ABOUT US
Paul Criswell first opened Paul’s Automotive on V Street in 1974. He later moved the shop to the current location on 20th and O Street in 1981. He wanted an automotive shop that was part of the community and that people could trust. Paul retired in 2015. Mike Spellman started as a tech at Paul’s in 1992. He now owns the shop and continues the tradition of Paul’s today. Mike’s philosophy is to do whatever it takes to be the best automotive repair shop in town and to have his customers have a great experience.
Meet Our Team
Mike Spellman, President and Owner
Mike has been a car enthusiast since an early age, watching his uncles and dad drag race. He has worked in the industry all his life. He loves the feeling of taking a car that isn’t running right and fixing the problem, and to watch the customer drive away happy and safe. First a tech at Paul’s since 1992, and now the owner, he brings this wealth of knowledge and a determination to provide the best customer service experience. In his free time, Mike enjoys drag racing his 1972 Challenger and spending time with his family.
Tracilyn Peters, General Manager
Tracilyn has been a car lover all her life. Her passion began when as a young girl, her family’s old cars became her playground. As she grew older, she helped her grandfather work on cars and enjoyed “cruising” her 1967 Cougar XR7 on the weekends (she still has it, by the way). Tracilyn puts her years of Business Management and Finance experience to use making sure that our shop runs smoothly.
Stephanie Garrison, Assistant to General Manager
Stephanie has tinkered with cars since she was a little girl. Most of her family works on cars in some capacity, she comes from a long line of mechanics. Stephanie completed the Automotive Analyst Certificate Program at American River College, and was employed at the College for over 10 years. When she wasn't in class, she was assisting the automotive faculty as well as the automotive students. When Stephanie is not working she enjoys spending time with her brother playing Pokémon and with her best friend/cousin watching movies.
Jonathan Berni, Service Manager
Jonathan started working on motorcycles and lawn mowers in high school. Jonathan joined the US Army after high school and served in the motor pool. When his time serving our country ended, Jonathan attended South Seattle Community College and received an Automotive Associates Degree in 2002. After graduation Jonathan was a Service Technician at various shops in New Jersey, Washington and California. Jonathan uses his experience as a Service Technician to help customers make informed decisions and prioritize needed repairs.
Greg Smith, Smog Technician
Greg has always been interested in cars, especially all of the technology involved. He formerly was a welder on heavy equipment, but made the switch to working on cars in the 1990s to follow his love for cars and to learn more about them. He later got his smog license in 2013. On the weekends, you’ll find Greg working on the cars he has at home or enjoying the outdoors, whether it’s fishing, archery, or doing gardening and yard work.
Akshay Tumber, Service Technician
Shay has been into cars since a young age. Watching monster trucks sparked his interest in motor vehicles. He also enjoys figuring out how things work and problem solving. In his spare time he enjoys listening to music and playing guitar.
Shawn Shepherd, Service Technician
Shawn started his interest in automotive repair by restoring antique cars and farm equipment with his grandfather. At the age of 17 he began his automotive career by working as a technician at an air cooled Volkswagen shop. He enjoys spending time outdoors with his large family and taking care of the various pets in his household.
Alex Philo, Service Advisor
Alex brings with him 34+ years of experience in the automotive industry. He has a deep seated passion for cars and is driven by excellence in customer service and satisfaction. Alex purchased his first car when he was 14 and spent two years rebuilding it so that the moment he turned 16 he had his rebuilt car ready to go! Alex looks forward to serving all your automotive needs.
Dylan Hernandez, Service Technician
Dylan has always had a fascination with working on cars since he was a boy. He used to watch his father work on his cars in the garage. When Dylan got older, he would help his grandfather and uncle do bodywork on cars. After working for another shop that specialized in oil changes, he learned the trade of becoming a lube technician. Dylan plans to further his education in the automotive industry and put his skills to good use in his career.
Yunhai Huang, Service Technician
Yunhai is an ASE Master technician with Smog check & repair licenses. He has worked in the automobile industry for more than 15 years. His goal is to offer the best service for a customer. He really likes the culture at Paul Automotive. The owner treats his employees and customers as a family member. He plans to work here until he retires.
Jacob McGuire, Service Advisor
Jacob has always gravitated towards work he can leave his mark on. Driven by natural curiosity to figure out how things work. That mindset started in his own garage learning the trades through hands on experience and practical problem solving. That real world experience led him to the automotive industry where he gained valuable experience navigating high demand service lanes. Today Jacob serves as a service advisor dedicated to honest customer advocacy using his under hood knowledge to translate complex diagnostics into easy to understand repair plans. Off the clock he brings that same craft into the kitchen perfecting new recipes or relaxing at home with his wife and two daughters.
Jackson Spellman, Customer Service Expert
Since May 2016, Mike oldest son has been providing the shop with high quality customer service. In his free time, Jackson enjoys reading books and playing with cars.
Jacob Spellman, Quality Control Specialist
Since January 2018, Jacob has personally inspected every car that leaves the shop, making certain that the services performed meet the high standards of Paul's Automotive. If something isn't to Jacob's specifications, he announces his concerns, loudly. Always smiling or laughing, he is a joy to work with.
Benjamin "Benny" Spellman, Director Of Outreach & Community Relations
Since January 2018, Benny is always on the move with an energetic and animated personality, making him the perfect fit to develop positive relationships with our community partners.