Becca Burns

Name: Becca Burns

Title: Car Porter/Detailer

Hire Date: 2003 

Birth City: Pontiac, MI

Certifications: Too many to count! Currently enrolled in college

Info: Becca is a beloved member of the SEA family.  She does everything with a smile. Her job is a great fit for her since she loves cars and enjoys being around people. When not at work, Becca has many interests—most of them involve being outdoors. On her days off, you’ll find her hanging out in the backyard with friends, listening to music and dancing! Becca also loves animals! She has a dog named Taizee and three cats named Deedo, Teekoman and Caylee. Her favorite food is Domino’s pizza (a hometown favorite!) and she cools off with water and iced tea. As mentioned before, Becca really enjoys music. Her favorite artists are Melissa Etheridge, Elton John, Adele and Anastasia.

Dream car: She’s already got it—a 1980 Trans Am Turbo Indy Pace Car.

Fidel Colman

Name: Fidel Colman

Job Title: Parts Manager

Hire Date: 1994 

Birth Place:  Cleveland, OH 

Certifications: ASE Parts Specialist, MIVE, AROC

Info: Fidel has been an invaluable team member at SEA for over 16 years. If you are seeking a part for your vehicle, new or used, Fidel is your best bet to find it at the best price!  He is our resident “Renaissance Man”, with a wide array of interests. Fidel loves family, sports, and the great outdoors. He’s happiest when he can combine all three of these! On the weekend you may see him hiking, playing soccer and volleyball, or roller skating! Fidel believes in standing up for the environment. He has an associates degree in natural science. He and his lovely wife, Heather, lead a very “green” lifestyle. You’ll even see Fidel pedaling to work. Now that is commitment to a cause! Fidel is interested in social justice, which includes Motor City Car Share and Food Not Bombs. He loves philosophy, mathematics, and everything punk! The best part of his job is the sense of self-worth he gains from giving customers the best possible service, technical advice and quality parts for their vehicles. He has developed strong, valuable relationships with his co-workers and considers them his lifelong friends. If Fidel is having his favorite meal, it would either be Thai food or Middle Eastern fare, served with “good beer”! As for movies, he likes Fight Club, Amelie and Forrest Gump. One of his favorite tunes is “Imagine” by John Lennon. 

Dream car: A bicycle.

Greg Nagrant

Name: Greg Nagrant

Job Title: Business Manager

Hire Date:  2002

Birth City: Detroit, MI

Certifications: Too numerous to mention over the years

Info: Greg is an invaluable member of the team here at SEA. Not only does he handle business affairs, but he is the go-to-guy for Human Resource questions. You can pretty much ask him anything, and he will do his best to provide a confident answer, or make you approach the quandary from a different angle. When Greg isn’t at work, it is well known around the office that he is a huge Red Wings Hockey fan. He also enjoys watching pro-football from his favorite recliner. He and his wonderful  wife, Breina, have been known to take day trips to Lake Michigan for some much needed R & R. Greg’s favorite indulgence is reading a good book. The best part of Greg’s job is being involved in management decisions when exploring new directions and reacting to current challenges. His favorite dinner is steak, and while he doesn’t have a “favorite” drink, he has many preferences! He likes his country music! 

Dream car: Something with a removable top!

Greg Singleton

Name: Greg Singleton

Job Title: Master Automotive Technician

Hire Date: 2006          

Birth City: Fayetteville, North Carolina

Certifications: ASE Certified Master Technician, Advanced Level  Specialist (L1), Under Car Specialist (Exhaust Systems)

Info: Greg has received many awards and attended various trainings in his field (such as AC Delco, Car Quest Service Institute, Euro Diagnostics and BOSCH training). This  makes him an 

excellent technician to work on your vehicle! The best part of Greg’s job is the many day-to-day learning experiences he encounters. He also gets along wonderfully with his co-workers as they enjoy his laid-back demeanor. While Greg appreciates the friendly, fast-paced environment here at SEA. Greg has a  beautiful wife named Grace, and they have a  great son named Brandon. When not at work, Greg enjoys fishing, doing yard work he can’t get to otherwise, and cook-outs with his terrific family! Speaking of cook-outs, Greg’s grilling favorites are BBQ ribs, steak, shrimp on the bar-b, and crab legs. Sounds delicious Greg! During his down time, you’ll probably catch Greg listening to some smooth Jazz. That’s the kind of cool cat he is!

