Brad Francis, ’01 Automotive Technology Grad, did not like high school. He did like working with his hands and as a high school student he worked as an automotive technician at an independently owned repair shop. The owner and employees at this repair shop were all Ranken graduates.
After high school he decided to go to Ranken. “I wanted to be a great mechanic. Real world experience was good, but I really wanted to know my craft. I was not a fan of high school and skipped a lot of school as a result. At Ranken I only missed one day and that was because I was at work and had the start day wrong.” After graduating he continued to work at the same repair shop.
After a few years working for someone Brad got the entrepreneur urge and he decided to go into business for himself. In 2005, at the age of 23 Brad opened his own independent repair shop in Overland, MO and after a month in business convinced one of his friends from Ranken to join him in the venture. Business was good, but realizing that many of their customers were from St. Charles County, they decided to move their business. They eventually ended up in Moscow Mills, MO, where they found a good deal on the building that they still own and onto which they recently added 4500 square feet. Today, Certified Performance and Auto Repair Inc. http://www.stlcarrepair.com/ is a respected and successful business.
Learn more at https://ranken.edu/find-your-career-path/