The Murray Auto Group, the largest volume General Motors Dealer Group in Canada, set out at the beginning of June to set a new sales record. The goal was to sell 1,500 new and used vehicles among the 20 Murray affiliated dealerships across the country in June. "We asked every one of our dealerships to raise their sales targets in June by 20 per cent," says Dan Murray, president of Murray Chev Hummer and Murray Hyundai, both located at the Manitoba Auto Mall on Waverley near Bishop Grandin.
Well, the Murray Group not only reached its target but surpassed it by a considerable amount. The score as of 1 p.m. on June 30 was 1,664 units sold, with Winnipeg's Murray Chev's 270 sales leading the way.
"We offered customers special incentives above and beyond any manufacturer's incentives," Dan Murray says. Other Murray and Murray affiliated dealerships (with their sales totals) in Manitoba include Murray Chevrolet Cadillac in Brandon (124), Murray's of Neepawa (32), Murray-Dunn Motors in The Pas (32), Craig Dunn Motor City in Portage La Prairie (61) and Dean Cooley Motors in Dauphin (87). Murray Hyundai also sold 62 units. To help boost sales, the Murray Group's Winnipeg store -- Murray Chev Hummer -- hired four additional sales people, bringing their sales staff up to 20. The newest team members are Brad Madore, Esther Zacharias, Jeff Treichel and Marc Meyers. All four joined the sales team in early June.
Meyers comes to auto sales from the medical industry. He spent more than 23 years as a pharmaceutical sales rep.
"I was on the road two weeks out of every month," he says. "I wanted to be able to spend more time at home with my family."
Meyers was considering trying real estate. His neighbour suggested he try auto sales and specifically recommended Murray Chev Hummer. His neighbour is John Carter of Carter Chev Olds fame who sold his dealership to Dan Murray in 1995.
"I have always been fond of cars and am enjoying immensely working for Dan Murray," he says.
Although all relatively new to auto sales, Zacharias, Madore and Treichel all have had experience working in the auto industry. Madore spent nine years working on the wholesale side for Adesa Auctions Canada's Winnipeg location.
"I wanted to try retail," he says. "I really enjoy the energy of this industry."
Treichel, who is 25, starting working right out of high school as a detail. He has also worked as a lot manager and in service. "I am very excited to be working here," he says of Murray Chev Hummer.
"It's a great company to work for."
Zacharias has actually been working within the Murray building for the past year for Enterprise Rent-A-Car. She has had retail sales experience in another field before that.
Marvin Fetch, one of Winnipeg's longest serving fleet managers, retired last Friday after 30 years on the job.
Fetch began his working career in finance about 50 years ago. In 1978, while serving as business manager at Stadium Ford, he was approached by managers Pat McEvoy and John Noney asked him to become the dealership's fleet manager.
"I figured I would give it a try," he says. "I fell in love with the job."
He served as fleet manager at Stadium Ford 16 years and has been fleet manager at MidTown Ford for the last 14 years.
Last Friday, the dealership gave him a patio set as a retirement gift and his fellow staff members gave him a present of cash to go toward his lifelong passion for model railroading.
For the summer and fall, he says, he and his wife have travel plans -- including a high school reunion in Prince Albert, Sask., his home town. He expects that travel and model railroading will take up much of his time.
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