well. It was a very blessed way to grow up. I didn’t realize that at the time because it was a lot of hard work. After high school, I left home to attend college. My goal was to get a degree in electronic science, which was a budding field at that time. I ended up getting a part-time job working at a car dealership as a mechanic. Growing up on the ranch, we had to do a lot of our own mechanical work, keeping our equipment, tractors and balers running. Because of that, I was mechanically inclined, and the new job was a perfect fit at the time. That was in the very early 80s when electronics were just being introduced into automobiles. Because I was going to school for electronics, everybody thought I was a genius. But it was just that I was going to school and was familiar with the technology. It was good timing. I started off in the service side of the business. It is an unusual career path as far as becoming a general manager and then eventually an owner from where I started. I feel like it was an advantage because it gave me a lot of insight into one of the most important parts of the business. It’s hard to understand what goes on back there if you’ve never done it. Most dealers come up through the sales side, and that’s the normal career track. Have you had any mentors? One of my most influential mentors was Ken Ruddy. He taught me the most about the car business. Ken was a man of honor and integrity. His word was like a binding, signed contract, even if details changed later and maybe the deal wasn’t good for him. If he told you that was what he was going to do, he did it, and I deeply respected that. Ken cared about his employees, their families and what was going on in their lives. For an anniversary, he’d send flowers to you and your wife, or if you lost a loved one, he’d be there at the funeral. Ken was known for acts of kindness. He and I forged a close relationship. I felt like he was almost my second father — not to take away from my father, I have a great father, and I love him very much — but Ken helped out in some areas where I maybe needed a little more growing. Herman Muray was the one who gave me my first break — the opportunity to get into management. I never forgot that. We had a close friendship and stayed lifelong friends until his passing just a couple of years ago. In the 80s when I became a department head, Mike Spagle mentored me on the finer points of financial management of a department and accounting. He was very patient with me. He’d come to the store on the evenings and weekends and spend his personal time teaching me. He gave me the resources I needed to succeed. I owe him a great deal of gratitude. When you mentor others, what are three pieces of advice you would share? 1. There are no shortcuts to doing things the right way. If you’re going to do something, take the time and do it right. 2. Take care of the customers. Every business makes mistakes, no matter how hard you try to be perfect. The difference between a great business and a good business is how you treat the customer and how you handle mistakes. 3. Take care of your employees. I try to be involved with my employees — to know what’s going on, if DEALERS’ CHOICE 12
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