NENBM by Shawn Wernig

NORTHEAST BC

YOUR GUIDE TO THE BUSINESSES IN NORTHEASTERN BRITISH COLUMBIA • Page 1 • Northeast BC Focus on Business Magazine, Spring 2010

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Feature Businesses for Spring, 2010 JH Interiors The Hair Bin Nor thern Auto Macenna Staffing Services Shooz and Bootz Nor theast News Nor theast News Brown’s Chev Olds Brown’s Chev Olds Marlin Travel Systems by Trail For t Motors For t Motors

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

• Page 2 • Northeast BC Focus on Business Magazine, Spring 2010

8234 - 100th Ave., Fort St. John | (250) 787-9391 |

 Judy Hein, the owner of JH Interiors, is happy to come to your home and give a complimentary consultation to help customers decide how window coverings can make a room complete.

Winning ways with windows JH Interiors, located at 8234 100 Avenue, offers something for everyone when it comes to window coverings.

The business, owned and operated by lifelong Fort St. John resident Judy Hein, is the only Hunter Douglas Showcase dealer in northern BC, carrying the full line of Hunter Douglas products. They have all types of window coverings, ranging from economical mini-blinds and roller shades, to energy efficient honeycomb shades, wood blinds, the beautiful Silhouette and Luminette window shadings, as well as shutters. They can cover the tiniest windows and the largest windows as well as specialty shapes such as arches and triangles. Hunter Douglas blinds offer many options, such as cordless lifting systems and motorization. There’s something for every room and every budget, all top quality and with lifetime warranties. As part of their full service, they offer

complimentary consultations, bringing the samples to your home so you can choose the perfect colors in your own lighting and surroundings.They measure your windows, making sure that the desired product will work with the type of window you have. When your window coverings arrive, they will be installed by a certified Hunter Douglas professional installer. “So it takes all the worry away from the customer, we take responsibility,” said Hein. While JH Interiors specializes in Hunter Douglas blinds, they also offer custom valances and draperies, the finishing touch that makes your house a home. With an extensive line of designer fabrics and drapery hardware, there is sure to be the perfect solution to your decorating dilemma! The company is also a dealer for TrueNorth Furniture, custom pine and birch products manufactured in Aldergrove, BC. JH Interiors is open by appointment or by chance so call or drop by the showroom to see the extensive displays of window covering options and ideas. For more information, call (250) 787-9391. • Page 3 •

Northeast BC Focus on Business Magazine, Spring 2010

JH Interiors

The Hair Bin | (250) 787-1552 | 10442 - 100 St., Fort St. John

The newly renovated beauty salon offers a variety of services for the customers of the Hair Bin to receive just what they’re looking for.

The men’s garage themed  barber shop takes walk-ins to ensure customers can work on their schedule.

The ‘people’s salon’ is ready to serve you The customers of the Hair Bin are their top priority.

This full service salon and barber shop, which has been in Fort St. John since 1986, is known as the ‘people’s salon’ because it is known to welcome customers of all ages, with good customer service. “Customer service is everything to us,” said Lorraine Isenbecker, owner of the Hair Bin, which has been a people’s choice winner for seven years. “We know that our customer coming through our door are valuable to us therefore our customer service must express this so they can feel valuable, welcome and comfortable getting their services.” With the business being newly renovated this year, it is the largest retail salon in the north and offers a number of services for the customer to enjoy. There is now a men’s garage themed barber shop, complete with big screen TVs and Xbox, that offers walk-ins so customers can come in when it best suits their schedule. On the beauty salon side, the business can handle large party bookings, such as weddings, which they can offer due to a larger employed staff.They also try to offer walk-ins, where possible, especially for the outlying farming communities. The business also offers a variety of spa services – from pedicures, manicures, gel nails, relaxation massages, waxing and electronic facials – and health products that take care of their customers. For more than a year now, the Hair Bin has carried the Biopro cell phone chip, which reduces the electromagnetic radiation released from cell phones making them healthier to use. Isenbecker said it was an easy decision to carry the product. “I decided because of the health issue – everybody always has product ills,” she said. “You talk to a lot of people and they’re going

