Dealers group honours past president

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This article was published 25/01/2019 (2793 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

On Jan. 14, the Manitoba Motor Dealers Association (MMDA) presented its Service to Industry Award to Gordon Haukaas, the founder of Twin Motors in The Pas and a past president of the MMDA.

The presentation was made to Haukaas, 80, in The Pas by MMDA board member Darrell Boughton — the regional manager for Manitoba and northwest Ontario for First Canadian Group — who noted that during Haukaas’s term as president of the MMDA from 1997 to ’99, he “took the initiative to visit every one of the organization’s 125 member dealerships. He made things happen. The dealer was job one. No issue was too small. Gord showed not only a will to succeed in his own business, but also what he brought to the association.”

Haukaas was very happy and proud to receive the award. He thanked the MMDA and Boughton for arranging the presentation.

Under the leadership of Gord and his son, Murray — who is currently Twin Motors president — the family has expanded its automotive reach, under the banner of the H5 Auto Group, throughout northern Manitoba. The H5 Auto Group currently has Twin Motors Chrysler dealerships in Thompson, Flin Flon and Dauphin as well as The Pas and Rock Country GM in Thompson.

Mid-Town Ford expanding

Mid-Town Ford at the Waverley Auto Mall is going to be the first Ford dealer in Manitoba to sport Ford Canada’s new Global Image look. In addition to the new look, Mid-Town will be adding 10,000 square feet to the building. The added space will house a Quick Lube service for oil changes as well as brake work and tire repair and replacement.

The new area will also include four detail bays.

“Our Quick Lube area will keep the same hours as our showroom,” general manager Scott Campbell says. “We are expecting to have the work finished by September, in time for tire season.”

Focus Hyundai tops in Manitoba, Saskatchewan

Focus Hyundai is the Hyundai sales leader for Manitoba and Saskatchewan and among the top dealers in the West.

“We had the sixth-highest level of sales in Western Canada among Hyundai dealers,” Focus Hyundai operations manager Dean Peterson says. He reports the dealership sold 550 vehicles last year.

Mercedes-Benz Winnipeg president Brian Lowes acquired Focus Hyundai from the Carey family two years ago.

“We have made some changes that have helped boost sales,” Peterson says.

Birchwood’s annual sale a hit

The Birchwood Auto Group’s annual year-end sales event, during the last week in November and all of December, resulted in just over 1,600 sales, about 100 sales above the target.

The Birchwood Group has been having the annual year-end sale for the past 11 years.

Although based in Winnipeg, the Birchwood Group has expanded its reach into rural Manitoba and Saskatchewan and even Cavalier, N.D. The auto group currently owns 17 new-car dealerships.

Jim Gauthier Cadillac Buick GMC welcomes new managers

Jim Gauthier Cadillac Buick GMC vice-president Jason Cross is pleased to welcome the husband-and-wife team of Kelly McNaught and Tom Romanow.

“Kelly is a class act with a wealth of knowledge,” Cross says of McNaught, who is filling the newly created role of Cadillac account manager.

“And Tom (finance manager) has a great reputation in the industry. We are looking forward to benefiting from his expertise.”

Romanow and McNaught, who combined have about 50 years of experience in auto sales, started work at Jim Gauthier Cadillac in early January.

“It was an opportunity for us to get a new start,” McNaught says of her and Romanow’s decision to join the Jim Gauthier Cadillac team. “We are both looking forward to helping Jason and the team here sell more cars.”

New manager at Vickar Nissan

Although Shayne Groves may be new to Vickar Nissan, the sales manager is in a sense returning to where he started.

Groves got his start in auto sales at Ortynsky Nissan 18 years ago. Ortynsky Nissan is also where Groves first became a manager.

Terry Ortynsky, who is based in Yorkton, Sask., sold his Winnipeg Nissan store to Stephen Vickar in 2010. For the past eight years, Groves had been working for another Regent Avenue auto dealer. He joined the Vickar Nissan team in October.

“I had heard a lot of good things about the Vickar Auto Group,” Groves says. “There was an excellent opportunity here to be part of a growing organization. I am looking forward to a good future here.”

Adventure Power Products

supports Cancer Care

Derek Roth and Frank Cicco, the owners of Adventure Power Products, an ATV, motorcycle, watercraft and yard equipment dealer in Île-des-Chênes, thought it would be fun to invite Santa Claus to the showroom to pose for some Christmas photos in support of Cancer Care Manitoba Foundation.

Kids, young and old, and even a few family pets posed for professional photos with Santa in exchange for a donation to the foundation.

It turns out the crowd was definitely in the spirit of giving. Last week, Roth and Cicco presented Cancer Care Manitoba Foundation with a cheque for more than $6,000.

“We were expecting a good crowd, but everyone really stepped up beyond belief,” Roth says. “We were packed all day and the generosity from our customers, friends and family was truly amazing.”

— with files from Willy Williamson

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