PHOENIX, March 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Being the best in the world can provide a variety of opportunities. By using the skills and technical expertise they learned at the Motorcycle Mechanics Institute's (MMI) Phoenix campus, Yamaha Motor Corp., USA's Yamaha Technical Academy (YTA) and many years of working in the industry, Mark Sagers and Eric Romanowicz have been catapulted into the international spotlight.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130313/LA76914)

Both graduates of MMI and Yamaha's technical training courses, Sagers in 2010 and Romanowicz in 2011 competed against the best Yamaha technicians in the country, winning the Yamaha United States Technician Grand Prix (USTGP).  USTGP is a competition pitting the top technicians from the YTA Gold-level Training Courses against each other in a series of real-world exercises.

Taking top prize in the U.S. allowed both a chance to compete in October 2012, at the World Technician Grand Prix (WTGP) at Yamaha Motor Company world headquarters in Iwata, Japan. As the only two technicians representing the United States, both were awarded with an all-expense paid trip to Iwata for the international competition, where they competed against 28 contestants from 20 different countries.

"Good technical training is the foundation to being successful in this industry," said David Trombley, technical training manager at Yamaha Motor Corp., USA.  "Mark and Eric's persistence to build upon their MMI training by attending Yamaha's Technical Academy assisted them in reaching this high level at the Yamaha WTGP in Japan."

Their training at MMI-Phoenix, Yamaha Motor Corp., USA and their hands-on experience working for powersports dealers, led to placing in the top three in this international skills showdown. Sagers, who works for South Valley Motorsports in Draper, Utah placed second in the world; while Romanowicz from Mondus Motorsports in Hudson, Wis. placed third. 

"Much of the foundation upon which my later training was built came from MMI and great instructors like the late Gene Tally," said second place winner, Mark Sagers. "He not only taught me about motorcycles but convinced me there was only one way to do a job, the right way."

"Thanks to the support of Mondus Motorsports and Yamaha, my MMI training, on the job experience and YTA classes helped me prove that hard work and ongoing training can help you get to the top," said third place winner Eric Romanowicz.

MMI awarded Mark and Eric their choice of $500 of Snap-on tools in appreciation of their efforts and success in the powersports industry.

For more information about MMI click here. Like MMI on www.facebook.com/mmiphoenix or follow on Twitter @MMITweet.

Media Contact:
Tina Miller
Universal Technical Institute
tmiller@uti.edu
(623) 445-0943

SOURCE Motorcycle Mechanics Institute