Meet the Automotive Team

Tom joined the automotive team in 2016 as our second instructional tech. He has worked in the automotive field since 1977 in a variety of positions. He was the Automotive Programs Director for nearly 20 years at GateWay Community College in Phoenix, Arizona. Tom completed his AAS degree with high distinction at Maricopa Technical Community College, and attended Northern Arizona University for additional coursework in vocational education. In addition, Tom has also completed corporate training courses for Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Hyundai, and Mazda. He is an ASE Master Technician, and brings a wealth of industry experience and knowledge to Clark College.

Dannie Nordsiden joins the automotive team as an Instructor and our Internship Manager. He was born in Southwestern Minnesota and graduated from Walnut Grove High School. A second-generation technician, Dannie’s interest in automotive peaked when he was young around his father and other family members. He went on to graduate from Canby Area Vo-Tech (now Minnesota West Community and Technical College) in 1979 with a degree in Automotive Mechanics.

Dannie has been an ASE Master Certified Technician for 32 years, a General Motors technician for 21 years, a Chevrolet Master Technician for 14 years, and has experience in the fleet world with Northwest Airlines. He has extensive General Motors, Kia, Chrysler, and Ford factory training as well as aftermarket training from various manufacturer sponsored classes. In his last five years at the dealership, Dannie was a Certified GM Platinum Level Technician.

He says, “I am looking forward to engaging the students at Clark and helping them to achieve success in the automotive world.”

Brian was born and raised in Northern Utah, and graduated from Layton High in 1998. He attended Weber State University in Ogden, Utah from 1999-2006 where he originally majored in physical science. In 2004, Brian decided to switch majors and joined the Honda PACT program which he completed in 2006. Brian worked as an automotive technician from 2004 to 2015 and earned the Honda Master Technician certification in 2011. After working in industry for over a decade, he joined Penguin Nation in 2015 as our Honda PACT program instructor. Outside of Clark College, Brian is married, has three children, and a kitty named Ninja.

What does Brian think about our programs? “We’re training the best technicians for dealerships.”

Wayne has been the automotive department’s vocational tech since 2001. His experience in the automotive industry started in 1978 at a full service Texaco station. Wayne attended the Arizona Automotive Institute and graduated with perfect attendance in 1981, and earned his ASE Master Technician certification in 1982. Since then, Wayne has worked at Good Year Tire Company, an independent shop where he rebuilt automatic transmissions, and Dick Hannah Dealerships where he gained experience with Lincoln, Mercury, Jeep, Honda, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Jeep, and Volkswagen.