Faculty

Brian Hagopian

Program Coordinator and Automotive Professor

• A.S. Automotive Technology Fresno City College
• B.A. Organizational Management Ashford university
• 30+ years Automotive Shop Experience
• Master ASE Technician A1-A9
• Advanced ASE L1
• Electronic Diesel ASE L2
• Alternative Fuels and Hybrid ASE L3
• General Service Technician ASE G1
• Compressed Natural Gas Vehicle ASE F1
• Mechanical and Electrical Body ASE B5
• Heavy Duty Truck Gasoline Engines ASE T1
• Heavy Duty Truck Diesel Engines ASE  T2
• Heavy Duty Truck Drive Train ASE T3 
• Heavy Duty Truck Electrical/Electronic Systems ASE T6
• Truck Equipment Electrical/Electronic Systems ASE E1
• Exhaust Specialist ASE X1
• Parts Specialist ASE P1
• Service Consultant ASE C1
• Member SAE, SEMA, and PRI
• General Motors World Class Technician
• Isuzu Master Elite Technician
• California Smog Inspector
• California Smog Repair Technician
• California Smog Instructor
• Mike Rowe Works Ethics Certification
• HVAC 609 Certified
• I-Car Certified
• ACDelco Certified
• ACDelco  Certified Instructor
• Midas Certified Instructor
• Certified Hybrid /Alternative Fuels / Electric Vehicle Trainer
• Tesla Emergency Response
• NC3 Certified in Zeus, Oscilloscopes, Verus Edge, Shop Key, Precision Measurement, Torque, TPMS, Procut, B2000P, T7800, Pro X and Multimeters
• 
• Subject taught: Automotive Technology

Professor Hagopian started at Fresno City College, taking many different classes because "I wanted to be all kinds of things! Biologist, archaeologist, even a lawyer. "Then, I took an Auto Tech class and fell in love with it. But boy, were my parents mad!" His father had his own commercial maintenance business and told Professor Hagopian he will give me the worst jobs so I'd get a professional 'desk' job someday. But after two years, I was making more than he was, so he started bragging about his son, who worked at the Cadillac dealership!" While at a GM training session, he was invited to become an instructor at Las Positas College. "I had always thought teaching would be a wonderful opportunity to mold and inspire the future automotive technicians of the world." So he took the job.
In his spare time, Professor Hagopian enjoys spending time with his wife and three adopted children. He is an avid firearms collector and also enjoys days at the range practicing his marksmanship skills. Friday nights are date nights and Sunday mornings are for church!
Does he have any recommendations for students who want to be Automotive Technicians? "Buckle down, go to class, apply yourself, listen, and learn. Just because you think you can work on cars does not mean you can. I learn every day. If you cannot accept that there is much to learn, one day you will wake up and be disappointed at the life that you have made for yourself."

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James Weston

Laboratory Technician, Adjunct Automotive Professor

• 20+ years Automotive Shop Experience
• ASE Technician A1, A2, A3, A6, A8
• Advanced ASE L1

• ASE National Award Winner- 2008 Technician of the Future

• California Smog Inspector
• California Smog Repair Technician
• California Smog Instructor
• Tesla Emergency Response

• NC3 Certified in Torques, Multimeter and Precision Measurement

 

Professor Weston has had a lifelong love of all things mechanical. Growing up, his father had a penchant for purchasing junky old beater cars but had little to no mechanical skills to keep them running. From fixing power window switches at the age of 9 to overhauling an engine as a 13-year-old, his dad’s old piles of junk gave Professor Weston a classroom in his own driveway growing up. His senior year at Foothill High School in Pleasanton his counselor advised him not to “waste his time” taking ROP Auto Shop as he was on a “college prep track.” After graduating high school, he took general education and transfer classes at Las Positas and then transferred to Cal State East Bay, eventually earning a BS in Business Administration and Economics. However, he still had a passion for cars and knew he needed further education to turn that passion into a profession. This led him back to Las Positas once again, where he enrolled in Automotive and Welding classes, and eventually obtained his Smog Inspection and Repair license. Only a week after finishing the LPC Automotive program he found his first job as a technician making a higher starting salary than most of his friends from business school!

Over the course of the next decade, Professor Weston did everything from basic service and repair to shop management. Fate once again led Professor Weston back to LPC. He has worked as a Lab Technician supporting the Automotive and Welding Technology programs at LPC since 2011. Since 2016, Professor Weston has had the privilege of teaching the evening Smog Inspector and Smog Repair classes at LPC.

In his free time, Professor Weston enjoys spending as much time as possible with his wife and two sons at their home in the Tri-Valley. Professor Weston and his wife love wrenching on cars together, usually only disagreeing on whether to spend money first on her LS1 swapped 1984 Trans Am or his 1965 Mustang Coupe.

Professor Weston's Contact :  jweston@laspositascollege.edu

Delbert Wimmer

Adjunct Automotive Professor

• 30+ years Automotive Shop Experience
• Master ASE Technician A1-A9
• Advanced ASE L1
• Electronic Diesel ASE L2
• Alternative Fuels and Hybrid ASE L3
• General Service Technician ASE G1
• Parts Specialist ASE P2
• Service Consultant ASE C1
• General Motors World Class Technician
• California Smog Instructor
• HVAC 609 Certified

 

Professor Wimmer started working in the Automotive industry while still in high school. He has worked in that industry for 32 years. Professor Wimmer has mentored many young people through the General Motors ASEP program. In addition to teaching, he is employed at a Chevrolet dealership and specializes in automotive electrical and driveability. When possible, he enjoys traveling, Disneyland is his happy place! “I am thrilled,” he said, “to be part of the Las Positas Automotive Program, we are here to impart a skillset that will last a lifetime.” 

Professor Wimmers Contact : dwimmer@laspositascollege.edu

Terry Johnson - Retired

Automotive Faculty/Professor

• Master ASE Technician A1-A8
• Advanced ASE L1
• HVAC 609 Certified
• 30+ Years Automotive Shop Experience

Subject taught: Automotive Technology

Professor Johnson worked as an Automotive Technician straight out of high school. He completed a State Apprenticeship in Automotive Technology at College of Alameda. Still, he continued to take "a myriad of college classes" to further his career and open up new doors. Eventually he was eventually promoted to District Manager for Mac Tools. Professor Johnson's next job was teaching for the GM Service Technical College which was located at that time in San Leandro. When GM was looking to consolidate their programs he brought the GM STC to Las Positas College.

"I'm really enthused about this program," he said. "There is a shortage of people in this industry. People with automotive training can work in a shop, or with computers, manufacturing, hydraulics or electronics. Employers in this field aren't necessarily looking for people with experience. We prepare our students for the workforce with some basic training - the rest is up to the student to show up to work, on time, willing to learn on the job."

Professor Johnson also works as a marriage and family counselor as pastor of TJ Ministries. He serves in the pulpit at Courts of Praise Church of God in Christ in Mantreca as Head Pastor.