Safelite AutoGlass Technician Wins 2016 International Competition
Beating out 27 other competitors, Gary Riebesehl, a 15-year technician from Safelite AutoGlass®, won the designation of best auto glass technician in the world at an international competition hosted by Safelite’s parent company, Belron, last week in Lisbon, Portugal. The biennial event showcases the extensive skills of auto glass technicians in front of hundreds of colleagues, suppliers and partners from across the globe.
“I am absolutely delighted to have won the competition, and still a little shocked!” Riebesehl said. “It means a lot to me to have been recognized as the Best of Belron 2016. My colleagues and I are very fortunate to receive such a high level of training to perfect our skills, and I’m so pleased I was able to keep calm under pressure, and put all that training into practice when it really mattered.”
Best of Belron is a unique competition that demonstrates what a quality windshield replacement means to customers and what quality employees mean to the business.
“I’m proud of everything that I’ve done and being a part of this company,” Riebesehl added. “It’s more than a trophy, it’s the opportunity to show what I can do and represent Safelite. Perseverance does pay off.”
Riebesehl, a long-time Brevard County resident, works in the Safelite Melbourne store. He competed earlier this year against 11 other skilled techs in Safelite’s national competition to select the representative for the international challenge. It was his third straight trip to the national championship event. In fact, Riebesehl passed up promotions so he could take another crack at the Best of Belron title.
“Many congratulations to Gary,” said Tom Feeney, president and CEO of Safelite. “He has trained for years to prepare for this competition on top of his daily work. At Safelite AutoGlass, we know that having great people sets us apart and Gary is one of them. He strives to make a difference in the lives of the people he serves by how he approaches his work – focused on quality, bringing a positive attitude and genuinely caring about people. His achievement is something we all proudly hang our hat because it represents what each of our nearly 13,000 employees nationwide strive for with every customer interaction.”
About Safelite AutoGlass®
Safelite AutoGlass® is the nation’s largest provider of vehicle glass repair and replacement services with more than 6,800 MobileGlassShops™ and company stores in all 50 states. Last year, nearly 5 million customers chose Safelite for its 24/7 national contact centers, advanced online scheduling, superior repair and replacement systems, and the industry’s only nationwide lifetime guarantee. Founded in 1947, the Columbus, Ohio-based company employs nearly 13,000 people across the United States. For more information, visit Safelite.com, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
About Belron
Belron is the world’s leading vehicle glass repair and replacement group, operating worldwide, employing 25,600 people in more than 30 countries across five continents. Belron focuses on building strong brands in the countries in which it operates, including Carglass®, Safelite®, Autoglass®, Lebeau®, O’Brien®, and Smith&Smith®. Learn more about Belron at belron.com.
About Best of Belron
Since its creation in 2000, the Best of Belron competition has enabled Belron to instil a one-way approach to fitting and repairing glass, known as ‘the Belron Way of Fitting’. This means customers can expect the same exceptional levels of service worldwide, thanks to the constantly evolving processes, tools and materials the company has developed over a hundred years.