Pub. 3 2021-2022 Issue 1

13 Are there any specific individuals who had a major impact on your career? Definitely my father, Louis Normandin. He goes by Lon. He’s a shining example of a good human being and a good business owner; his work ethic is the best I have ever seen. His belief in treating our employees and customers well was never wavering. He taught me that if we treat our employees well, they, in turn, will treat our customers well. During Chrysler Corp.’s financial issues during the early 1980s, my dad was among a select group of Chrysler dealers who traveled to Washington, D.C., to lobby Congress to support the automaker’s recovery plan. Also, our customer relations manager, Clarence Rippe. He has since died, but he had a big impact on me as well. One of the best pieces of advice that he gave me was not to shy away from customer complaints; we can’t show how great we are until our customers have a big problem. When that happens, it’s our time to shine — this is when we show who we are, how good we can be, and it’s also the time we build lasting relationships. It’s true. Problems happen — it’s how you step up and deal with them that leaves a lasting impression. What is the most rewarding part of your career? The opportunity to come to work every day. I work with a team of great employees. It’s rewarding to see them grow and succeed, not just here at the dealership but in their personal lives. We have some second-generation employees. Having a small part of others’ success is a wonderful thing, and it motivates me. What do you think will be some of the auto industry’s dominant trends in the next 5-10 years? I think that there will be a whole host of industry disruptions; we already see some with the Carvana and Vroom. How we sell cars and what that looks like is changing to some extent and will continue to change. The landscape will change. But here’s what I know: this is a people business, and I don’t see that changing. It’s about relationships. Next to a house, a car is probably the CONTINUED ON PAGE 14