A local technician is being honoured as one of the best among Canada's Ford Dealers.

Master Service Technician Michael Penner will represent Winkler's Hometown Ford at the Ford headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan this fall after a company-wide contest.

Hometown's Brian Derksen explains the Country-wide company challenge scored dealers based on customers surveys. The Winkler branch's service department had one of the highest 'Fixed Right First Time' score in Canada. He notes Penner will have the rare opportunity to go behind the scenes at Ford's head office.

Derksen notes they have eight technicians with an average experience of 10 years. "That goes a long way in shared knowledge and making sure we fix the problem the first time."

While staff are constantly updating their knowledge as vehicles employ new technology, Derksen says experience is still crucial.