The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence is acquiring WrenchWay as part of a wider push to support technician recruitment, school connections and workforce data.
The Virginian non-profit tests and certifies automotive service professionals. WrenchWay is a career platform for the automotive, diesel and collision industries.
WrenchWay is a career platform founded in 2020 by Jay Goninen and Mark Wilson to promote and improve careers in the automotive, diesel and collision industries.
Under the agreement, WrenchWay’s co-founders and employees will join ASE. Their work will support connections between schools, employers and industry partners, as well as support for current and future service professionals.
“Modernizing ASE has always meant more than updating our tests. It means rethinking how we serve technicians, shops, educators and the next generation entering the industry,” said Dave Johnson, president and chief executive officer of ASE. “WrenchWay has built something remarkable and together we can deliver on that vision at a scale neither of us could achieve alone.”
The acquisition follows earlier work between ASE and WrenchWay.
In 2024, ASE, the ASE Education Foundation and WrenchWay partnered on School Assist, a platform for connecting schools with employers for guest speakers, shop tours, tool donations, internships and other support. At the time, WrenchWay materials listed more than 1,100 participating schools and about 1,000 shops and dealerships with access through its Top Shop membership program.
In December 2025, ASE and WrenchWay introduced ASE Connects, a national workforce initiative for shops, dealerships and schools. The platform was built to support school-industry relationships, workforce data and career pathways in the automotive, diesel and collision industries.
ASE Connects launched in January 2026. Its tools include updated instructor contacts, school support requests and direct communication channels between schools and industry members. The platform also includes an Industry Data Exchange covering pay, benefits and labour rates.
The acquisition also follows a September 2025 partnership involving ASE, WrenchWay, the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair and the Collision Repair Education Foundation. That partnership covered career promotion, entry-level education, mentorship, school support and collision repair career paths.
WrenchWay materials list more than 3,200 schools and 3,500 shops and dealerships in its network. Its platform is used to connect shops, schools and industry professionals, provide industry data, promote career opportunities and support educational events.
According to the release, ASE Connects will remain a main focus during the integration. WrenchWay’s technology and expertise will also support other parts of ASE’s portfolio.
“Growing up in the industry, ASE has always been a brand I admire and respect,” said Jay Goninen, co-founder and president of WrenchWay. “The opportunity to now be part of ASE’s future is both humbling and exciting. It is a true honor to help build on that legacy while creating new ways to support service professionals.”
Mark Wilson, co-founder and chief executive officer of WrenchWay, said ASE has rare name recognition across the industry.
“There are not many brands in this industry that every technician and every shop instantly recognize. ASE is one of them,” Wilson said. “We have enormous respect for what’s been built here and equally high expectations for what comes next.”
The release gives no integration timeline. More details on the transition for current users are due in the coming weeks.
While the WrenchWay app is available in Canada, official materials reviewed do not identify Canadian schools, shops or dealerships using the platform.
