Dennis Madden
Dennis is ATRA’s CEO, the publisher of GEARS Magazine, and one of its most prolific writers. In fact, he had a byline in the very first issue of GEARS.
Dennis got his start over 40 years ago, first as an R&R technician and later as a rebuilder. Later, he went to work for an AAMCO center, where his employer recognized his talent and recommended him for a position on the AAMCO technical hotline.
From that, Dennis quickly realized how much he enjoyed helping technicians and shop owners improve their business skills. He joined ATRA in 1989, first as a technical specialist, working the phones and writing bulletins, and later as technical director. He took over as CEO in 2001.
Over the years, Dennis has written five books — available through the ATRA BookStore — and has won 15 IAMA awards for technical and business writing. And he was instrumental in creating ATRA’s What’s Working program, designed to help shops become profitable in today’s changing business climate.
Dennis Madden - March - 2024
In the previous issue, we covered how to develop a business culture. There are a lot of phrases to define this, like a mission statement or purpose statement (my preference). However you’d like to characterize it, it’s essentially a declaration of why you’re in business and that everyone on your team understands. And they need […]
Dennis Madden - January/February - 2024
Project planning and execution, the topic of my program at ATRA’s Powertrain Expo, is one of my favorite subjects. And while the process is relatively simple on its face, projects often look far different once executed compared to their original intent. If you think that’s a loose statement, consider this: Every terrible website you’ve ever […]
Dennis Madden - October/November - 2023
ATRA’s University Project isn’t a place or even a thing. It’s a concept for advancing the transmission-repair industry — as a whole. This includes not only those in the industry, or even those who want to be in the industry, but those who don’t know they want to be in it (but belong in it […]
Dennis Madden - September - 2023
Over the past several months, we’ve covered a lot of information aimed at the diagnostician, particularly things to check when a vehicle first comes in with a transmission-related complaint. Some items, like battery voltage and condition, are easily overlooked. In the April edition, we covered this and the effects of other often-overlooked items like mismatched […]
Dennis Madden - June - 2023
The topic of engine crankshaft thrust bearing failure creeps up from time. I’ve written about it twice, once in 1998 and again in 2015. Unfortunately, these articles aren’t in the current database, so it’s not simple for people to find them online. This gives us an opportunity to index it in the latest Gears database […]
Dennis Madden - June - 2023
Every business runs by its numbers. The most common number shop owners track is, of course, profit. I once heard at a management program, “The most important thing is profit. Everything else is ancillary.” I’d say yes and no to that. Yes. At the end of the day, profit is the most important thing in […]
Dennis Madden - May - 2023
Over the next few months, you’ll notice an increasing emphasis on ATRA+ articles. It’s not so much that we’ve changed article focus, per se, but rather that some articles focus on diagnostics and qualify for that heading. A good example of this is the article by Sean Boyle on page 16. In addition, we’ll go […]
Dennis Madden - April - 2023
This is the third installment of ATRA+ articles. It’s a project that began a couple of years ago. It’s tied to the ATRA University Project and focused on the technician making the call whether a transmission problem is inside or outside the transmission. It’s a key role and one that ATRA can help teach students […]
Dennis Madden - April - 2023
Since 1954, transmission professionals have looked to ATRA for training and specialty services to keep the transmission-rebuilding industry strong and the technicians sharp. We’ve never lost sight of the fact that we serve the rebuilding professional. But the proliferation of transmission types and the shortage of people entering this field brought about the understanding that […]
Dennis Madden - March - 2023
We don’t think much about servicing an automatic transmission. Fill it until the dipstick shows full, and off we go. Even if the dipstick read low, it didn’t seem to matter, at least back in the old days. You could even find technical information recommending running the transmission low on fluid. If you’ve ever installed […]
Dennis Madden - January/February - 2023
Last month, ATRA’s Executive Director, Lance Wiggins, shared some history about ATRA. As a rebuilder, I can go back decades and recall the tech I learned from ATRA through seminars and bulletins (I still have ATRA seminar books from the late 70s and 80s). The point is that ATRA made its spot in the transmission […]
Dennis Madden - December - 2022
I’ve visited hundreds of shops during my career, and not much has changed over the decades. Years ago, you could find shops filled with work while another shop down the street struggled to make ends meet. Today, shops are busier than ever, but profitability is still an issue, and there’s worry on the horizon. We […]
Dennis Madden - October - 2022
Welcome to this new column, “Hi-Rev.” The name comes from a book Jim Cathcart and I co-authored, “Hi-Rev For Small Business.” Jim has written over 100 articles for Gears magazine, so you’re familiar with his work. Our history goes back over ten years when Jim began working as a business coach and consultant for me […]
Dennis Madden - July - 2022
So far, it’s been a great year for ATRA, and I see a bright future ahead. But before I get into why the future of ATRA and the industry looks so bright, let me acknowledge a few things. Like everyone else, ATRA struggled these past two years, and we still haven’t fully recovered. Many of […]
Dennis Madden - July - 2022
I recently received a call from a friend, Pat, who runs a transmission remanufacturing company. He was frustrated as he said, “Man, Dennis, we have got these 8L90s that we can’t get to work. It’s like the pump isn’t working. They’ll work fine if they go into gear; otherwise, they’ll just sit there.” He went […]
Dennis Madden - June - 2022
As time flies, so do the needs of the industry and the projects for the ATRA team. Most recently, we’ve worked on providing training for students at technical schools through ATRA’s VTS (Virtual Training Solutions) platform. We’ll continue increasing ATRA’s reach to people interested in starting a career in the transmission repair industry. But while […]
Dennis Madden - May - 2022
The term “Advanced Basics” may seem like an oxymoron (which it is), but it’s no odder than statements like fully empty, only choice, liquid gas, or even open secret. They all have their meanings, but I like Advanced Basics above the others. Before I get into what it means and future work for ATRA, let’s […]
Dennis Madden - April - 2022
For two years, you’ve had reminders for social distancing and felt the sense of panic after realizing you had forgotten your mask as you approached the local grocery store. You’ve created tasks for sanitizing the counters, the steering wheels of your customer’s cars, and a range of other cleaning duties as you go about your […]
Dennis Madden - March - 2022
After a long, hard, day it’s nice to relax and enjoy a beautiful sunset. The sunsets here in Oxnard, California, are stunning, and watching them is a great way to reflect on your day and think about what’s to come tomorrow. It’s even better if you’re sharing that moment with your special someone. The sunset […]
Dennis Madden - January/February - 2022
Last July , I shared the news about ATRA moving to san Antonio, Texas. Actually, and more specifically, China Grove. Never heard of it? Sure you have. It’s the title of a 1973 Doobie Brothers song. As a teenager back then, I had no idea they were singing about a real place. Now, almost 50 […]