Dream car: Rolls Royce Phantom

Heidi Knierbein

Name: Heidi Knierbein

Job Title: Marketing Director

Hire Date: 2007 

Birth Place:  Metamora, MI 

Certifications: BA major in English (technical & creative writing), minor in Psychology, courses in modern art and political science

Info: Heidi experiences the rewards and challenges of small business marketing everyday!   Throughout the past few years she has attended valuable HR law seminars, Dale Carnegie courses and worked with the Waterford Chamber of Commerce to keep her finger on the pulse of 

Waterford’s heartbeat, and the rest of Oakland County! She loves networking and meeting new people at chamber events. On her days off, she enjoys long conversations with friends over wine, watching movies with family, shopping at Target and hanging out with her compact dog, Frasier! She likes watching local  news and Dateline NBC, but her guilty pleasures are game shows and “reality television”! The part of her job she finds most exciting is the creativity involved. Heidi enjoys trying new marketing concepts and feels fulfilled when she can cross projects off of her list. Heidi usually eats the same thing for a while until she tires of it. She loves Sweet n’ Sour Chicken at the moment, which she enjoys with apple juice on the rocks. Heidi loves popsicles and strawberry ice cream year round. If you see her watching a movie, it’s probably either Harry Potter or Toy Story. Her favorite comedies are Napoleon Dynamite and Anchorman.

Dream car: Heidi doesn’t have a favorite car, she is more impressed with sailboats.

Jim Hanel

Name: James Hanel (aka Jim)

Job Title: Master Automotive Technician 

Hire Date:  1990

Birth City: Pontiac, Michigan

Certifications: State of MI Master Certified Technician, ASE Certified, A/C recovery 

Info: Jim has 800+ hours in electronics training, VW, Audi and Volvo training, scope analysis, A/C Retrofit, and an Interstate batteries course. The part of Jim’s job he likes best is working on many different kinds of cars. He enjoys new projects and duties each day. When not at work, Jim watches TV. He has a lovely wife Dianna and daughter, Heather. Jim’s favorite movies are Joe Dirt, Cannonball Run, and Smokey and the Bandit. What does he eat? He’s a big fan of corned beef. For dessert he likes ice cream.

Dream car: A 1936 Cadillac. 

Jordan Fowler

Name: Jordan Fowler

Job Title: Service Advisor

Hire Date:  1990  

Birth City: Holly, MI

Certifications:  Service Advisor born and raised

Info: If this young man looks familiar, you may have seen him here before in a different capacity. He has been around the shop for years, since the very beginning! A second generation Fowler who is following in his father’s footsteps while on hiatus from attending University.

Jordan is a fantastic addition to the team. He is charismatic, enthusiastic and a joy to be around. Both customers and co-workers are put at ease by his mild-mannered confidence.

When not busy at work, Jordan enjoys downtime with his loving family, hanging out with his friends, and did we mention he is a very talented basketball player? When this baller is off the court, he likes to drive around and/or work on his car.  

If you want to fix Jordan his favorite dish, he loves Thai food! His favorite movie is the inspiring Forrest Gump and he likes the progressive rock band Tides of Man.

