Luther Automotive (DEV)

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  • Leading the Way

    In 2017, Motors Management welcomed team members from all dealerships to a brand new, year-long program, the Luther Leadership Academy. This program accepts team members from various positions who want to further develop their skills and learn how to become a leader in their dealership. Now, we are in the third cohort of the academy and celebrate the 28 individuals who graduated from the program this December.

    The Leadership Academy is a year-long program that meets bi-monthly in person, beginning in February and ending inDecember. The program offers a blended learning approach. Instead of meeting every month, participants have ‘homework’ assigned to them that they can complete on their own time before the next in-person meeting. “It’s meant to give them accountability and responsibility to owning their own learning journey,” said Dan Sweeney, Director of Training and Development. 

    There are three main categories the Leadership Academy focuses on: Leading Yourself, Leading Your Team, and Leading Your Business. Throughout the year, participants learn various topics within each category, from discovering their own learning style and communication skills to finding action items on how to improve their dealership. Various executives and guest speakers cover these topics. “It’s been very helpful to see how the front end works. Before the Leadership Academy, I never got to see the financial side of things,” said Nick Sparrow, Service Manager at Jaguar Land Rover. 

    All the topics and categories covered throughout the year provide ideas and insight to participants for their final capstone project, which they’ll present to Luther’s executive team. The Capstone presentations developed by each participant range from process improvement ideas, cost reduction recommendations, to revenue generation concepts or employee/guest satisfaction initiatives. Some of the ideas presented this month are already being implemented at the participant’s dealership, with the potential to spread to other Luther stores. “We’re all in this together to better ourselves and come together as an organization,” said Lily Haas, Motors Paralegal. 

    If you want to advance your skills and learn new aspects of your dealership through the Leadership Academy, talk with your General Manager to find out more. “The Leadership Academy was a great learning opportunity, and it allowed me to meet and connect with new people I wouldn’t typically see in the dealerships,” said Haas. 

  • Fixed Ops – Best of the Best

    When leaders are busy with their normal daily activities and focused on the employee and guest experience, they often fail to form deep relationships with one another. Leaders that take the time to connect with others outside their dealership build more trust with each other, are able to work more effectively, and can solve problems more quickly and efficiently. These are the guiding principles of the Fixed Operations Best of the Best retreat. To provide leaders with a welcoming, refreshing, and inspiring environment in which to innovate, think, and collaborate.

    The retreat kicked off early Friday August 17th with a meeting and a few team-building activities led by the Director of Training and Development, Dan Sweeney. These activities included a scavenger hunt and a process improvement activity. “The team building activities were a ton of fun,” said Caroline Gates, Service Manager at Luther Hopkins Honda. “We were all teamed up with people we didn’t know prior to this retreat. It was a great way to meet new people and build your base.” 

    Following the team building activities, team members had the opportunity to take advantage of the beautiful weather and go golfing or head out on the water for an afternoon of fishing. “Karen Breitbarth and I caught five fish that day, which was amazing considering the water was a bit choppy,” said Gates. 

    The night concluded with a dinner and an awards ceremony to celebrate each dealership’s successes. “It was nice that we could get everyone together for a night,” said Melissa Peterson. “They all work extremely hard, and we want them to enjoy doing something outside their normal schedule,” said Peterson. 

  • Road Scholar: Are You A Carrot, Egg, or A Coffee Bean?

    A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She didn’t know how she would make it and wanted to give up.  She was tired of fighting and struggling.  It seemed that every time she solved one problem, a new one appeared. 

    Her mother took her to the kitchen.  She filled three pots with water.  In the first, she placed carrots in, the second she placed eggs; and in the last, she placed ground coffee beans.

    She let them sit and boil without saying a word.  In about twenty minutes, she turned off the burners.  She fished the carrots out and put them in a bowl.  She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl.  Then, she ladled the coffee into a bowl.  Turning to her daughter, she asked, “Tell me what you see?”

    “Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” she replied.

    She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots.  She did and noted that they were soft.  She then asked her to take an egg and break it.  After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.  Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee.  The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma.

    The daughter then asked, “What’s the point, mother?”

    Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity – boiling water – but each reacted differently.  The carrot started hard and strong but came out weak and mushy. The egg started with a soft inside and a tough shell, but it came out hard on the inside. The coffee beans were special: “They changed the water. It used hardship to elevate itself and accomplish greatness.”

    “Which one will you choose to be?” she asked the daughter. 

     “Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?”

    When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? 

