BRITISH COLUMBIA
Penticton Nissan picks up steam after fifth anniversary
Five years after it opened as a single-point dealership with trailers for a business office, Penticton Nissan has come a long way, battling through the growing pains as a startup and then COVID.
The anniversary was March 1 and 10 days later it set a single-day record for the store with 13 transactions combining new and used vehicles.
While 13 may seem small in the grand scheme of some larger dealerships that do it regularly, it represented something significant to owner John Kot, whose company, Kot Auto Group began in 2011 and now has eight dealerships, including three Hyundai, two Genesis, one Kia, one Chrysler and one Nissan. It also has a Buy Direct Truck Centre.
“Some of my stores would (do that number of deals in a day), but for a small store that was a big day,” said Kot. “I think (the store) had a really big week for appointments lined up, some newer inventory shipped that we’ve been waiting for a long time and we’ve got a pretty good team now. They’re all really gelling.”
General Manager/Partner Scott Barber pointed to his sales staff, which he’s added to in the last two-plus years, as a major contributor to the big day.
QUEBEC
Groupe Park Avenue’s Norman E. Hébert passes the torch to Norman John Hébert
Following his father and grandfather in the family business, Norman John Hébert knows he has a lot to live up to as head of the Groupe Park Avenue dealership group in Quebec. He was announced as President/Chief Operating Officer, succeeding his father, Norman E., who had been with the company for 40 years, appointed as President in 1991. The company was founded by his father Norman D. Hébert in 1959.
“We’ve been working on the succession concept for probably the last 20 years through family councils, outside mentoring and coaching and then through my work I’ve done in the business the last 10 years,” the 35-year-old Hébert said in an interview with Canadian auto dealer.
MANITOBA
Manitoban Steve Chipman wins Ford Motor Company’s Salute to Dealers Award
Steve Chipman has always made giving back a key part of being a car dealer, and being honoured for that has overwhelmed him.
Chipman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Birchwood Automotive Group that his late father, Robert, started 60 years ago, received Ford Motor Company’s Salute to Dealers Awards for contributions to their communities in 2022.
Each year since 2001, Ford has picked three American dealers and three international global dealers for the award. Sixty nominees were put forward from Ford dealerships worldwide.
“When I got the phone call I was speechless — and this doesn’t happen to me too much,” said Chipman in an interview with Canadian auto dealer. “The 2022 award winners were saluted at the NADA show in January. The recipients from 2021 and 2020 were also in attendance because they were denied a chance to be formally honoured because of COVID.
“I received a lot in my life. I never thought I would have this much in my life — that my life would be so rich — but you’ve got to pass it on. It’s just a privilege to represent our group, represent the Ford dealers and dealers in general in Canada.”
ONTARIO
Canada One buys Georgian Chevrolet Buick GMC in Barrie
Georgian Chevrolet Buick GMC is one of Canada’s largest General Motors dealerships, and over the 40 years the Massie family has been running it, it has gained a great reputation in the Barrie community for good management and great service. Reputation and the strong Chevrolet brand were both important considerations for Canada One when they decided to buy the dealership, according to Canada One’s Vice-President Daniel Priestner in an interview with Canadian auto dealer.
So how does this particular store fit in with Canada One’s expansion plans? “So this dealership has been run by a family that has been in that community for 75 years,” said Priestner. “They have been serving the community, and they’ve done an exceptional job, and have an immaculate reputation. That was one of the main reasons that we were very interested in this particular location.”
NOVA SCOTIA
Bruce Auto Group welcomed its first Kia dealership and newest member, Bruce Kia in Yarmouth, to the Bruce Auto Group family of dealerships. This expansion adds exciting new vehicles to the Bruce vehicle lineup including the popular Kia Sportage SUV, the innovative Forte compact and the spacious Kia Carnival SUV.
With Bruce Kia, Bruce Auto Group expands its commitment to serve the Greater Yarmouth Community, joining Bruce Honda and Bruce Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram.
ALBERTA
Go Auto expands south with two new stores in Washington State
Edmonton-based Go Auto has acquired its first stores in the United States: Mercedes-Benz of Bellingham and Toyota of Bellingham. The acquisitions align with Go Auto’s strategy of buying successful dealerships that have a high standard of operating excellence.
Go Auto is one of Canada’s largest dealer networks and operates in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Northwest Territories, and now Washington State.
The company wanted to start their foray into the American market reasonably close to home, said Phil Abram, President of Go Auto. “Strategically, we are starting out as close to home base as we can,” he said in an interview with Canadian auto dealer. “So Western Canada has always been our main focus for growth and expansion. The goal is to move slightly south from there.”