through a lot of health issues and I thought if we can start to, in our own little way, eliminate a little bit of that by providing this in our community.” The chip can also be used, added Isenbecker, on electronics such as computers and microwaves to reduce their radiation output. They also offer, in conjunction with the cancer agency, free wigs for patients going through chemotherapy. The businesses long term goal is to expand its health service products further sometime in the future. For now, it continues to offer the service customers in the region have come to enjoy and provides training to local people wanting to get involved in the beauty industry – an important aspect of the business, said Isenbecker, is training local stylists. The Hair Bin recently extended its hours and is open until 9 p.m. on Thursdays and 8 p.m. on Friday’s to ensure their customers have available options for their services. Its location, at 10442 100 Street, is central in the city and is easily accessible and offers a senior’s discount and VIP card for all their customers. Gift certificates are also available for purchase. If you haven’t tried the Hair Bin, Isenbecker said it’s important that you do. Services include: “We care about people and · colours · perms we’ll keep trying to exceed · pedicures customer service expectations · manicures · waxing by continuously improving our · massage · facials (relaxing and electronic) customer service for them.” · gel nails The business can be reached · lash and brown tinting · ·men’s barbershop – no appointment at (250) 787-1552. necessary

• Page 4 • Northeast BC Focus on Business Magazine, Spring 2010

10215 - 94 Ave., Fort St. John | (250) 785-5710 |

Northern Auto Electric

 John Hart, Darren Donszelmann and Mike Bruvold  Northern Auto Electric Ltd. has been in business are just three of the seven employees at Northern Auto to serve since 1994. Over those years, the services the Electric.They are seen here working in the shop that can company offers have expanded greatly. service anywhere from three to 10 vehicles a day..  Peter Donszelmann in the retail and service department where a number of the company’s parts and supplies are kept.

‘Electrifying’ the Northeast since 1994 Specializing in electrical repairs, Northern Auto Electric has served the automotive needs of customers throughout the region for more than 15 years.

Co-owner Doris Donszelmann said they draw upon the expertise and equipment at the shop to do repairs that a lot of other shops can’t do. She said that includes running diagnostics (tests) on electrical systems or reprogramming (reflash) onboard computers, which can sometimes fix transmission problems, improve gas mileage, correct false trouble codes and other problems. “We’re looking at on-board computers, lights, electric windows, electric door locks, we repair all of that,” said Donszelmann. “It’s a specialty because a lot of shops don’t even want to touch electrical work.You have to understand programming – a vehicle consists of one main computer module, and then maybe 50 to 100 modules underneath that. We have all the programming and equipment to be able to do that kind of stuff, and a lot of people don’t.” She said they started off rebuilding starters and alternators, but they have built up an inventory of automotive parts over time and have become a licenced Auto Parts Plus dealer. She said they carry all kinds of parts, including some heavy-duty parts, and what they don’t have they can order. She said they carry VMAC (vehicle-mounted air compressors), can service and install Webasto and Proheat engine pre-heaters, and install inverters and legal driving lights approved by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). Donszelmann said they work on all makes and models of vehicles from small cars to large trucks and farm tractors.

“We also work on RV’s, holiday trailers, motorhomes, that kind of thing. Most of their problems are usually electrical,” she said, adding parts can also be ordered in for those vehicles as well. “We started getting into that a little bit more this last year, because there’s not many people who do that up here.” Donszelmann said her husband, Peter, worked as an automotive technician for ten years, but when that shop closed, the two of them decided to start their own business, which was incorporated in 1994.They moved to their current location, a 2,800 square foot shop at 10215 94 Avenue, in 2003. Including themselves, they currently employ seven people, including four service technicians and one parts person. “One of our service technicians has been doing this for 30 years and another has been in the field for six or seven years,” said Donszelmann. “It’s very valuable to have that kind of experience.” She said they serve customers from Chetwynd to Fort Nelson and even some in Alberta who come to Fort St. John for their service. She said they see anywhere between three to 10 vehicles a day, depending on the size of the job. She added about half of their business is serving oilfield companies and they can perform change-overs of things like lights, pilot signs and methanol tanks from old trucks to new trucks. “With the oilfield, the mud on the roads can really wreak havoc on wiring,” she said. Interestingly, Northern Auto Electric also carries paintball supplies, including markers, masks and more. Donszelmann explained they started carrying those supplies six years ago, and the idea actually came from their children. Northern Auto Electric can be reached at (250) 785-5710.

