HolidayToday holidayautomotive.com/newsletter
Edition 2, June 2013
Spanning
GENERATIONS
T
he year is 1981. The day, November 1st. It’s the day Holiday GM Service Manager Dick Beyer begins his career at Holiday Automotive. But it’s not in service. “I called Mike Shannon and asked if he had any openings,” says Beyer. “He said he had a spot in sales so I thought, alright, let’s give it a shot.” That was almost 32 years ago. Since then, Dick has shifted his talent to the service department. First as an advisor, and now as GM Service Manager. “I got married in 1980 and we had talked about starting a family,” says Beyer. “At that time I was in business for myself and I was looking for something that had a little more structure to it. Then, in 1982 we started our family with the birth of our son Willie.” Willie Beyer, Holiday Ford-Mazda Service Manager and son of Dick Beyer, got his first exposure to Holiday through his dad. “I remember coming in on evenings and weekends and hanging out while my dad worked,” says Willie. “I’m sure that probably influenced me to work in this industry.” Willie began his career at Holiday Automotive as a hydrotech and eventually left the automotive industry to teach at-risk students in upper Michigan for a year. An experience that Willie credits as an important one for his development in his career and his personal life. “I’ve always liked to teach,” says Willie. “So it was a natural thing for me to go into service management.”
Father and son service managers, Dick and Willie Beyer. The Beyers say their management can only go as much as possible. far as their peers, and both had nothing but praise “You have to have a balance between family and for their team members. “I’ve been here a long time,” work,” says Dick. “You can’t be solely dedicated to says Dick. “ I think that right now in my shop, and your job.” Willie’s too, we’ve established the best team that I’ve “You know, I remember spending a lot of time ever seen.” here as a kid and I think that’s important,” says Willie. Both Willie and Dick agree that one of the “Incorporating family into what we do even a little biggest challenges for those teams is dealing with bit is one way to help keep that balance.” intermittent problems. Those To help keep the work/ that cause the frustration to carfamily balance intact, the “For as much time as we ry all the way from the customer Beyer Family gets together spend at Holiday, we still to the advisor to the technician for a big dinner every week spend a fair amount of time and to management. But in that to share a meal and be a together away from the frustration, can come a satisfyfamily. “Our family has been dealership. It’s an enjoyable our hobby,” says Dick. “Willie ing experience for all. “Being able to fix an interexperience every time and it and I both like to cook so on mittent issue that frustrates eva Saturday or a Sunday we doesn’t ever get old.” eryone can be one of the most might put together a big meal satisfying parts of our jobs,” says and everybody sits around - Willie Beyer Dick. Willie went on to say, “You and has a good time.” know, for me it’s the hand shake “I would agree,” says Willie. when you’re walking the customer out to their car “For as much time as we spend at Holiday, we still and they say, ‘I really appreciate it.’” spend a fair amount of time together away from the As one might expect from a father and son who dealership. It’s an enjoyable experience every time work closely together every day, both Dick and Wiland it doesn’t ever get old.” lie put family at the top of their priority list. EspecialDick went on to say that the latest addition to ly now that Willie and his wife Greta have welcomed the family will be impactful on the Beyers. “We’ve their first child, Charlotte Clara Beyer, into the world got a new member, (Charlotte, daughter of Willie in early June. With many hours each day dedicated and Greta, and the first grandchild) that will take to their respective service lanes, it’s important for up a lot of our time and those will be adventures to each of the Beyers to also be with their families as come.”