  • Cheers to New Beginnings

    There is a whole new kind of life ahead for two of our most respected leaders at Luther Automotive. This December, we say goodbye to General Managers, Chad Arthur from St. Cloud Honda and Scott Spaeth from Brookdale Chrysler Jeep Dodge. 

    Chad Arthur has been with Luther Automotive for over 15 years and is known for his loyalty and continuous success as a leader to his team and those around him. “He has been a great leader who has led with his heart and navigated his team with integrity. He will certainly be missed dearly by those he led, myself, and the rest of us at Luther Automotive,” said David Luther.

    Scott Spaeth became a Luther Automotive employee in 1982. He began as a sales consultant and worked his way up to become the General Manager of Brookdale CDJR, one of Luther’s most highly successful dealerships. “His expertise with CDJR, and his care for those who’s worked for him is to be admired by all. He will be missed immensely by those at the home office and most certainly by those at the dealership,” said Luther. 

    Often when you think you’re at the end of something, you’re really at the beginning of something new. Please congratulate Chad and Scott on their well-deserved retirement! Everyone at Luther Automotive is wishing you all the best in the new chapter ahead of you!

  • Friday Night Lights

    Each year it starts with a town, a dream, and a team. The American phenomenon of high school football and Friday Night Lights. It’s a night when the whole town comes together to hang out, socialize, and get amped up for the big game. Friday Night Lights also conjures up all the feelings that come with going to a high school football game, and the giant flood lights high above the field that make this a perfect opportunity to support the communities that we serve. 

    What better reason for Luther’s seven Brookdale locations to have been involved with the Maple Grove High School Football Program. The seven dealerships – Brookdale Buick GMC, Brookdale Honda, Brookdale Mazda Mitsubishi, Brookdale Toyota, Brookdale Chevrolet, Brookdale Chrysler Jeep Dodge, and Brookdale Volkswagen, all sponsor the program, but they also enjoy participating in the team’s Friday Night Lights. 

    On Friday, September 8th, Luther Brookdale team members headed to Champlin Park to distribute snacks and drinks to the attendees. It was Champlin’s home conference game where they just scraped by with a 25-24 win against Maple Grove. “It was a good time,” said Tony Stark, General Sales Manager at Brookdale Chevrolet. “We enjoy sponsoring them. They’re local, and it’s a great team and community.” 

    There are many benefits to sponsoring a high school sports team. This includes: 

    -Connecting the Luther brand with the best and purest form of amateur sports

    -Attracting and engaging with a valuable audience that could lead to future customers or employees

    -Building brand awareness and creating new marketing opportunities in the communities we serve 

    -Year-long, statewide exposure as opposed to one-time or seasonal events

    The sponsorship goes toward Maple Grove’s academic and sports program. Through the sponsorship, Luther receives a bright, light-up logo on Maple Grove’s scoreboard.

    Maple Grove ended the season with seven wins and three losses. The team made it to the second round of the playoffs where they lost to Edina, 35-24.

  • Minnesota Lynx Forward Visits RLT

    On Wednesday, September 7th, Minnesota Lynx player Dorka Juhász (#14) stopped by Rudy Luther Toyota to chat, sign autographs, and take pictures with the employees and customers. The 6’5” forward from Hungary even signed one of RLT’s salespeople, Bil Long’s, TRD PRO Sequoia. 

    “It was a fun visit for her to come to RLT. Everyone was so excited to meet her and learn more about her background,” said Gabby Nankin, Marketing & Engagement Coordinator at Rudy Luther Toyota. ​​This isn’t the first time RLT has received a visit from a WNBA player. General Manager, Debbie Tufts, is a big supporter of the MN Lynx, and the dealership has a great relationship with the team and their head coach, Cheryl Reeves. 

    “I got to know Cheryl and Carley Knox (President of Business Operations) years ago when our kids played soccer together. Over that time we spoke about the Lynx and how much both of our values and community support aligned. The Lynx have a positive community impact that embraces diversity and inclusion, have a winning culture, and focus on advancing women in leadership,” said Debbie Tufts, General Manager of RLT. 

    Originally from Hungary, the 6’5” forward was drafted to the Lynx in 2023, shortly after she graduated from UConn. This past season, the Minnesota Lynx player averaged 6 points per game with 6.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. The team finished in third place in the Western Conference.

  • Kicking Balls and Raising Money!

     

    On Sunday, September 17th, St. Cloud Subaru and St. Cloud Honda participated in an annual charity kickball tournament. This was the third year Subaru and Honda have participated in the event. “The weather couldn’t have been better. We were out on the fields for nearly six hours in the sun,” said Kris Daniels, Vehicle Delivery Specialist at St. Cloud Subaru. 