• Page 5 • Northeast BC Focus on Business Magazine, Spring 2010

Macenna Staffing Services| (250) 785-TEMP(8367) | 10139 - 101 Ave., Fort St. John |

www.macenna.com

From employee to employer, Macenna Staffing Services is here for your staffing needs Macenna Staffing Services in Fort St. John has worked its way up to becoming a trusted agency in meeting the staffing needs of industries in the Peace Region.

Co-owner and manager Leanne McArthur said she started the business in 1997 as a home-based temp agency for office personnel, but since then has grown to service hundreds of companies in oil and gas and other sectors of the local economy. McArthur said every successful placement helps to spread the word and grow her business. “We’ve grown by word-of-mouth and by reputation,” she said. “We’re dependable and we’re fast – we can fill a position within hours, so if a company calls us and needs an employee for, say a receptionist if it’s an office position, we can have resumes out to them, we can even have an employee out, within an hour.” She said they contract out employees to all types of businesses –large, medium or small – and for all needs – temporary, part-time and full-time.The service is free for job seekers and the companies using the service are only billed upon successful hiring, where an hourly rate is negotiated. She said employers can post jobs through them, but jobseekers can also drop of their resumes, where they are kept confidentially in a database until an appropriate job posting comes along.The office then forwards all resumes that have the required skills and qualifications for the company’s consideration. “Then they decide whether they want to hire them on contract through us for a period of time, or if they want to hire them directly,” said McArthur. “We’re very good at that and we have a lot of companies that trust us and our judgment on people and their skills.” She said one call is all it takes and they handle advertising the job, evaluating applicants and scheduling interviews. She added they will even test applicants on their efficiency with computer programs such as Microsoft Word and Excel and those test results are sent out with the resumes. She said for a company to do all of that requires staff time, which can be costly, especially considering businesses are trying to do what they can to cut costs in tough economic times. “A lot of companies find it handy – it’s a one-stop-shop for employees and it cuts down on their time,” she said. McArthur said currently they contract out about 70 people including camp cooks, field operators, field clerks, warehouse personnel and more. “We do a lot of office temping too,” she said. “If they need somebody temporary in an office for a week or two to answer phones, or do some data entry, they just phone us and we just send somebody over and then bill them for the hours.” She said they advertise job postings on their website and in

Carolyn Greus, HR assistant, Dianne Young, HR co-ordinator, Michelle McArthur, payroll/accounting and Leanne McArthur, co-owner and manager.

newspapers and they receive inquiries from all over the BC Peace Region, as well as some in Alberta and even the Yukon, from people looking for work. To facilitate the service, the office itself has three full-time and one part-time staff, including a payroll and benefits administrator, a human resources co-ordinator and a receptionist. McArthur said they always try to utilize the latest and most advanced dataentry software to keep the business easy to use and efficient. She said for example, they are currently implementing software that will allow their contract employees to submit their timesheets electronically, as opposed to having to fax them. She added her business is not government funded or subsidized in any way – it is and has always been privately owned and operated. The demand for workers has been down a bit in the last couple of years because of the slow economy, and some of the big corporations have implemented hiring freezes, but contract workers still remain in demand. However, McArthur said the demand is starting to pick up again and added when a company employs a contract worker from them, it will often result in a permanent placement when that company looks to hire again. McArthur said the business always has a very positive atmosphere and she loves meeting new people. She said she’s often struck by just how many successful placements they’ve helped to facilitate over the years. “When I drive down the street in town and I look around, I can see I’ve put people in this business, that business, every place I drive, I’ve put people in there,” she said. Macenna Staffing Services is located at 10139 101 Avenue on the second floor above the post office, where they are open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. They can be contacted at (250) 785TEMP (8367), or check them out online at www.macenna.com.

• Page 6 • Northeast BC Focus on Business Magazine, Spring 2010

9907 - 100 Ave. Fort St. John | (250) 785-1152

Shooz & Bootz

At Shooz & Bootz, they put your best foot forward Boots are made for walking, and for quality footwear at affordable prices you can walk (or drive) to Shooz & Bootz in Fort St. John.

