Meet our 2026 Regional Finalists who are progressing through to the final stages of the Technician Awards program.
2026 Technician Awards Regional Finalists
Parts Technician of the Year Finalists
Alex Tyler, Emmetts Murray Bridge, South Australia
Alex Tyler's love of machinery goes well beyond the workshop of Emmetts in Murray Bridge, where has worked as a Parts Technician for the past five years.
In his spare time, he has built an engine and carbon fibre panels for a wingless spring speedway car he jointly owns with his brother.
Alex says the problem solving involved in servicing and repairing engines, whether at home or at work, provides new technical learning opportunities every day.
He also takes great satisfaction from the focus Emmetts places on supporting their customers and local communities.
"We have a great team culture where everyone supports each other, and that makes a big difference day to day," he said.
"It's rewarding to help customers keep their equipment running and support the industries that rely on it."
Alex's professionalism, reliability and operational efficiency are exceptional, resulting in high levels of customer satisfaction. For example, during a critical harvest period, he sourced a difficult-to-locate part across multiple branches, coordinated urgent delivery, and maintained clear, consistent communication throughout.
Having reached the final of Parts Technician of the Year in 2024, Alex says it would be an honour to be recognised by John Deere should his name be called this time around.
Demi Russell, Honeycombes Ayr, Queensland
Demi Russell is passionate about showing young people, especially women, that you can build a strong, successful career in a small country town like Ayr, which despite its size is a massive provider to the Burdekin agricultural region.
Demi was introduced to the job of parts interpreter at a young age by her mother, who worked in the automotive industry for 35 years.
"Helping Mum gave me a strong work ethic, and the ability to build genuine customer relationships," Demi said.
Demi has a natural ability to connect with customers, and many specifically request her parts support due to her knowledge, honesty, and follow-through.
What makes Demi truly exceptional, however, is her ability to balance the demands of being a mother of four while maintaining a high-performing career.
Demi said there are similarities between raising a family and the busyness of her workplace, but says the critical thing is to stay calm amidst the chaos.
"Doing my job well creates a flow-on effect. By keeping machines moving in the paddock, it supports local businesses, strengthens the local economy, and contributes to a sustainable future for my family and community," she said.
Her favourite thing to do outside work is watching her kids strive to succeed in sport, which currently means driving an hour to Townsville four times a week for representative basketball.
Ashley Ralph, Brandt Rocherlea, Tasmania
When Ashley Ralph finished high school, she had her sights set on a career as a lawyer, but an innate desire to understand how things work and the opportunity to complete certificates in automotive and engineering during her first year of college put her on a different path.
Today, she's a diesel mechanic by trade, having earned her stripes working on Tasmania's logging truck fleets, and applies that knowledge in her role as Parts Person with Brandt in Rocherlea, Tasmania.
Ashley loves two things about her job: growing relationships with customers and doing her part to ensure their success. She also enjoys getting to see behind the scenes of how things operate in a dealership and the parts that go into making equipment work.
Making her work even more interesting is navigating unpredictable work schedules, particularly in the forest industry, and moving parts across Bass Strait to the Apple Isle.
Ashley's enthusiasm for John Deere equipment was clearly evident when asked whether there was a machine or part she found particularly intriguing.
"I have two favourites – the skidder and the feller buncher, which work hand in hand. They're awesome to see at work," Ashley said.
"On the construction side, graders are pretty cool, and the work they can do with John Deere technology now is insane."
Ashley is a dedicated, committed and energetic Parts Person whose contribution to the Brandt dealership has been consistently exceptional. Her strong technical capability, problem-solving mindset and ability to think outside the box have made her an invaluable member of the small and tightknit Launceston team.
Bradley Sibson, Honeycombes Ayr, Queensland
Brad Sibson believes a positive environment makes a big difference to how the team performs at work, and he's taken it upon himself to lighten the mood with a few Dad jokes.
"I love the groans and the looks more than the laughs, but a well-timed joke lifts the workplace, along with checking in with teammates, and showing interest in what's going on outside of work," Brad said.
He's also a team player on the local hockey pitch, as President of the Lower Burdekin Indoor Hockey Association, and he's found similarities between his job and the sport.
"Whether you're a parts interpreter or a hockey player, a part or a goal is always needed 'as soon as possible'," Brad said.
Brad grew up on a cattle and cane property in the Burdekin and spent six years in a local parts business, where he worked his way up to branch manager.
Brad brings a level of skill, experience, and professionalism that has contributed to the speed and accuracy of Honeycombes' parts interpreting and supply.
His contribution extends beyond his individual performance. He's helped build a strong team which has directly contributed to reduced downtime for our customers.
Brad's photographic memory comes in handy when sourcing parts for older machines, and he gets great job satisfaction from putting farmers back on the field as quickly as possible.
Brett Zimmerman, Brandt Whangārei, North Island New Zealand
Brett Zimmerman literally goes the extra mile to get the most for his customers, spending his spare time visiting other Brandt branches to meet his colleagues face-to-face.
"We've got 17 branches and I've got 7 to go," Brett said.
"Whenever my wife and I travel, I make it a point to visit local branches. I spend about half an hour meeting the team and form those relationships. Now, because we know each other personally, collaboration is seamless. Now, I know exactly who to reach out to when working on a project. If they ever need anything from my end, they just give me a ring and we get it sorted right away."
Brett has built his career on that kind of work ethic, reliability and a determination to keep customers moving. Originally from Dargaville, he began his working life as a trade-qualified builder before spending more than a decade in the automotive parts industry, specialising in auto electrical systems, air conditioning and batteries.
Since joining Brandt nearly three years ago, Brett has brought that broad technical background into the agricultural, construction and forestry sectors, and claiming the highest parts sales in the country.
Colleagues say Brett's ability to process large volumes of work and multi-task is amazing to witness and a key factor in the improved level of service that can be provided by the workshop.
Aaron Game, Brandt Silverdale, North Island New Zealand
While Aaron Game has been named as a finalist for the individual honour of Parts Technician of the Year, his success as a manager has come from a team-first approach.
As Parts Manager at Brandt Silverdale, Aaron said open and honest communication has been the key to building a successful environment.
"We've built a great team culture, with parts, service and sales all working really well together and it's now very much like a family environment," Aaron said.
"We all want the same thing. We all want success. We either succeed together or we fail alone."
That approach has included building stronger connections between his team and customers through farm visits to understand the importance of each part in an operating context.
In addition to local dairy and maize producers, about 50% of the branch's business comes from the golf and turf sector.
Aaron takes the initiative to thoroughly understand each customer's needs, providing tailored solutions that regularly exceed expectations. His approachable manner, attention to detail, and willingness to go the extra mile have earned him widespread respect from both customers and colleagues.
Aaron admits the role can be challenging, but "that's what makes it fun".
"Trying to work out exactly what's gone wrong and how we can fix it, and what's the most economical way to fix it, to keep these guys on track – particularly during harvest when you've got to have a solution and you've got to come up with it quick."