When SRJC instructor Cliff Norton started working as a mechanic at Gary’s Standard Service in Minneapolis, he was still in high school. When enlisting in the army in 1968, recruiters asked Norton what area he would like to work in. He answered “electronics,” so they made him a mechanic. After being discharged in 1971, Norton returned to Gary’s Standard Service looking for work while he figured out what he wanted to do for a living.

Eventually, Norton’s path took him through almost every aspect of automotive service and from the cold winters of his hometown to the mild temperatures of Sonoma County and garages of SRJC. “I enjoy passing on to a new generation what I spent my career learning,” Norton said.

Working days at Gary’s Standard Service and later Wyzanta Chevrolet, Norton attended night classes at the Dunwoody Industrial Institute. Graduating with honors in 1973, Norton received his degree in automotive electrical. The following year he began substitute teaching at the new Hennepin Technical Institute (HTI), and in 1975 was hired full time to teach automotive electrical classes.

While Norton enjoyed teaching, he left in 1978 and purchased a local repair shop called Galaxy Auto Center (GAC) with his wife Lisa. While building GAC into a two-shop business, Norton continued honing his teaching skills, helping young technicians who came to work for him. Norton also worked for the Minnesota Department of Education, evaluating automotive programs around the state.

Many members of Lisa’s family lived in the San Francisco Area. Combined with the harsh Minnesota winters, Norton and his wife decided to sell the two businesses and move to Sonoma County, where he began working for Santa Rosa Saab and Subaru which eventually became part of the Hansel family of dealerships.

In 1991, Norton became Adjunct Faculty at SRJC, teaching automotive electronics, diagnostics and the state’s Clean Air Car Course. Norton continued to work at the Hansel Prestige dealership and teach part time until 2009, when SRJC promoted him to full time.

In his online autobiography Norton says his time teaching the young new technicians coming into his shop was as much mentoring as instruction, something he found personally satisfying. This shows through in Norton’s teaching style, as he animates cheerfully while showing a student how to work a hand-held oscilloscope.

Norton’s strongest traits are caring for his students and working hard to ensure they get a solid grasp of the material.

Student Brandon Keeton said, Norton goes beyond teaching you how to preform a test or make a repairs; he gets into why.

Adjunct Facility member Paul Adleman said Norton’s knowledge and experience from having worked in, and continuing to stay in tune with, the industry makes him an asset to the school. To emphasize his point, Adleman cites Norton’s membership in the International Automotive Technicians Network (IATN) and the Service Technicians Society (STS).