    Twelve teams competed in the tournament, and many of the stores had multiple teams participate. Each dealership had a buy-in of $300, and then the winning dealership would send the grand prize of $3,600 to a charity of their choice. This year, Luther St.Cloud Honda won the tournament, with St. Cloud Subaru coming in third place. The proceeds were given to Tri-County Humane Society. 

    “We had a solid turnout of fans and people who came to spectate. Great sportsmanship all around for all teams. You could tell a lot of us were out of shape but it’s something that we would love to do again,” said Daniels.

  • Luther Hyundai Sponsors Hope On Wheels

     

    Photo by Chris Phillips

    On Wednesday, September 27th, employees, patients, and family members gathered at Children’s Minnesota to celebrate Hyundai’s Ho

    pe on Wheels 25th anniversary. Hyundai’s Hope on Wheels is a non-profit organization that began in 1998 and is financed by Hyundai Motor America and its 830 U.S. dealers. For its 25th anniversary, Hyundai dealerships across the nation presented 88 Research and Programmatic Grants to fuel nearly 1,300 research studies at more than 175 medical institutions. 

    This year, Children’s Minnesota received an Impact Grant presented from our Luther Hyundai dealerships at the Handprint Ceremony at Children’s Minnesota in Minneapolis. The grant recipient was Dr. Michael Richards, the lead investigator of Pediatric Oncology at the hospital.  The grant will support future research in the hospital’s Neuro-Oncology and Cancer Survivorship programs.

    Following Dr. Richards’ speech, patients and their families, staff, grant sponsors, and attendees joined outside for the official handprint ceremony. Everyone was asked to dip their hands in paint and place them on a Hyundai vehicle. Many of the handprints on the vehicle represent kids who are currently battling cancer, those who have beaten cancer, and those whose memories live on.

    One of the patients was two-year-old Avery, who is battling Leukemia. She is currently in one of Dr. Richard’s clinical trials. “The cancer and blood disorders program at Children’s Minnesota cares for 3,500 patients each year. We treat more than 55% of children diagnosed with cancer or a blood disorder in Minnesota,” said Nick Petersen, Sr. Public Relations Specialist at Children’s Minnesota. 

    Although there is no known cure yet, we are hopeful that with extended research, clinical trials, and funding, doctors will be able to find cures for pediatric cancer in the near future.

  • Trunk-Or-Treat!

    Everyone’s heard about trick-or-treating, but trunk-or-treating may have just shown up on your TikTok “For You” feed. This new-ish Halloween tradition has become a favorite for families with young children. Trunk-or-treat events are often held in well-lit parking lots in a contained area, so children are at less risk of being hit by a moving vehicle. Trunk-or-treating also gives families and businesses an opportunity to get to know their community better.

    On Saturday, October 28th, Hudson Chrysler transformed their dealership into a trunk-or-treat palooza for all trick-or-treaters to enjoy some delicious sweet treats and join in a few kid-friendly activities.  “I had the idea to do this event a while ago, and I thought this would be a great way for us to host a fun event for the community while advertising our business,” said Whitney Owen, a sales consultant at Hudson Chrysler. 

    Prior to the event, the dealership reached out to many local businesses to see if they wanted to join in on the fun and hand out candy to the attendees. Fifteen businesses showed up at the dealership with bags of candy, temporary tattoos, and hair tinsel for kids. Between 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., nearly 400 kids and family members came to the dealership to join in on the spooktacular event. “It was a better turnout than we could have expected, and everyone had a great time. We ran out of candy about an hour in and had to run to the store to grab some more – I would call that a win,” said Owen. 

  • Apple-Solutely Worthy Cause

     

    On October 15th, Hudson Chrysler and Hudson Chevrolet headed to Happy Earth Orchard for a day of community service and apple picking. Between both dealerships, nearly 30 people from all departments showed up and helped pick 78 bushels of apples to donate to River Valley Charities. 

    Luther Hudson Chrysler has been involved with River Valley Charities for a few years now. The organization plays a significant role in the St. Croix Backpack program which provides healthy, nutritious, and delicious food to hungry children and their families. 

    Last year, you could find the Luther Hudson dealerships at their first community give-back day where they put up fence posts at Camp St. Croix. The camp features a few gardens where much of the food is grown and stored for the charitable program. This year, they were given the opportunity to pick apples at a nearby orchard. “The date was set last minute but we still had a great turnout with all of our departments represented. All in all it was a good day,” said Mark Rosencranz, General Manager of Hudson Chrysler.