Penske has announced two new guild master technicians for its on-highway and off-highway operations respectively, naming Luke Andrew and Luke Reid as its 2026 Guild Master Technicians.
Penske says its Guild comprises members from across its Australian and New Zealand network and culminates in a prestigious biennial master technician competition aimed at promoting and rewarding technical excellence, where technicians compete in qualification rounds prior to the final.
The event was held in Sydney last week and according to Penske saw the 12 finalists race the stopwatch while undertaking a series of advanced diagnostic, troubleshooting, and procedural challenges.
Luke Andrew is a leading hand at Penske’s Perth branch and has worked across the company’s on-highway portfolio for more than five year, including on Western Star, MAN, Detroit, and Allison Transmission.
Andrew commenced his career with Penske as a dual-trade light vehicle mechanic and auto electrician, before upgrading his qualifications to heavy diesel, while more recently he spent the past year spearheading its Allison XTrans rebuild program.
“In a highly competitive on-highway field, Luke stood out through his focus, technical expertise, and ability to perform under pressure,” said Leigh Henderson, chief operating officer and Penske Guild chair.
“His performance throughout the competition reflected the dedication, capability, and high standards he delivers to customers at our Perth branch each day,” Henderson said.
The other Luke, Luke Reid is based at Penske’s Darwin branch, and joined the business in 2021, going on to build extensive experience as a technician specialising in Rolls-Royce Power Systems’ MTU portfolio across the company’s off-highway operations, including in defence, energy solutions, and mining applications.
Penske said that Reid is a highly respected member of its Darwin team, supporting customers across vast distances, and often travels thousands of kilometres to keep critical equipment operating in some of Australia’s most remote locations.
“Amongst an outstanding cohort of off-highway specialists, Luke demonstrated exceptional practical knowledge and remained calm, methodical, and composed under pressure,” said Henderson.
“His professional and thorough approach to problem-solving was evident throughout the final and showcased the technical excellence that Penske Guild seeks to recognise.,” he said.
“Both Lukes are worthy winners and outstanding ambassadors for the values that the Penske Guild represents: a commitment to customer service excellence through technical expertise, rigorous diagnostics, and timely problem resolution,” Henderson added.
The training manager for Penske Australia and New Zealand, Jason Benedetti, said the competition has continued to evolve and strengthen over the past decade.
“Since the inaugural Master Technician competition 10 years ago, the calibre of entrants has continued to rise, reflecting the investment we make in technical training and professional development across our business,” Benedetti said.
“Today, more than one-fifth of our technicians are Penske Guild members and therefore eligible to participate in the Master Technician competition,” he added.
Penske said that both Luke Andrew and Luke Reid will enjoy trips overseas to either the United States or Germany respectively visiting the Western Star Trucks, Detroit, and Team Penske facilities, or the Rolls-Royce Power Systems’ MTU and MAN Truck and Bus plants.
“While earning the coveted Master Technician title and winning trips to visit our OEM partners is significant, the real winners are our customers,” said Henderson.
“As our technicians continue to develop their skills and expertise, customers across Australia and New Zealand benefit from an even higher standard of service, technical support, and uptime,” he added.
