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  • Luther Technical Training Center ‘23 and ‘24 Graduates

    These past few months Luther’s Technical Training Center (LTTC) hosted four graduation ceremonies to celebrate the students who completed Modules 1, 2 and 4. Congratulations to all our recent graduates, Luther Automotive is extremely proud of your dedication to the program and recent accomplishments!

    Module 1 

    This past winter, LTTC commemorated two Module 1 graduations. Throughout the eight weeks of Module 1, students successfully completed numerous service-related concepts including Shop Safety, Service Information, Transmission Repair, Brakes, and Driveline Maintenance. The program also covered additional essential topics such as Tire Repair and Replacement, and Suspension Systems & Alignment to round out their service knowledge.  

    Congratulations Module 1 Graduates! 

    Adrian Yang: WBA, Angel Tapia: IOB, Axel Montes: FIAT, Ben Barilla: IOB, Brayden Quistorff: HSC, Broderick Hill: HH, Dahir Warsame: LBM, Deranio Aguilar: RLT, Ethan Stoehr: BLH, Evan Miller: WVW, Evan Wood: HSC, Jonathan Rangel: CAD, Kaelyn Knudtson: HH, Miller Moore: LBC, Mohamed Darwish: BDV, Mohamed Hirsi: NCF, Noel Adjoko: LNK, Parker Oberg: WVW, Trevor Weldy: NCF,

    Anna Chase: LBM, Austin Lahr: LBC, Caleb Gilbert: BDV, Cole Carlson: LBC, Dominic Barkeim: WVW, Douglas Radnus: HH, Ezra DeLaney: KCM, George Tarwo: RLT, Hunter Wetteland: HCV, John Kibawana: RLT, Jose Autie Garrido: BVH, Joseph W. Amos: WVW, Kendra Vaillancourt: BAS, Maurice Jackson: LBK, Miguel Navarro: LNK, Momen Albatal: BDV, Tscahunbay Dixon: LBC, Tyler Yang: BDV, Yellow Star: HH  

    Module 2

    Fourteen students graduated Module 2 at Luther’s Technical Training Center this past December. For eight weeks, Module Two students mainly focused on Engine Mechanicals. This included learning about engine basics, cylinder heads, camshafts, crankshafts, pistons and connecting rods, cleaning and assembly, cooling system operation and diagnosis, and more. The team also participated in an electric fundamentals boot camp.

    Congratulations Module 2 Graduates! 

    Abdirahman Habib: RLT, Austin Chang: BDH , Becky Malloy: HCV, Brian De La Cruz: BCJ, Celia Mellang : RLT, Derek Harman: LMH , Fue Her: WBA , Justin Napolitan: BAS, Nae Kyong Yom: BDV , Nate Lamoureux: BVH, Ryan Erickson: BDV, Sam Erikson: WVW, Taylor Hermanson: BDV, Trent Brill: BVH

    Module 4

    Unlike the other modules, Module 4 is an intense six-week course offered to students who want to advance their skills. This winter, we recognized nine students who completed the course.  

    Within the six weeks, Module 4 students were taught Air Conditioning Safety, Refrigerant Systems, Air Distribution Systems, AC Electrical, Automatic and Manual Transmission, Operation and Diagnostics, and more.  

    Congratulations Module 4 Graduates! 

    Allan Mokandu: BVH, Austin Hanson: RCN, Denys Calle: BAS, Dylan Germain: WVW, Kordell Sukalski: HCV , Nick Girard: BDH, Sean Westman: WBA, Travis Hanuman: BLH, Zeke Becker: RLT 

     

     

  • Happy Holidays from the Luther and Landers Family

    The holiday season is full of love and cheer, and for some of our dealerships, some photo ops with Santa and gifts for the local community. Here is how some of our dealerships celebrated this holiday season: 

    Community Christmas Party in Cambridge  

    In the early 2000s, John Hirsch’s Cambridge Motors started hosting a small annual holiday chamber event. Now 22 years later, the holiday event has expanded into a Community Christmas party for local families to come and enjoy.  

    Weeks prior to the event, team members at Cambridge Motors were busy being Santa’s elves – decorating the dealership, reaching out to vendors, and buying Christmas presents for the event.  On December 19th, from 5 – 7 p.m., the local community was invited to participate in an evening filled with food, presents, and Santa. All the children who attended received a gift for Christmas. “In the past, we would hand out over 250 gifts within a few hours,” said General Manager John Hirsch.  

     Santa, Mrs. Claus, the Grinch, and the elves helped hand out presents and provide snacks to the community. “These are some of the kids’ Christmas gifts. We’re happy that we can play a part in the community and look forward to this every year,” said Hirsch.  

    We would like to thank the following vendors for their generous donations: AJR, Classic Iron Ranch, Bernicks, AST Compressors, Snap On, Chuck Indereiden, Stan’s Radiator Service, Larson’s Auto Body, Bumper Man, Napa Auto Parts Cambridge, Matt from FedEx, Isanti Tire & Auto, Rum River Auto Sales, Automotive Concepts, Mobile Gold, Autouplink, Stellantis, and various Cambridge Motors customers.

