Our Team
Born from a desire to help friends, family, and customers access aftermarket upgrades for their vehicles, Thomas founded Thomas Tuning and Service, LLC, in 2013 as a complementary venture to his work at Harper’s. By 2018, his vision for the little company had expanded, and he and his wife, Ginny, began the journey to start their own full-time service facility.
Thomas Herrick
Audi Master Guild Technician
A lifelong Knoxvillian, Thomas graduated from Bearden High School and attended the University of Tennessee. He learned the value of honest, hard work from his grandfather, leading him to work in retail, restaurant, delivery, and automotive fields as a young man. Due to a passion for cars and appreciation of high-performance engineering, Thomas began his career at Harper Porsche, Audi, Jaguar, and Volkswagen in 1999.
Thomas continued his training in Atlanta at Jim Ellis Audi. He earned his initial Audi certification in 2000 through the Audi Fast Track program. Thomas returned to Knoxville and Harper in 2001. Initially, he worked on Volkswagens but quickly moved to the Audi technical team. In 2007, he achieved Audi Master Guild status. Six year later, he became a certified Diagnostic Technician. By 2016, Thomas had begun managing work-flow and productivity in the Audi service department. He also worked with customers, helping them understand their vehicles and service needs.
Often, Thomas found himself sharing performance and maintenance advice in casual conversation. Because of his experience owning and servicing Audis, BMWs, and Porsches, Thomas was able to guide family and friends in selecting aftermarket upgrades for their vehicles. Consequently, Thomas and his wife, Ginny, founded Thomas Tuning and Service in 2013 to facilitate these upgrades and minor repairs. Seven years later, Thomas feels blessed to expand into a full-service, European car repair facility. Above all, he wants to help you maintain your car safely and affordably, understand its needs, and improve your driving experience.
Ginny Herrick
Operations Manager
Ginny grew up in Knoxville, graduating from Farragut High School before earning her Bachelor of Music from Furman University. She returned to Knoxville to become a high school choral director. In the mean time, a handsome “car guy” named Thomas swept her off her feet, and she became his bride. After six years in the classroom, Ginny “retired” to teach voice and eventually focus on raising their children, Sam and Lily.
As most work-at-home moms know, there is plenty to be done without a paycheck! Over the years, Ginny has volunteered in her children’s schools, her church’s music and children’s programs, our neighborhood swim team, and school Scouting programs. She has developed a repertoire of skills from record keeping and ordering supplies to communication and troubleshooting. Now, she is excited to apply what she has learned to managing the office at Thomas Tuning and Service. Ginny is thrilled to share this adventure with Thomas and to have the opportunity to greet you when you call or visit us at TTS.
Gilberto Rosati
Tech
Gilberto hails from Spoleto, Italy, where he began working on cars as an apprentice in an Alfa Romeo shop as a teenager. Honing his skills over the years, he eventually opened his own shop. After 7 years of running Rosati Auto Centro, he immigrated to the US in 1992. Gilberto worked at several independent European specialty shops in southern Florida through the 90’s and 2000’s, but the Smoky Mountains were calling, and he has called East Tennessee home for several years now. He joined TTS in the fall of 2021. He enjoys riding the mountain roads on his Ducati and spending time with his dog, Tucker.
Jake Vaughn
Although he began his career at an independent Asian shop, it only took a few years for Jake to make the move to the German cars he is passionate about. From 2005-2022, he honed his skills repairing, rebuilding, and upgrading European cars in professional, independent shops on the west coast. In 2022, he decided to move across the country, and Knoxville seemed like the perfect fit for his family. Jake became part of the TTS family in June of 2022 and his expertise and ingenuity are a great addition to the team. Jake spends much of his free time with his lovely wife and daughter and has successfully made the transition from midget racing dad to cheer dad. He also enjoys hunting, fishing, and taking on household facelift and repair projects.
Justin Maples
Justin came aboard at TTS in the fall of 2023 as service advisor. He has always been passionate about all things related to cars, leading him to a variety of work experiences and hobbies in the industry. Before joining TTS, his positions included vehicle appraisal, car sales, and sales management at a local vinyl and wrap shop. As a native Knoxvillian, Justin has a strong sense of community and is a big supporter of local businesses. Outside of work, he spends his time drifting, styling his latest car, trying new meals and building computers.
Our Promise
Legacy - Family - Integrity
Thomas Tuning and Service has grown out of values planted years ago by founder Thomas Herrick’s grandfather. TTS is a lifelong culmination of Thomas’s hard work and vision which includes three brand pillars: Legacy, Family, and Integrity. At TTS, we strive to deliver a valued service while earning your trust through honesty and the highest levels of workmanship.