The Authority in Grill Service

Establishing the public body of knowledge, verifying professional competency, and ensuring consumer safety.

The American Grill Service Institute exists to professionalize grill service, elevate the people who do the work, and make outdoor cooking safer, cleaner, and more respected.

Setting the Standard for the Trade

We set clear standards for how grills are cleaned, serviced, and repaired—so technicians can build real businesses, earn trust, and provide for their families with pride.

By raising the bar for the trade, we help customers cook with confidence, reduce preventable grill fires, and protect the moments that matter most: time outside, food on the grill, and families together.

AGSI is built by people who do the work, for people who do the work—and led with the belief that when a trade is taken seriously, everyone benefits.

Bringing Structure to Growth

AGSI was created to bring structure, credibility, and professionalism to an industry that has grown faster than its standards. Grill technicians do demanding, skilled work that directly affects safety, property, and family life—yet the trade has long lacked clear expectations or recognition.

We believe that when technicians are trained, certified, and held to meaningful standards, they earn more, work safer, and build businesses that last. Customers get cleaner grills, fewer fires, and greater peace of mind.

This is how a trade matures.
This is how respect is earned.
This is the standard we exist to set.

Executive Leadership

Executive Director

Matthew Brunken

MBA, Univ. of Nebraska Fluid Dynamics Diagnostics Legal & Regulatory Background

Matthew Brunken brings a rare combination of technical mastery, business acumen, and regulatory expertise to the leadership of AGSI.

As the owner of Husker Grill Cleaning, the largest and most awarded grill service company in Nebraska, Matthew has hands-on experience with the complexities of modern outdoor appliances. His technical expertise extends beyond basic maintenance into fluid dynamics diagnostics and complex mechanical repair, forming the basis for AGSI’s rigorous technical standards.

Prior to his success in the service industry, Matthew was a successful paralegal. This legal background provides AGSI with a unique advantage in creating defensible, liability-aware standards that protect both consumers and practitioners. He holds an MBA from the University of Nebraska, ensuring the institute operates with the fiscal and strategic discipline required of a certifying body.

Under his direction, AGSI has established itself as the definitive credentialing authority, ensuring that the "Certified" designation represents true, verified competence.

Call for Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)

AGSI is continuously expanding its Certification Standards & Competence Framework. We are seeking recommendations for Subject Matter Experts in fields related to thermodynamics, metallurgy, gas safety, and appliance manufacturing to serve on our technical committees.

Email us a Recommendation at info@AGSInstitute.org →

Contact Us

For inquiries regarding certification verification, examination scheduling, or media requests, please contact our support team.

American Grill Service Institute
Omaha, Nebraska