A Bond Built in the Auto Shop

Father, daughter shift gears to teach at TSTC

The old saying goes that every daughter is a “daddy’s girl,” but for Jeff Allmand and Christine Hogan, the bond runs much deeper than a simple cliché. It is forged in motor oil, diesel engines, and a shared, lifelong passion for mechanics.

“She is my little fishing buddy,” Jeff said.

Christine credits her father for raising her to be an independent thinker.

“He raised me to be self-sufficient and to fix my own problems,” she said.

Today, after years of working side-by-side in commercial garages, the father-daughter duo is passing their expertise down to the next generation. Christine and Jeff both serve as instructors at Texas State Technical College, teaching in the Automotive and Diesel Equipment programs, respectively.

For Jeff, it is a true homecoming, as he is also a proud graduate of TSTC’s Diesel Equipment program.

A Childhood in the Shop

For Christine, the auto shop was her childhood sanctuary.

Jeff, who gained custody of Christine when he was just 19 years old, explained that having her in the shop with him was initially born out of necessity.

“When she was out of school or during holiday breaks, she would spend it with me in the shop,” Jeff said.

While other kids went to traditional daycare, Christine hung out in the commercial garages where her father worked. She would pass the time watching movies on a portable DVD player or engaging in playful BB gun shootouts with Jeff during the shop’s down time.

“My daycare was the shop. I learned the shop talk at a very young age,” Christine said.

It did not take long for Christine to inherit her father’s mechanical mindset. She eagerly watched him paint engine model parts and constantly begged to help.

Jeff realized early on that his daughter was destined for the family trade.

“When she was 2 or 3 years old, I would open an engine and she could name each part,” Jeff recalled. “That is when I knew she was going to get into the business.”

Trading the Garage for the Classroom

Eventually, the two became professional colleagues, working together in Jeff’s commercial shop before making the leap to higher education.

It was Jeff who pushed Christine to expand her horizons.

“He talked me into working on diesel engines,” Christine said. “I was able to learn that new skill.”

When a teaching position opened at TSTC’s Abilene campus, Jeff quickly applied.

During the interview process, he learned there was an urgent need for an automotive instructor at the Sweetwater campus.

He immediately thought of his daughter.

“He told me that TSTC was gunning for me,” Christine said of the open position.

While Christine was not originally looking to enter the classroom, she has embraced the opportunity to shape future technicians. Both agree that TSTC’s hands-on learning philosophy is the ultimate way for students to master vehicle repair. Jeff noted that the program is constantly evolving to meet the fast-paced needs of the industry.

“I have been to Sweetwater and Waco. We have great facilities that will help students,” Jeff said. “I know what these students are up against. It is neat to see their eagerness to learn.”

A Mutual Admiration

For Christine, working alongside her father as a peer is the ultimate validation of her journey.

“I was more than just the flashlight holder for dad,” Christine smiled.

She even offers Jeff a bit of teaching advice from time to time: “Be patient. Do not jump in and do it for them.”

Jeff welcomes the feedback from his daughter.

“She knows what she is talking about when it comes to cars and trucks,” he said. “As a dad, I could not be prouder of her.”

When asked to describe each other in just a few words, the pairs’ answers mirror one another perfectly.

“He is knowledgeable and has a huge heart,” Christine said. “He truly is my best friend. That man accepted me and backed me through all of my ups and downs.”

Jeff echoed the sentiment perfectly.

“She is compassionate, dedicated, and my best friend.”