OBI T UARY
Vale Ashley Reid 1947 - 2013 Ashley Reid grew up at Picnic Point at The Entrance and completed his schooling at Gosford High School. On leaving school, Ashley got a job as an apprentice carpenter but soon realised that was not for him and so he left for Sydney where he worked for a short time. On returning to the Central Coast, Ashley approached Regal Motors owner, Malcolm Brooks, for a job selling motor cars, setting him on a career that would make him one of the most respected motor car dealers in Australia. Ashley left Regal Motors to satisfy his thirst for travel in 1976, and spent two years travelling the world. In 1978, he married Cherie Howarth and a few years later they would establish their first business together, Kam’s Car Centre in Gosford, while at the same time starting a family. Once established and successful, they sold this business and subsequently opened Ashley Reid Motor Mart at North Gosford, selling that business in 1983. Ashley’s next venture was to buy McLean’s Caravans business at Tuggerah, a business that, as the name suggests, retailed new and used caravans and relocatable homes. In spite of the opinion of others that it could not be achieved, Ashley successfully introduced the concept of caravans and motor vehicles being sold side by side and introduced Daihatsu, his first new car franchise shortly after purchasing the business. At the time, there were no permanent relocatable homes permitted to be permanently housed at caravan parks. Ashley saw an opportunity for relocatable homes to be introduced as permanent fixtures in caravan parks (thereby providing an affordable housing option for retirees) and was instrumental in effecting change in the ordinances governing them. After selling the business at Tuggerah, Ashley returned to Gosford, relocating his staff to the old Gosford Motors site temporarily, calling it Westside Motors. Ashley’s next move, and the one that would establish him as a significant player in the new car business on the Central Coast, was to buy Roberts Auto Centre, owned by Richard Roberts and his family. It was 1986 and Roberts Motors (in Mann Street, Gosford) was a multidealership business, holding franchises for Mazda, Subaru, Volkswagon, Audi and Mercedes-Benz and a staff of around 30 . A few years later Ashley and Cherie bought the property and proceeded to build a stand-alone Mercedes-Benz dealership on the corner of Mann and Lindsay Streets. At the time it was regarded as the
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CENTRAL COAST BUSINESS REVIEW
most modern and sophisticated showroom outside a capital city. As the years unfolded, the Reids would build stand-alone showrooms for each of the franchises they owned, all within the one precinct. Ashley’s vision was that each showroom would be of the highest standard and equal to any. In 1996 he gained the Nissan franchise and built a new showroom across the road from Mercedes-Benz to house it. With this suite of franchises Ashley had the new and used car market covered on the Central Coast and viewed the multidealership business model as one that covered the whole market spectrum. By selling a range of cars from more affordable vehicles such as Daewoo to luxury vehicles such as Mercedes-Benz (including commercial vehicles), Ashley was able to ride out the cyclical nature of the motor industry more easily. Ashley Reid’s focus was not solely Gosford and he saw the Central Coast growing rapidly, particularly in Wyong, and in 1998, he established a Mazda and used car dealership in the centre of town. Ashley would later build a Nissan showroom and service department on the same site. In 1999, Ashley again sought improvement in the calibre of his dealership, building a new Mercedes-Benz service centre, which housed technicians for MercedesBenz, Subaru and Nissan. The cherry on the new development’s cake was Ashley’s “Silver Arrow” fine dine restaurant. In 2003, it was time for Ashley and Cherie to move on. With Ashley’s vision and management, he left Central Coast Motor Group as one of the Central Coast’s most successful businesses and the largest multi-franchise dealership on the Central Coast. After leaving the motor industry, Ashlely undertook various property developments in and around the Central Coast, Branxton and Gloucester regions. Every step of the way he was supported by his wife Cherie who worked in the business along side of him. Ashley’s daughter, Karina, noted “Cherie and Ash were the perfect match when it came to the business. One complimented the other”. “Every day Ashley walked right through every showroom, talking and listening to staff and customers,” said Mrs Reid. “He took a personal interest in every one of the 140 people who were working for him until his retirement. Ashley did all he could to
support and keep good staff which, in the end, he believed contributed to his success.” Many have said that he wasn’t a salesman, people bought off him because they believed in him and trusted him. Ashley was passionate about the region in which he lived his entire life and always instilled in the people around him the importance of supporting local business. Where Ashley could buy something on the Central Coast, he would. The story of Ashley Reid is one of a man of vision and of being a step ahead. Ashley saw and seized opportunities before they were apparent to most. Former Mayor of Gosford, Tony Sansom said, “Ashley was a highly respected businessman who succeeded in anything he put his mind to. He was good-natured, easy-going and generous, supporting several causes over the years including the Salvation Army. Ashley was always the true gentleman and was definitely one of those people who made the world a brighter place. He was a great champion for the Central Coast region through his strong investment in many projects including Central Coast Motor Group. He touched the lives of so many people and he’ll certainly be missed by all who knew him.” Ashley died on the 21st of April 2013, after a short illness. Ashley is survived by his wife Cherie, daughter Karina and son Danny.
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June 2013