Since 2003, the retail store, located at 9907 100 Avenue, has catered to the footwear needs of men, women and children in all sizes and styles. Some of the brands in stock include Timberland, Clarks, Ecco, Keen, Rieker and Josef Seibel. They also sell purses, socks and accessories. “We try to stock a nice variety of footwear for women and men,” said co-owner and manager Leanne McArthur. “We have dress, causal – we have lots of good brands; quality and comfortable footwear.” She said her customers have really come to appreciate the kinds of footwear they offer because it is hard to find them anywhere else. “I’ve never been in a business where I’ve received so many compliments,” she said. “People come in and say ‘Wow, you have nice stuff.’The quality, the variety, the styles – they like what we pick.” She said they even have customers come in from as far as Vancouver or Calgary to check out the store. “We never advertise; they just know the store,” she said. McArthur added there wasn’t another shoe store in the area when she started and the absence of such a store in a big city like Fort St. John was what prompted her to launch the company. She said there have always been the big box-store outlets, but they don’t carry the quality and styles that they offer. She said dress shoes and office footwear tend to be the most popular items sought after by her customers. She said high heels are another favourite. Winter boots, commonly leather ones with wool liners, are a common purchase as well. However, she said summertime is when people are seeking out a variety of footwear to take outdoors and that is the busiest time of year for the store. She added they don’t carry many sneakers but they do have comfortable walking shoes, including waterproof ones for those rainy days. Interestingly enough, McArthur said she’s noticed some trends in foot sizes over the years. She said not sure why, but Canadians, both men and women, tend to have wide feet, so they make sure to carry a variety of sizes. “Feet are getting a little bit bigger – we don’t carry as many size fives as we used to, we carry more tens than we used to,” she said. “Girls coming out of high school have bigger feet than what they used to have.” McArthur said the economic downturn has been hard on retail outlets, and her business is no exception. She said retail can be a real struggle in the best of times and the last couple of years have been tough. She said she’s had to cut back some of her employee’s hours and that has made it hard to retain those staff. She said on top of that, in tough times more of her

customers are looking for deals on purchases, and as a small business, it’s harder to offer the deals that the bigger outlets can. “I don’t want to see it close, and everybody that’s come in that’s heard I may close has said, ‘I don’t want you to close, I love your store, please try to keep it open,’ and we’re doing what we can to do that, but it is getting difficult,” she said. She said she appreciates the relationships she has built over time with her suppliers and, of course, with the customers, and is always pleased by the feedback they receive. “We have happy customers, we just don’t have enough of them,” she said. “The girls at the store will phone me some days and say we’ve had some people in today that just love your store. We get that a lot.” Shooz & Bootz can be contacted at (250) 785-1152..

• Page 7 • Northeast BC Focus on Business Magazine, Spring 2010

Northeast News| Fort St. John (250) 787-7030 | Dawson Creek (250) 782-7060 | www.northeastnews.ca

 Ann Mast, sales Fort St. John, Melanie Robinson, editor, Holly Legge, administration, Brenda Piper, sales manager, Ron Lovestone, publisher

Under new ownership for just over a year now, the Northeast News is still working hard to provide its readers with the best product and coverage of what’s happening in the Northeast, out there. With nine staff in our offices, located both in Dawson Creek and Fort St. John, combining years of experience in the industry to those that can’t resist the appeal of being involved with media, the paper is here to serve the people – our reader’s and our advertisers. What’s even better is, just like when we were formed back in April 2004, the paper continues to be run as an independent. This, said owner Robert Doull, remains important because it allows the Northeast News to continue to respond more immediately to local situations –

whether it’s by making a donation to a charitable group in the area or covering important issues. Doull has been in the business in different capacities for 40 years, but his passion for newspapers has not changed. “I love newspapers,” he said. “I’ve read them all my life and I enjoy being associated with them. I love the element of surprise of reading a newspaper and discovering something that you just didn’t know. Even now with so much information widely available on the internet, I find what I tend to do is, if I’m on the net, I go back to places that I’ve got bookmarked that I always go to and the element of surprise is missing because I tend to keep following the same drop line. Whereas an editor mediates infor-

