By Sarah Foss, Manager, GM manufacturing communications
By Sarah Foss, Manager, GM manufacturing communications
It was a cold Wednesday morning when Pete Stamatis, an industrial engineer at General Motors, was headed to work at the Parma Metal Center manufacturing facility in Ohio, a little south of Cleveland.
A typically uneventful trip down the Ohio Turnpike was suddenly interrupted when Stamatis saw another vehicle lose control and slam into the median. Stamatis immediately pulled over to assist.
“I got the occupants and their dog into my vehicle, when the passenger told me they had a second dog in the back seat,” Stamatis says. “Thankfully, he was a pretty agreeable little dog, so I took him back to my car as well.”
As Stamatis was at his car reporting the crash to 911, a tractor trailer sped down the highway and collided with the disabled car, crushing it in the road. Stamatis’ actions saved lives and prevented a tragic outcome – and his quick action was no coincidence.
While Stamatis spends his daytime hours overseeing plant processes and quality in Parma, he spends his nights as a volunteer firefighter in Amherst, Ohio, a small town just west of Cleveland.
His journey into firefighting began in 2020 when he was finishing his industrial engineering degree at the Ohio State University. During one of his college internships, he met a volunteer firefighter – and he was immediately hooked.
“My parents raised me to have a strong sense of service, and I’ve always been drawn to help in my church and community,” Stamatis says. “Joining the fire department was a way that I could make a difference in my own backyard for the people that need it the most.”
Upon graduating from college in 2020, Stamanis joined GM as an employee in Technical Rotation and Career Knowledge (TRACK), an early career rotation program where new GM hires rotate through different roles. At the same time, He also applied and was accepted into the Northeast Oakland Fire Academy in Michigan. He joined the Troy, Michigan Fire Department as a volunteer firefighter the same year.
In Fall of 2023, Stamatis’ GM career took him to Ohio to serve as a group leader at Parma Metal Center before transitioning to his current role as an industrial engineer. He wasted no time transferring his firefighting certifications to Ohio, and he joined the Amherst Fire Department in 2024 as a volunteer.
“One of the best aspects of fire service is being able to help people on their worst days,” Stamatis says. “Of course, I never want there to be a car accident or fire, but when there is, I always want to be there to do my part.”
And his dedication to helping others, both in his professional and personal life, doesn’t go unnoticed.
"He is a kind guy with a big heart who had the guts today to make a huge impact on a terrifying situation,” says Amherst Fire Chief Brandon Dimacchia. “I am so proud of him for risking his life to save the lives of the other family and we’re so lucky to have Pete on our team."
Learn more about employees throughout GM manufacturing:
It was a cold Wednesday morning when Pete Stamatis, an industrial engineer at General Motors, was headed to work at the Parma Metal Center manufacturing facility in Ohio, a little south of Cleveland.
A typically uneventful trip down the Ohio Turnpike was suddenly interrupted when Stamatis saw another vehicle lose control and slam into the median. Stamatis immediately pulled over to assist.
“I got the occupants and their dog into my vehicle, when the passenger told me they had a second dog in the back seat,” Stamatis says. “Thankfully, he was a pretty agreeable little dog, so I took him back to my car as well.”
As Stamatis was at his car reporting the crash to 911, a tractor trailer sped down the highway and collided with the disabled car, crushing it in the road. Stamatis’ actions saved lives and prevented a tragic outcome – and his quick action was no coincidence.
While Stamatis spends his daytime hours overseeing plant processes and quality in Parma, he spends his nights as a volunteer firefighter in Amherst, Ohio, a small town just west of Cleveland.
His journey into firefighting began in 2020 when he was finishing his industrial engineering degree at the Ohio State University. During one of his college internships, he met a volunteer firefighter – and he was immediately hooked.
“My parents raised me to have a strong sense of service, and I’ve always been drawn to help in my church and community,” Stamatis says. “Joining the fire department was a way that I could make a difference in my own backyard for the people that need it the most.”
Upon graduating from college in 2020, Stamanis joined GM as an employee in Technical Rotation and Career Knowledge (TRACK), an early career rotation program where new GM hires rotate through different roles. At the same time, He also applied and was accepted into the Northeast Oakland Fire Academy in Michigan. He joined the Troy, Michigan Fire Department as a volunteer firefighter the same year.
In Fall of 2023, Stamatis’ GM career took him to Ohio to serve as a group leader at Parma Metal Center before transitioning to his current role as an industrial engineer. He wasted no time transferring his firefighting certifications to Ohio, and he joined the Amherst Fire Department in 2024 as a volunteer.
“One of the best aspects of fire service is being able to help people on their worst days,” Stamatis says. “Of course, I never want there to be a car accident or fire, but when there is, I always want to be there to do my part.”
And his dedication to helping others, both in his professional and personal life, doesn’t go unnoticed.
"He is a kind guy with a big heart who had the guts today to make a huge impact on a terrifying situation,” says Amherst Fire Chief Brandon Dimacchia. “I am so proud of him for risking his life to save the lives of the other family and we’re so lucky to have Pete on our team."
Learn more about employees throughout GM manufacturing: