Pub. 1 2021 Issue 1

10 which throughout a career will cause some heartbreak. But, control what you can. Do what you can. And let the rest go. If you could describe the best day in this business, what would it look like? I just sold everything on the lot, and the truck is coming with more inventory tomorrow! These are undoubtedly unprecedented times; what are you doing, as a small business, to weather the storm? We’ve been fortunate. The business here is strong. We’ve not had the financial challenges. However, from the personnel side, we’ve had multiple people who got sick. I am one of them. We’ve lost a lot of work hours, and we’ve been short- staffed because of the virus. We have some higher-risk employees, which is always a cause for concern, so we have exercised a lot of caution — and continue to. What are you doing to support your employees? When the virus first hit, I decided to divide the staff in two, so all of us were never here on the same day. Our DMS allows for our techs to communicate through their comput- ers, so that helps distance people. We’re mindful of where we are in relationship with each other and customers. We want to slow the spread. I encour- age all our employees to use common sense and to treat oth- ers how they would want their higher-risk family members to be treated. What effect do you think this crisis will have on the auto industry going forward? I do think that there will be some residual effects —maybe not long term — but I think there will be some effect. With something this big, there will be things lingering. I think that after COVID, people may be less inclined to take public transportation, such as getting on buses and planes. I think people will want to drive more, which, while it may not be based on a legitimate fear, I think people will operate on the side of caution. With people spending more money on cars, I think our industry will be the beneficiary. Describe your all-time favorite vehicle (it can be one you’ve owned or something on your wish list). What are you driving today? Right now, I drive a Subaru Ascent. I like it a lot. I used to drive a Subaru WRX — the sporty Subaru, and I loved it. About three months ago, I came into the dealership, and right after “good morning,” I was told my ride was sold. Actually, it could have been before … Tell us about your family. My wife, Renee, and I have two boys. Jack is 15, and Gunner is 12. They are both into sports, and Renee and I are into watching them. It keeps us busy. What is your favorite way to spend your free time? Any unusual hobbies? Nothing unusual, but I love to be outside. Our fami ly is very active. I love to hunt, fish, ride motorcycles, golf, hike … anything outside. I don’t get to do it as much as I would l ike. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9