• Page 8 • Northeast BC Focus on Business Magazine, Spring 2010

Continued

mation and hands me something new that I didn’t know before, I didn’t even think to ask the question. I continue to enjoy that aspect of newspapers.” The Northeast News is unique to the other seven papers Doull owns – such as the Oliver Chronicle and the Columbia Valley Pioneer – because of the geographic area it covers, along with its large distribution base – free to every household from Tumbler Ridge to the Yukon border and from Chetwynd to the Alberta border. The geographic coverage area, along with the diversity of the people and its incredible resources, is what drew publisher Ron Lovestone to the paper. Lovestone, who started with the paper in September, comes with 38 years of experience in the industry, including the like of the Salmon Arm Observer, which won best paper in Canada five times while he was publisher. While he’s only been with the paper for a short time, Lovestone said it’s easy to appreciate the paper’s potential. “The paper itself has the potential to

be one of the most incredible paper’s that I’ve ever had the pleasure of working at, just from the standpoint of how diverse the area is and what kinds of things we get to cover,” he said. Reaching that potential, however, depends on the people, he added, but he believes the paper has a good core of people that will develop the paper from the core out. One thing is for certain, said Doull, while many feel newspapers are on the outs, it simply is not true. “I think it’s a changing breed,” he said. “I think the great days of newspapers are over in the sense that newspapers can no longer afford to maintain foreign bureaus and the costs we could maintain in the past. But I think at its core, the newspaper itself will survive and prosper because I think it serves a useful social purpose.” For more information on the Northeast News and how we can better serve you, call us at our Fort St. John office at (250) 787-7030 or our Dawson Creek office at (250) 782-7060.

From left: Lisa MacElheren, sales Dawson Creek, Shaun Whynacht, sales Dawson Creek and Matthew Bains, reporter

One call covers it all... Stay in touch with all your customers every week!

• Page 9 • Northeast BC Focus on Business Magazine, Spring 2010

Browns’ Chev - Olds | (250) 782-9155 | 12109 - 8th St., Dawson Creek | www.brownschev.com

Browns’ Chevrolet, located at 12109 8 Street in Dawson Creek, carries of full line up of GM vehicles, including about 150 new vehicles and nearly 60 used vehicles at any one time.

A dealership with a difference Browns’ Chevrolet offers much more than just a place to buy vehicles, it has built a reputation for its welcoming environment and its contributions to the community.

The dealership has been under the ownership of Kevin Kutschinski and Garth Grubisich for over 25 years. They moved the business to its current location at 12109 8 Street in 1995 and, at that time, it was the first dealership in Western Canada to be built as a “new-image” store. The business employs 41 people in the areas of sales, parts and service, including sales manager Wayne McIntyre. McIntyre explained they have about 150 new vehicles, mostly trucks and SUVs, on the lot at any one time and between 50 and 60 used vehicles. He said they also offer a huge selection of parts and accessories, as well as full-service bays where customers can have routine maintenance and detailing done. He added they’ve been recognized over the years for standing out amongst General Motors’ dealerships. “In the past we’ve won the Triple Crown, which is based on

sales, parts and service from GM, and we’ve been rated in the top echelon in some years.” He added that the ownership has committed to spending as much as needed to train their employees so the level of service is always improving. McIntyre said it’s more than just the service, though, that keeps customers coming back. He said he has worked at Browns’ for nine years, and most of his co-workers have been there as long or longer, so they have become a pretty tight-knit group, and that camaraderie comes out when they host various fun events at the store. For example, he said during the Winter Olympics, staff put on their Team Canada jerseys and challenged customers to a shoot-out competition with the chance to win prizes. He added they did a similar event in November, but with a football. “It’s a fun place to work,” said McIntyre. “Our customers tell us it’s a lot of fun to be around us. We had customers of all ages shooting tennis balls with a hockey stick trying to win something, it was good.” He said it’s important to make the sales experience enjoyable and comfortable. “We want the customer to be happy with not just the sale of the vehicle, but also the service after the sale.” McIntyre said they continue to give back to their community Continued

• Page 10 • Northeast BC Focus on Business Magazine, Spring 2010

 Fleet manager Paul Connelly (left) and sales consultant Jack McPherson pose in the showroom of Brown’s Chevrolet.The dealership sells nearly 1,000 new and used vehicles every year.

Detailer Albert Goulet performs a cut polish on a vehicle in the service bay at Browns’ Chevrolet. The dealership has parts and service bays for routine maintenance, detailing and light repairs.

