Mohawk Honda Master Technician Represents Auto Dealership’s Exceptional Employees
Chester T. Dean
3 min read
For the Top Workplaces 2022 report, we spotlight some of the people who have helped their employers and colleagues survive and thrive during the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
When Mohawk Honda’s management team is asked to select one standout employee from among their dozens of standout employees, it’s a game of first among equals. But everyone agrees that Derrick Anderson, master technician and 18-year veteran of the Schenectady-based company, is the perfect representative.
“He will go out of his way to help others every day,” says general manager Greg Johnson. “He is the true definition of a team player.”
Press Anderson on what he’s doing, he’ll say, “It’s really hard to bring it down, to be honest. I kind of try to get into a bit of everything.
2022 Best Workplaces in the Capital Region
For more than 10 years, Times Union has partnered with Energage to rank the best places to work in the Capital Region. This year, more than 15,500 employees assessed their corporate culture — and the results are in. Discover the winners:
— Large employers: 300 or more employees
— Medium-sized employers: 100 to 299 employees
— Small employers: less than 100 employees
— Special distinctions: highlighting specific survey results
This year’s leadership awards went to Carver Laraway of Carver Cos., Sonny Bonacio of Bonacio Construction and Morgan Ruthman of The Spinney Group.
Learn about the survey methodology.
But beyond supervising staff and managing all areas of repairs and diagnostics, his most recent – and rewarding – role has been that of mentoring new service employees. Maybe it’s because they remind him of his 18-year-old self starting in an entry-level role at Mohawk Honda.
“I take a lot of young guys under my wing and teach them the ropes. I love the challenge behind it, as well as helping new guys figure things out. How to do it and do it right.
His direct supervisor, Service Manager Mike Healy, expands on this. “He’s always ready to jump into someone else’s problems. He will dive into it and stay there until the end. He is extremely dedicated to the formation and growth of this company. »
Anderson raves about Mohawk Honda when asked what he likes about working there. “The list goes on. How well they took care of us during the pandemic; that was a big thing that stood out most recently. The fact that I was able to learn and grow over the years.
“The owners are great people. Colleagues are great people. Everyone has the kind of “help the customer first” mentality versus the “you’re here for a paycheck” mentality.
He remembers hearing the owner expound his philosophy: we want the best people and we want to keep them, so we have to keep them happy.
Anderson says, “It makes you think about things, you know, and how good you have it.”
Headquarter: Schenectady
Based: 1919
The possession: Private
Activity area: Car dealer
Employees: 210
Years Named Best Workplaces: 4
Website: mohawkhonda.com
