UNOH Alum Builds Lifelong Career on Passion and Perseverance

Posted on Tuesday, December 02, 2025

UNOH Alumnus Phil Rickard ('91) with his Degree and Certificates

Written by Contributing Columnist Melanie Barnas;Simmons, VP Instututional Advancement and Alumni Relations

When Philip Rickard graduated from Northwestern Business College Technical Center (NBC Tech) in 1991, he had no idea the lessons he learned commuting over 100 miles a day both ways from Defiance, Ohio, would fuel a decades-long journey through automotive service, racing, business ownership, and education.

“I never missed a single day of class except for the day I hit a deer,” Rickard laughed, “attendance was very important to me”. “I worked full-time during the day, went to school at night, and just told myself, ‘Watch me’, every time someone said I couldn’t do it.”

A Career Driven by Curiosity
After earning his Automotive Technology degree, Rickard began his career in small independent auto service shops before joining GM Dealerships - a Chevrolet-Cadillac-Geo and a Buick-Pontiac-Oldsmobile store later on. He quickly distinguished himself as a versatile technician — taking on roles in rebuilding transmissions, engine service work, and rebuilding carburetors at a time when few were willing to take on such intricate work – especially with carburetors. “I couldn’t get enough,” he said. “I was always a sponge when it came to anything mechanical, reading every car magazine and performance publication I could get my hands on back in the day.”

That relentless drive eventually led him to Lingenfelter Performance Engineering in Decatur, Indiana — a world-renowned name in high-performance vehicles. As a performance vehicle technician & chassis dyno operator, Rickard learned to view everything “through an engineering lens,” applying physics and precision to push horsepower.

Racing to New Heights
Rickard’s expertise caught the attention of a professional Corvette racing team competing in the SCCA Pro World Challenge Cup, where he became a professional engine builder and crew member for a pair of 1999 C5 Corvette road racing cars. His team helped provide real-world racing data that influenced the engineering of the 2001 Corvette Z06, a role Rickard still takes pride in today.

After two years on the professional racing circuit, he set his sights on entrepreneurship — founding DTE Powertrain in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Starting with a 10,000-square-foot shop and eventually growing to nine employees, his company became known for groundbreaking products in the Corvette world, including high-performance drivetrain components setting records at the Bonneville Salt Flats, the first nitrous oxide injection system for the LS1 engine and the first aftermarket ignition distributor for the LT1 Corvette.

An Entrepreneur at Heart
Rickard embodies the true spirit of the entrepreneur — willing to take risks, innovate, and lead with vision. “I was in debt up to my neck, but I didn’t care,” he said. “I knew I could make it work.” His success as a founder and inventor not only built a thriving business but also inspired the next generation of technicians and small business owners.

Teaching, Mentoring, and Giving Back
After selling his business in Ft. Wayne in 2010 to spend more time with his new family, Rickard shifted gears into education — teaching high-school and college-level automotive technology students for nearly a decade. “I wanted to pass along to students everything I’d learned — all the secrets, all the lessons from years of direct experience — because I didn’t have anything to prove anymore, I’d been there, done that,” he said.

In 2021, he moved the family to Hesperia, Michigan, where he continued to teach, but the itch to start his own business again soon came back. About 16 months ago, he founded Lakeland Repair Services, a full-service shop specializing in both automotive and small-repair/powersports service under the same roof. His work today is less about high horsepower and more about helping others grow in the trade. “I’m at the point in my career where I want to give back to the automotive industry,” he said. “I’d like to mentor young technicians — hire hungry high-school seniors, give them a start, and teach them what books can’t to make them competitive in the industry.”

Full Circle
Rickard’s story comes full circle in many ways. He began working on small engines in a converted chicken coop at age 12 and now finds himself once again fixing engines — but this time with decades of experience, wisdom, and perspective. “I’ve made my living,” he said. “Now it’s about passing on the torch.”

He remains deeply proud of his alma mater and its evolution from NBC Tech into today’s UNOH. “It’s amazing to see how that school has evolved,” he said. “I tell my students all the time to inspire them — I graduated from there, and now they’re on TV everywhere, in racing, doing amazing things. I’m proud to be part of that story.”

Fueling the Future: UNOH Alumni Entrepreneurship Awards
Phil’s journey as a business owner and innovator exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit that UNOH celebrates through the Fueling the Future: UNOH Alumni Entrepreneurship Awards + Student Pitch Competition. This new event honors alumni who transformed passion into purpose — using their education, creativity, and perseverance to build something lasting.

Nominations for the 2026 awards are now open! Alumni entrepreneurs are encouraged to apply or nominate fellow graduates who are leading businesses, startups, or community ventures that reflect the Racer spirit. Nominations are due by December 5, 2025.

Category: Applied Technologies

Keywords: Alumni, NBC Tech, Automotive, High Performance