Dream car: Audi TT RS

Leif Cole

Name: Leif Cole

Job Title: Car Porter/Detailer

Hire Date: 2009

Birth City: Albuquerque, NM

Certifications: LIFE, currently attending school

Info: Leif is a wonderful addition to the SEA family! He keeps a busy schedule with school and works the afternoon shift here at SEA. Leif helps keep the shop clean and tidy, and is always very friendly and courteous to everyone. He’s always around to help where he is needed! On his days off, sometimes Leif is stuck inside with his homework. But in the summer you will find Leif out on the disc golf course! Leif also enjoys astronomy, his XBOX 360 and reading. Sometimes, he just likes to drive around in his car! The best part of his job is all of the interesting customers he gets a chance to meet. He also enjoys the ambience of the shop (the sound of metal) and joking around with his co-workers.   He loves Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, Green Apple Jones Soda, and a can of Red Bull keeps him going when school and work start to wear him out! Avatar is one his favorite movies, All That Remains and Trivium are his favorite metal bands.

Dream car: Audi R8 V12 TDi

Mike Norman

Name: Mike Norman

Job Title: ASE Certified Automotive Technician

Hire Date:  2006

Birth City: Detroit, Michigan

Certifications: Master Certified Auto Technician in the state of Michigan, ASE Certified Technician, ASE Air Conditioning Servicing & Refrigerant Handling, Disposal Certified.

Info: By industry standards, Mike is a youngster. However, he is wise beyond his years and has already accomplished so much - receiving plenty of certifications! He has also attended the CAT program of Macomb Community College, and is currently attending Oakland University as an undergraduate in Electrical Engineering. Mike has proven himself time and time again to be a very talented and thorough technician. Co-workers say  he is a pleasure to work with because of his positive attitude and great sense of humor. When Mike isn’t working or going to school, he fits in some much needed sleep. While he kicks back and relaxes, he might fix himself a flat sammie (flat bread sandwich to the rest of us), his favorite food. To loosen up Mike listens to his favorite metal band Chimaira. 

Dream car: Tesla Roadster

Nick Schrader

Name: Nick Schrader

Job Title: Car Porter/Detailer

Hire Date: 2011

Birth City: Holly, MI

Certifications: Former Boy Scout

Info: Nick is a recent addition to the SEA family. When you are in need of a lift home or a trip to the store, Nick is the man that will get you there safely. Around the shop, Nick works hard keeping things clean and sparkling. He’s always there to lend a hand to any employee who needs it. Nick has a great attitude and entertains co-workers and customers alike! The best part of his job is cleaning and organizing the shop. He loves the smell of Pine Sol and Windex in the morning! When he’s not hard at work, Nick likes to relax at home with family or hang out with his friends. He also has an awesome cat named Diesel. What’s Nick’s favorite thing to eat? Any kind of Thai food! His favorite song is “Life is a Highway” which happens to be from his all-time favorite movie, Disney/Pixar’s Cars. This just in! His second favorite is now Cars II.

Dream car: Lightning McQueen from Disney/Pixar's Cars!

Phil Nye

Name: Phil Nye

Job Title: Service Writer

Hire Date: 1997

Birth City: Oakland County, Michigan

Certifications: ICAR, AAA, Allstate, and State Farm Insurance Estimating 

Info: Phil has been with SEA at it’s Pontiac Lake Road location since the beginning! Around the shop, he’s a service writer and helpful assistant to the service advisors. He has extensive knowledge of the insurance industry, and helps out wherever he is needed. When you’ve been in the auto biz’ as long as Phil, you can apply plenty of first-hand experience when helping customers decide which route to take in repairing their vehicles. Phil’s enjoys the problem-solving challenges he faces daily with his job. He enjoys tackling diverse projects and multiple duties every day. For him each day is an adventure! When not working, Phil loves sleep! When he awakens from his slumber, he is an avid reader. Right now he is divulged in the Harry Potter series. Excellent choice Phil!  Phil is also a photographer and talented musician . He rocks out to bands like The Who and AC/DC. He also appreciates classical music, and Casablanca is his #1 movie. In terms of cuisine, Phil’s not as refined. Anything that doesn’t move, he’ll eat!

