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.
Scott Flores, Store Manager
Scott realized at an early age his love for all things mechanical. Early in his career he was a welder / fabricator and one of his favorite things to do was to create a project based solely on a customers rough drawing. After high school Scott connected with his love of food as a restaurant manager and then moved to mechanics as a Technical Specialist. As an ASE certified mechanic, he enjoyed many years ensuring customers have safe and reliable vehicles. Building on his passion for business, Scott moved into business management for some of the areas’ most top rated independent automotive repair facilities. In 2025 Scott joined Paul’s Automotive to help carry on their reputation of excellence and customer service. In his spare time Scott enjoys cooking, biking, and photography.
Jonathan Berni, Service Advisor
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.
Lee Gonzales, Technician
With Lee, working on cars began as a hobby that eventually blossomed into a profession. Lee mentions that working on cars is one of the few jobs where he has feels a true sense of accomplishment and satisfaction, everyday. His favorite job, is "R&R", or remove and replace, work. On the weekends, he enjoys playing basketball with friends.
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.
Noah Tellez, Service Technician
Noah’s passion for cars started soon after entering high school. He spent countless weekends working on Hondas with his dad but nothing was more satisfying than getting a car that did not operate running again. His goal is to become one of the best general technicians there is. In his spare time Noah enjoys playing video games with his brothers and visiting family and friends.
Kyle Akedo, Service Technician
Kyle is a full time student at American River college where he studies automotive technology and automotive collision. He is always expanding his knowledge on cars whether it be in the classroom or shop. He also makes sure to deliver his highest quality work. Growing up he saw a lot of his parents struggles and frustration when it came to getting work done on their cars. His goal is to never let any of our customers have any of those feelings when leaving our shop.
Jon Carlos Vega, Service Technician
Jon Carlos was born in Austin, Texas and raised in Sacramento. As a child he attended the Sacramento Governor's Cup regularly with his dad which got him interested in cars and tinkering with a Honda CRX. He completed his Automotive Training at Yuba College in 2011 and has worked continually as a Service Technician since then. Jon Carlos enjoys working on his drift and drag cars, spending time with his family and being a DJ of drum and bass music.
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.