James “Jim” Blair, a 1975 graduate of Medina County High School in Medina, Ohio, began his career training through a vocational class in Machine Trades Technology at the Medina County Vocational School.

He furthered his training with three years in the U.S. Armed Forces as a wheeled vehicle operator serving as a driver/personal assistant to the Commander of Headquarters Company 60th Ordinance Battalion while stationed in Zwiebrucken Germany. He returned to West Virginia in 1979 and spent the next several years working in the automotive service industry as a technician, service manager, and business owner. He has also been employed as a contract trainer for Sun Electronics. While working as a Technical Representative for Snap-On Diagnostics, he was responsible for sales and training of diagnostic equipment including engine analyzers, computerized scan tools, alignment equipment, and more.

Blair obtained Chevrolet’s Certified Master Technician status in 1983; tested in top 10% of Pontiac technicians in the United States, therefore earning Pontiac’s “Top Ten” status in 1986; and became a member of Chevrolet’s “Only the Best” for outstanding service management in 1987.

In 1989, Blair was a national finalist in the N.A.P.A./ASE Technician of the Year contest. Blair also has his ASE Master Certification and his ASE Master Machinist certification.

Outside of his occupation, Blair enjoys playing guitar and other stringed instruments, oil and acrylic painting, and computers. He and his wife of 30 years have one grown daughter, a son-in-law, and a new granddaughter.

Blair says his most important career goal is “to contribute my small part in saving the planet by training a new generation of technicians to learn environment-saving technologies as quickly as they emerge and making the vehicles of today run as efficiently and environmentally friendly as possible.”