 Murray Wright enjoys a good read while relaxing in the lobby of Browns’ Chevrolet as he waits for his truck to be fixed.The staff always makes sure a pot of fresh coffee is on and customers can usually catch the big game on one of their televisions in the lobby while they’re waiting.

by sponsoring a number of events and donating to charitable causes. He said they just wrapped up a fundraiser where they donated money to the Dawson Creek and District Hospital Foundation for every completed customer survey that was returned by people who purchased vehicles. They also have done a lot to support minor hockey and the business was awarded the Brian McPherson Memorial Award from the Dawson Creek Athletics Association earlier this year in recognition of their support of sports. McIntyre said it feels good to give back, but it also helps build their reputation in the community. “Browns’ has contributed a lot to the city, we do sponsor a lot of things, which gives us good word-of-mouth,” he said. He said the dealership usually sells approximately 1,000 new and used vehicles in a year. He said they also sell and lease a number of fleet vehicles to the oil and gas and other industries, and it has become a significant part of their business, so much so that a separate position was created to manage those sales. McIntyre said things have slowed down somewhat due to the down economy, specifically with sales to the oil and gas industry, but he said overall business has remained steady and they haven’t been hit as hard as some dealerships in other parts of the country. “We still get people coming every day inquiring to buy ve-

hicles,” he said. He added in the north, people still need to travel long distances to get to work or to the next big city, so they want a reliable and safe vehicle to get them there, and that’s primarily trucks, here. “It is very much a truck culture, or a big SUV culture, up here,” he said. “Here, to do everything you want to do you may have to drive to Edmonton, or to Prince George, so people think nothing of driving 400 kilometers to do something.” He said people here – and as many women as there are men – love their trucks, and it’s not surprising to see big trucks with big tires, lift kits and other accessories added to them. McIntyre said he’s worked in other industries before he came to work for Browns’, but he’s enjoyed this job more than any of those others. “I think, number one is the people I work with, and number two is the people you meet everyday,” he said. “When people come here, to see them drive down the road with a new vehicle, all happy and smiles …well think about, as a sales manager, where do you get to feel that every day? It’s a good job.” He said once again this year Browns’ Chevrolet will be holding the Rock the Peace sale, their biggest sale of the year, on the first weekend of May.

• Page 11 • Northeast BC Focus on Business Magazine, Spring 2010

Marlin Travel | (250) 787-1136 | 10411 - 100 St., Fort St. John

Travel industry has changed, but Marlin Travel’s excellent customer service remains A lot has changed in the travel industry since Marlin Travel first opened its doors.

Spicer Travel opened in the early 1960s by longtime residents Pat and Bill Spicer and has been doing business as Marlin Travel since 1988. The business is located at the corner of 100 Street and 104 Avenue (adjacent to Price Smart) for a total of 34 years making it the oldest travel agency in Fort St. John. “We consider ourselves very fortunate to have six experienced agents and one receptionist working to assist our valuable clients”, said co-owner and front office manager, Karen Bowler. “We have a small office, which works to the benefit of our clients as we all work together sharing information and assisting one another when a more difficult booking or problem arises. We are a full service agency which means that our clients can complete all their travel needs in one place – from booking travel including corporate, leisure, adventure, honeymoons, weddings and cruises, purchasing travel insurance, as well as an option for currency exchange.” The service, however, doesn’t stop once the booking has been made. The agents at Marlin Travel will also assist their clients en route or at destination if a problem arises so you can enjoy the rest of your trip and come home safe and happy. It’s those services, and more, added Tamra Lee, a travel consultant with the agency, that makes people realize the benefits of working with a full service travel agency. “It’s not your job, as the client, to think of all the little things that are required to travel easily and worry free in our modern world.” What makes Marlin Travel, one of three travel agencies in Fort St. John unique, is the years of experience, the personal service its customers receive and the ability to offer some great deals and discounts to their clients. Marlin Travel works for

The staff at Marlin Travel are willing to help customers with a trip they have planned or to help clients discover potential travel opportunities.

