANIES COLLABORATE IN DONATION OF MACK TRUCK TO LATI
October 16, 2015 WATERTOWN, SD Harms Oil Company of Brookings and Aberdeen, SD in conjunction with Brick Transport of Aberdeen recently donated a 2015 Mack Pinnacle tractor to the Lake Area Technical College Diesel Technology program. Pete Feickert, Manager of Harms Transportation, his son Eric, Service Manager at Brick Transportation, and Jerry Brick, Owner of Brick Transportation collaborated to provide the donation when the Brick truck received damage as a result of an accident. Pete Feickert comments, “We saw a great opportunity to assist one of the top technical schools in the country. When you have a chance to help young people, especially students, you don’t have to think twice. When we need diesel technicians, Lake Area Technical College is the first place we look.”
Rather than repair the truck for highway use, it was decided that it had greater value for use as a training aid at Lake Area Technical College. “When we had the misfortune of damaging the truck we decided the best use of the truck would be as a trainer at Lake Area Technical College and we realize the talent their graduates bring to the industry”, said Jerry Brick of Brick Transportation. Harms Oil Company purchased the truck, made the repairs necessary to make the truck useable for Lake Area Technical College, and delivered the truck to campus.
Sheehan Mack Sales and Equipment assisted with the equipment and technology for the Mack truck necessary to train the school’s students and will continue to work with Lake Area Technical College as new technology emerges. Noah Hodak, General Service Manager for Sheehan’s service departments in Sioux Falls, Aberdeen, and Rapid City accounts for their action, “We jumped at the chance to participate in the venture. As one of South Dakota’s largest diesel repair and service providers, we are always looking for new talent. Our service manager at Aberdeen, Dallas Olson is a graduate of Lake Area Technical College and we have hired several graduates in recent years. To have graduates already trained on Mack technology is a huge help to us and our many customers in SD and surrounding states.”
Lake Area Technical College Diesel Technology program Supervisor, Rick Schmidt reflects, “It’s a great feeling to have the support of our industry partners out in the field. Without their advice, guidance and the priceless donations the skills we teach our students at Lake Area Technical College would not be possible.”
Photo: Representing the donors were (from Sheehan Mack Sales and Equipment) Eric Hamiel, Aberdeen Truck Sales; Dallas Olson, Aberdeen Service Manager; Noah Hodak, General Service Manager; Larry Clement, Vice President; and from Harms Oil, Pete Feickert. In addition, a small contingent of Lake Area Technical College Diesel Tech students were present along with LATI President Mike Cartney and Diesel Tech instructors Rick Schmidt, Scott Hansen, Kasey Smith, Joe Block, Mike Lee, Danny Gisselbeck, Jeremey Riley, Dan Zimprich, and Kevin Medenwald.
