Todd McIntryre, owner of the Midas Service Center in Adrian, Mich., was chosen as the winner of Synchrony Financial’s Engage with Car Pros Contest, conducted by its CarCareONE credit card program.

The award program recognizes automotive repair shop owners who have gone above and beyond to deliver exceptional service. McIntyre won $100,000 based on a story submitted by Larry Oechsle, who won $2,500.

“My customers are important and the reason I am here today,” McIntyre said. “In a small community, delivering outstanding service is particularly important. The relationships we’ve developed keep customers coming back.”

Oechsle submitted the winning entry, which told his story of traveling from his home in Michigan last November to enjoy the holidays on the Gulf of Mexico and later with his son’s family in Tennessee. The Oechsle’s truck began to have problems, so Oechsle called his trusted mechanic at the Midas shop in Michigan. The Midas mechanic connected with a local mechanic in Tennessee, sharing notes on the truck’s history and giving the Oechsle family peace of mind that his car was in good hands.

In his winning entry, Oechsle summarized his relationship with the employee at the Midas shop, who told him “Larry, you’re not just my customer, you’re my friend.”

Nearly 1,000 stories were submitted during the nearly eight-week contest, according to Synchrony, and dealers and consumers were invited to vote for their favorite story through March 30. Eligible consumers could submit a story to recognize auto service professionals across the country, regardless of whether they had a relationship with Synchrony Financial. The complete list of finalists and their stories are available at engagewithcarpros.com.