    Luther Brookdale Toyota Toys for Tots  

    2023 marked the 5th year Luther Brookdale has hosted an annual Toys for Tots event, with this year being nothing shy of successful. From November 1st to December 31st, every customer who brought in a toy received a 10% discount (max of $50) on their repair order or next service. Many team members joined the fun and donated, alongside other dealers and businesses. Overall, this year was highly successful with many toys going to the less fortunate. 

    Burnsville Hyundai and Volkswagen Decorate for the Holidays    

    There’s no better way to gear up for the holidays than to add some decor to your home. In early December, the office staff at Burnsville Hyundai and Burnsville Volkswagen spent a few hours decorating pots as a holiday office activity. Each participant was given a pot and branches, then could decorate their pot however they would like with different supplies. “We all ate lunch together and did this fun activity. The staff really enjoyed it,” said Shelley Riach, Controller at Burnsville Hyundai.  

     

     

     

  • Bloomington Collision Center Moves to South St. Paul

    After spending 12 years in Bloomington, on December 4th, Luther Collision and Glass moved out of Bloomington into a centrally located space in South St. Paul. The new 25,000 square-foot collision center took nearly four months to complete but now is a workspace for both Bloomington and Roseville employees. “So far, the merger has been going well,” said Body Shop Manager Mark Wall. “We have much more space, a larger team, and more resources.”  

     The new collision center features state-of-the-art frame and alignment racks, EV charging stations, mechanical bays for estimates, and nine body tech bays. The body shop also has four environmentally friendly paint booths, a car wash, a separate parts storage room, and a detail area. This Luther Automotive Collision Center has a full-time, in-house collision calibration tech, and is manufacture-certified for 10+ brands.

  • Promotions to Luther Automotive General Managers

    We’d like to congradulate three new General Managers to Luther Automotive – Ardell Hanson from Hopkins Honda, Scott Hanson from Brookdale Chrysler, and Scott Spanier from St. Cloud Honda. Congratulations! We’re very excited to see you step into your new roles, take on new challenges, and make a positive impact in our dealerships.  

     

    Ardell Hanson has made her mark at Luther ever since she started in 1998. Her first role at Luther was to start up a credit center, where she would help people with challenged credit, getting their loans approved, and finding them a vehicle. After this position, Ardell worked in finance, became a Used Car Sales Manager, then General Sales Manager before earning her role as General Manager at Hopkins Honda.  

    “Luther is a stand-up company to work for,” said Ardell. “I’ve wanted this position for a long time and am excited to take it on and hope I can make a difference here.”  

    Outside of the Honda dealership, Ardell enjoys boating, relaxing at home, and going out to eat. She also loves to spend time with her husband Scott, her family, and her grandkids. 

     

     

    Scott Hanson has played a prominent role in the Brookdale Chrysler team for over 30 years. He started working in the business in 1988 and has stayed with the company ever since Luther bought the dealership in 2002. Over the years, Scott has taken on many roles in the dealership from sales and finance to Used Car Manager, New Car Manager – there isn’t much he didn’t do.  

     In December of 2023, Scott earned the position of General Manager at Brookdale Chrysler. “I’m very excited to be in this position,” said Scott. “There’s a lot to look forward to. We have a few new managers in the dealership and a remodel in the works, there’s new things happening.”  

     

    Scott Spanier joined Luther Automotive in June 2021; however, he has made an impact in the automotive industry now for over 30 years. Prior to Luther, Scott held various management roles in the automotive industry, his first being a General Manager in 1995 for a small store in St. Cloud. He then was a managing partner of Miller Auto for 10 years, and then moved into the Subaru store right before Luther bought it.  

    Now, Scott welcomes the opportunity to take on the role of General Manager at St. Cloud Honda. “I’m most looking forward to making our dealership a destination spot for all customers. We’re in a great location right on the outside of the edge of town and have a good thing going for us,” said Scott.  

    Outside his years of experience in the automotive industry, Scott is also a semi-pro musician, and an outdoors-enthusiast who loves to bike and enjoy the weather whenever he can. 

  • Q2 GRAD School Offerings at LDC

    Due to the highly successful turnout in Q1, the Luther Development Center will offer new courses and topics for GRAD School in Q2. Each course will provide a review and/or next level training for new and experienced sales consultants who want to refine their skills. Here’s what you can look forward to in Q2:  

     

    DriveCentric + Car Wars : Offered April 23rd, May 22nd, and June 20th  

    This course is a new and improved version of the Car Wars training program and will focus on maximizing the chances the guest will show up for an appointment. This training session focuses on creating guest excitement, instilling a sense of urgency, and ensuring sales consultants are effectively prepared for their appointments.  

    The DriveCentric portion of the class is a deep dive into effectively handling leads. Participants will learn to meet the guest where they are in their buying process and discover the most effective form of communication. The focus will be on how to create better video communications to increase the number of visits and appointments. The goal of this course is to help gain better insights from each lead to create better guest experiences and drive more sales.

