A 50 Year Auto Repair Tradition in Grand Rapids
At Legacy Auto-Tech, our goal is to carry forward a 50-year auto repair tradition in Grand Rapids. Jack Kamp founded the business—then a full-service Marathon gas and service station—in 1964 when he was only 18 years old. (Many of you probably remember Jack’s Automobile Service on Kalamazoo Avenue.) For 42 years, Jack was the owner-operator, until he retired in March of 2007 and sold the shop to Andy Pollina and James Lorenz.
For seven years, Andy and James continued the business under the same name, maintaining the same level of service that Jack built his reputation on. In 2014, Andy became the soul owner, and after a year decided to rename the shop Legacy Auto-Tech. (Another auto repair facility on the west side of Grand Rapids had a similar name, which had caused some confusion for customers and suppliers over the years.) Andy chose the name Legacy to honor Jack Kamp, who passed away in September of 2015.
Who You’ll Meet at Legacy Auto-Tech
Andy Pollina, Owner
Andy was born and raised on the southeast side of Grand Rapids. He graduated from Ottawa Hills High School in 1994, and went on to earn his Bachelor’s Degree in Audio Engineering from Columbia College in Chicago. After working in the recording industry while in college and for a short time after college, he moved back to Grand Rapids and became interested in the automotive industry.
Andy started out in an entry-level position at Classic Chevrolet, and received several years of GM technical service training. He went on to become Master Certified with an additional Advanced Level Engine Performance Certification. With several years of experience at Classic Chevrolet under his belt, Andy branched out to working on other makes and models, both foreign and domestic, at a local independent auto repair facility. In 2007, he purchased Jack’s Automobile Service, renaming the business Legacy Auto-Tech in 2015.
Andy lives in Rockford with his wife, Nicole, and three daughters. When he’s not running the shop, he enjoys spending time with his family, hunting, fishing, camping, and bicycle racing.
Mike Schader, ASE Master Certified Technician
Mike is one of our ASE Master Certified Technicians and specializes in automotive electrical systems. He began his technical training at Ferris State University with the manufacturer/dealership co-op for Ford ASSET program. Mike then worked his way up to his career as Ford's electrical and infotainment specialist and worked at a number of dealerships over the years. He continues to practice and enjoy continuing technical education and experience here at Legacy Auto-Tech, on top of the numerous other skills he has acquired in his twenty plus years in the automotive industry.