Marlin Travel offers, along with its excellent customer service to its customers, an opportunity for their clients to learn about some of the many travel options available through their agency.

their clients, not any particular airline or tour operator. “We are fortunate to belong to the Marlin Travel/Transat network, which gives us access to preferred supplier rates and discounts for all our clients’ needs including hotels and car rentals,” said Bowler. “Being part of a large organization also gives our clients the advantage of travelling under a larger protection umbrella.” For the future, the agency is working on launching a Facebook fan page, not as a sales aid, but to connect with their

customers in a different way. Aside from that, the company is planning to continue with the success they’ve had in the past in an office that, though it seems small, enables all travel agents to work together to plan the best trip possible for their clients. For more information on how Marlin can work with your travel needs, visit them at 10411 100 Street in Fort St. John or reach them by phone at (250) 787-1136

• Page 12 • Northeast BC Focus on Business Magazine, Spring 2010

www.systemsbytrail.com | 10421 100th St., Fort St. John | 1-800-665-1544

• Page 13 • Northeast BC Focus on Business Magazine, Spring 2010

Systems

Fort Motors|11104 Alaska Rd N., Fort St. John | (250) 785-6661 | www.fortmotors.ca

 Fort Motors has always been a large part of the Gentles family and the number of staff that work at the business. Pictured here are Brian, Opal, Brenda and Wally Gentles  The dealership and shop today and the shop and dealership at the previous location on 100 Street.

Some things have changed at Fort Motors but family connection remains Fort Motors has seen a lot of changes over the years.

The oldest dealership in Fort St. John was opened by Wally and Opal Gentles on Jan. 2, 1961 at its previous location on 100 Street but opened in its new, larger location in November 2006. One thing that hasn’t changed, however, is the family connection with the business. Brian Gentles, the son of Wally and Opal, who bought Fort Motors from his parents in 1993, said to this day, multiple families continue to work for the business – from parents and children to multiple generations. Gentles said a number of the employees have remained with Continued

• Page 14 • Northeast BC Focus on Business Magazine, Spring 2010

 The Fort Motors family is ready to serve you.

the business for so long because they, like him, believe in the Ford product. “They’re proud to be part of it and will go out of their way to make something happen for us, so that’s good,” he said, adding that after working for his parents until he went to university, he decided to come back because he wanted Fort Motors to be part of his life after it was a big part of his own upbringing. That’s not to say everything with the business has been easy. Gentles said the recession in the eighties was a challenge for the car industry as a whole, with high interest rates making it difficult for people to buy. In the most recent downturn, he said the company has not had to cut back their staff and is looking to possibly expand its approximately 60-person staff into the future as the economy picks back up. The real growth, he said, will be from the service side. Having a product he’s confident in, however, is helpful to Gentles. “We’re pretty happy, right now, to have the brand that we have had,” he said. “Everybody has their winning products at times and not.” Gentles said Ford did it right a couple years ago when the company hired a new CEO that took the business back to basics, focusing on a quality, safe product that people wanted to buy. Now, he said the vehicles being produced are on par with Japanese quality and are starting to benchmark against Korean products that have been getting attention lately. “So we think we have a good spectrum of product that can car-

ry us through to the future, not just on the big truck side, which is a large part of our industry in this locale, but the cars and the SUVs and crossovers and hybrids that are available in crossovers, utility vehicles and available in cars,” he said. “The technology in the kind of cars and trucks that are coming out now we’re very, very proud of.” Gentles himself has been driving new vehicles he wouldn’t normally drive and has loved it because they’re fun and exciting – making it an easy sell to clients. “When you have that confidence in a product, it’s very easy to sell, you can impart that genuine feeling of confidence to the purchasers and it gives your staff a sense of pride too,” he said, adding Ford has taken the approach to develop a product that adapts to environments around the world, which makes a big difference. While Gentles and his wife Brenda are planning to stay in the community and with the business, they recently hired, for the first time since Fort Motors opened, a general manager for the company to oversee things if he is out of town. One thing is for certain – the business is something his family continues to be dedicated to, now and in the future. “Brenda and I both see this as this will always probably be our base,” he said, adding they have their immediate family and business here and they enjoy their day to day life. “[We have] no plans at all to leave the community and, if anything, just try and expand the automotive business and also the RV side in the years ahead.” Fort Motors is located at 11104 Alaska Road North in Fort St. John and can be reached at (250) 785-6661.

• Page 15 • Northeast BC Focus on Business Magazine, Spring 2010