    Auto Performance Studio Tour @ APS : Offered May 23rd  

    For those of you who missed the tour in Q1, APS will be offering another tour this next quarter for you to join – so make sure to sign up! 

    This course focused on the products and services provided by the Automotive Performance Studio (APS). Participants will meet at APS for a tour of their facility, followed by an overview of the products provided by APS. Focus will be placed on the best practices for selling those back-end products with the goal of maximizing the guest experience by protecting their investment.  

     

  • Congratulations On Your New Journey

    This past December, Kyle Allison, a longtime General Manager of Hopkins Honda announced his retirement.  

    Kyle has been a part of the Luther family since 1998 and has played a significant role in building Hopkins Honda into the highly successful dealership it is today. He is known for his loyalty, commitment, and care for all those around him.  

     “I struggle to find words that can adequately express how grateful I am to Kyle for everything he has meant to me, my family, and the Luther organization,” said David Luther.  “He has earned the respect of so many in our business and industry with his quietconfidence, integrity, talent and of course, his incredible laugh!” 

     Thank you, Kyle, for all your hard work and dedication over the years. Everyone at Luther Automotive wishes you all the best as you embark on your next chapter.  

  • Employee Highlight: Mitch Kugler from Norman CDJR

    In August 2019, Mitch “Bud” Kugler joined the Norman Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram sales team. Within five years, Kugler has significantly impacted the CDJR dealership with his positive, go-getter mentality and strong work ethic.  

     In 2023, Kugler was awarded Salesperson of the Month by volume for eight out of the 12 months. “Mitch always has a customer-first mentality, and his sales service index score (SSI) and reviews reflect that. He goes above and beyond to ensure that each and every one of his customers is satisfied with their purchase and has a positive experience at our dealership,” said General Manager Mike Evans.  

     Throughout the years, Kugler has continued to build a loyal customer base and receives numerous referrals. “It speaks volumes about his character and work ethic. Mitch’s passion for cars and determination to achieve his goals has been evident since the day I met him,” said Evans. “He is a shining example of how hard work, determination, and a positive attitude can lead to great success.”

  • Ron Ake’s Gifts of Hope

    Ron Ake, an Internet Salesperson from Landers Chevrolet of Norman handmakes small personal accessory items for men and women and donates them to struggling individuals in the hopes that it will brighten their day in a time of need. “I got the idea from a friend of mine who worked to help employees that may be struggling in any way,” said Ron. “I make a lot of them for the men at Rob’s Ranch drug & alcohol rehab in Purcell. The staff and clients wear them. That place means a lot to me, I went through there myself.”  

     

    Using materials such as leather, cordage, craft wire, and horseshoe nails, Ron creates necklaces, bracelets and other jewelry items for men and women. Each accessory is meant to provide hope to those as they go through a tough time. “I pray over them and the material before giving them away in hopes it might help people,” said Ron. “So far, I’ve had good responses and feedback. I enjoy the fact that people love them, and I am starting to run into people wearing them all over in different towns.”

  • Laundry Love OKC Hosts Valentine’s Day Event

    Laundry Love – Oklahoma City, a charitable organization that gives local families free clean laundry, recently held their Valentine’s Day event that blessed over 120 families in Norman and Oklahoma City. “It was a crazy day. Many families received the gift of clean laundry, and we fed over 300 people between our two locations,” said Barbara Drommond, an organization leader. The Valentine’s Day event, held both in laundromats in Norman and OKC, provided food, free detergent, and $10 for each family to wash and dry their clothes. 

    Laundry Love Oklahoma City began in 2018, two years after Barbara and her partner started their charity, Sox of Love. “We saw that people in the community needed more than socks, so we decided to hold free laundry events at various laundromats in the area,” said Barbara. 

    Throughout the years, both charities have made a significant impact. In 2023 alone, over 13,000 lives were touched, 45,000 pairs of socks were donated, and 300 pairs of underwear. “Between our diffeent event locations, we’ve been blessed with having 610 volunteers and 108 sponsors and partners.” 

    2024 is also looking to be a strong year for the two charities. With new team leaders, more locations and events, and a new permanent location in Midwest City, OK, the team is ready to lend a helping hand to all who need one. If you live in the area and would like to volunteer or donate, visit soxoflove.org or laundrylove.org.

  • North Country Ford Team Members Give Back to Community

    On January 27th, North Country Ford team members Lisa Synder and Vicki Serverson, flew to Mazatlán, Mexico for a week-long mission trip. The mission trips began in 2006, when Youth with a Mission, Mazatlan’s leading mercy missionary, partnered with Homes of Hope. Together, this community focuses on providing homes and a helping hand to those in need.  

    Although the company is celebrating nearly 20 years, Lisa and Vicki first joined the group in January 2020. “We went one year and loved it so much, we now look forward to this mission trip every January,” said Synder.  

    Each year, participants travel to Mexico and build a home from the ground up in less than a week’s time. This January, there were 17mission builder volunteers who attended. Together, the charity raised over $12,000 to complete a single-family home. North Country Ford and Luther Automotive helped sponsor the team build.