Great Plains Tech’s Goodyear Industrial Maintenance Program a family affair

If you ask Jon Katvala about the Goodyear Industrial Maintenance training at Great Plains Technology Center, he’ll quickly tell you, it’s a family affair.

Katvala participated in the training program back in the 1990s and enjoyed a great career at the Lawton Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. He has since retired, but still has a strong bond to the Lawton plant.

A year ago, Katvala’s grandson, Bailey Dutton, graduated from the GPTech Industrial Maintenance program and works at Goodyear. Last week, another family member graduated from the M2 class, Katvala’s son, Joshua Katvala.

“I have a son-in-law who also graduated from the program,” said the senior Katvala. “I guess you might say this is a family affair. We’ve all gone through the program and worked at Goodyear.”

Great Plains Technology Center trains the maintenance technicians for Lawton Goodyear plant.

“The Goodyear Maintenance Training program at Great Plains Technology Center is the best training program in the entire Goodyear corporation. We have been partners with GPTC since 1977 and have trained hundreds of technicians through this program. It is integral to the success of our maintenance system. We are very proud of the legacy that we see developing in our Maintenance organization. These associates are proud of what they do, and they are promoting it to their families and friends,” said Melody Thomas, Lawton Goodyear Training Manager Training Manager.