Dream car: ARMET Balkan MK7 ... or a Volvo P1800

Rob West

Name: Rob West

Job Title: Master Automotive Head Technician

Hire Date:  1997   

Birth City: Detroit, Michigan

Certifications: Master ASE Certified Auto Technician in the state of Michigan, Interstate battery systems, and  over 40 years  of VW and Audi experience certified in all VW training courses prior to 1991. Highly trained in electronics.

Info: Rob is a legend here at SEA and is known as the premier VW technician in Southeastern Michigan. So what does this talented tech do when he’s not fixing your vehicle?  Rob puts his skills to use when he tinkers with vintage amateur radios. He also enjoys spending time with his entertaining family. Rob has a fabulous wife, Debby, and four children named Jenny, Jill, Bob and Jimmy! His youngest son is a talented computer guru here at SEA. Apparently, intelligence runs in the family!

When he’s not solving the world’s car problems, Rob likes to unwind and watch a good NASCAR or Formula One race on television. Rob enjoys a simple menu for dinner. He is a meat and potatoes kind of guy who enjoys a nice, sizzlin’ steak!

 

Dream car: Not one to discriminate, Rob doesn’t have a dream car. He loves them all!

Shaun Faermark

Name: Shaun Faermark

Job Title: ASE Certified Technician

Hire Date:  2002

Birth City: Unknown

Certifications:  Many

Info: Shaun joined SEA years ago, and has been keeping his co-workers entertained ever since with his offbeat humor. He is a talented technician, with lots of experience. He works on all makes and models, but is most passionate about performance vehicles and upgrades. He also owns his own racecar and works on it in his spare time.  The things Shaun loves most about his job are learning new skills everyday, being around cars, and his close friendships with co-workers.He has an eclectic taste in food, but we've heard him mention that he makes his own  hummus! Like everyone here at SEA, he enjoys a steady diet of bagels and donuts.

Dream car: Something fast!

Steve Fowler

Name: Steve Fowler

Title: Owner of Steve's European Automotive

Birthplace: Southeast Missouri

Certifications:  Degree in Automotive Mechanics from Ferris State University, Landmark Education

Info: Steve  is the proud owner of SEA, the company he started from scratch nearly thirty years ago! The last three decades have been quite a journey.  Through it all, Steve has never lost his initial belief in consumer education, quality service and fair pricing. He ensures that those qualities are passed on to every team member and customer at SEA!

Steve is always accessible to his employees and customers, but when he is not at work, he enjoys camping with his wife Teri and two grown sons, Jordan and Justin. He is a huge sports fan, and basketball has always been a big part of Steve’s life. His favorite things to eat are the delicious southern dishes his mother makes him. He is also a fan of Lay’s Potato Chips and Teri’s chocolate chip cookies! His favorite singer is Jackson Browne. His favorite actor is Clint Eastwood. On Sundays you might catch him watching America’s Funniest Videos to unwind! Anyone who knows Steve realizes his days off are rare, but he does enjoy listening to his vast music collection and doing projects around the hobby shop at his farm.

Dream car: A 1957 Chevy Bel Air hard top!  

Teri Fowler

Name: Teri Fowler

Job Title: Freelance Decorator/ Baker

Hire Date: 1985

Birth City: Pontiac, MI

Certifications:  Cosmetologist/Customer Service Advocate

Info: Teri is widely valued for her ability to brighten and straighten up the shop! She adds the finishing touches around here that make it feel more like home. If you need proof, try one of her delicious chocolate chip cookies! She is also responsible for the interior designing, and some of the festive holiday decorations throughout the seasons. When Teri isn’t here, she enjoys shopping, cooking, and reading. She stays busy by traveling to warm destinations, and keeps in shape with exercise like yoga and Pilates. To relax and rejuvenate, she enjoys watching her favorite movies, The Sound of Music and Forrest Gump ! Teri loves spending time with family and is a proud mother to her two boys, Jordan and Justin. What Teri loves the most about coming here is the delightful and fulfilling interactions with customers, and showing them they are valued and appreciated! Teri’s favorite foods are Mexican, but she also enjoys pizza. And she knows wine makes everything taste better!

 Dream car: Audi A8