Your reputation as THE expert in the HVAC realm is so strong, however, that when one mentions “Paul” and “HVAC,” there’s no question who is being discussed. Few in our craft enjoy that level of first-name recognition.

My lament is in regard to the industry’s present lack of an “heir apparent” for your role in that “center of the vehicle universe,” as Steve Ford so eloquently described it.

It will take many committed autowriters to fill your shoes when the day comes that you finally retire. Will there be anyone who can match your depth of knowledge in even a single topic area, say nothing of the entire breadth of your expertise? At this moment in time, I fear the answer is no.

Addressing that challenge becomes an opportunity for the newest generation of autowriters, especially those who find themselves newly looking for work.

Just to make sure it doesn’t get lost here, let me emphasize and repeat that the admonition to specialize is “not to the exclusion of all else automotive.”

There’s no call for the newest generation of autowriters to forsake a strong foundation of general/diverse automotive knowledge in the pursuit of specialization, but rather, to supplement that diverse knowledge with strong niche expertise in a one, or a small number of specialty topic areas.

Perhaps Paul’s example of diverse automotive knowledge and insights along with a strong niche expertise is an ideal example of how auto journalists may view the auto industry’s use of a “single-platform” manufacturing foundation to serve several variations in final products.

Since vehicles and the media have both become more complicated and competitive in the 21st Century, it seems that there may be value in wrapping diverse journalism work around a specialty automotive or truck expertise and interest area. In “specialty topic” coverage, it is clear that such realms as automotive marketing and trends (Marty Bernstein), motorsports (Chris Economaki), or perhaps leveraging the reach of a “medium” becomes the core platform for the premier Q&A team for ‘squeaks and leaks’ to mainstream audiences nationwide (Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers), there seem to be clear benefits from developing the niche specialties.

On the other hand, as many car guys and car gals – especially hands-on technicians – will note, we often say that vehicles are typically engineered by taking a “heater core” and building the car or truck around it. This means that Paul has one of his niche strengths exactly in the center of vehicle universe … it all starts with and surrounds the core of the vehicle HVAC system!

Specialist? I think I’m a tech generalist. Sure, I made a fair bit of change writing about cooling systems and A/C. But a lot of the HVAC stuff I do is developing engineering standards as a member of the SAE Interior Climate Control Committee. And that’s strictly volunteer work –i.e. pro bono.

I agree with your sentiments. Ironically, I used to be more specialized but have become less so as the years have gone by.