FUGUAY-VARINA, N.C., Feb. 23, 2021
/PRNewswire/ -- With desperate times calling for creative measures,
auto dealers across the country got inventive throughout 2020 to
keep American drivers on the road and their staffs safely working
and motivated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
John Hiester, owner of Hiester
Automotive Group in Fuguay-Varina, N.C., found a novel solution by
merging his passion for classic cars with the challenge of keeping
his mechanics working.
Prior to COVID-19, the nationwide shortage of mechanics was one
of the biggest management obstacles faced by American auto dealers,
so it was an abrupt change to suddenly have too many service techs
and too few cars to fix.
"Back in the spring when the work slowed, my mechanics asked if
they'd lose their jobs," Hiester said. "I thought, 'Why not buy
some classic cars and have my teams restore them?' I love classic
cars, but my team never works on them because they are always busy
with customers. It was a good way to keep them employed so they
could support their families."
Hiester purchased more than a dozen classic cars, including a
1969 Plymouth Roadrunner, 1972 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, 1976 Cadillac
Eldorado convertible and a 1978 Jeep J10 truck in various states of
disrepair. The mechanics were paired up in small teams to restore
the classic autos.
Service Technician Anthony Pompey said he appreciated the steady
work and that the project helped "keep my mind off the news and the
pandemic. I worried less about losing family or getting sick
myself."
Hiester Auto Group is one of approximately 18,500 dealer
customers doing business with Ally Financial, a leading digital
finance company with one of the largest full-service automotive
finance operations in the country.
"All of us at Ally were really moved by John's commitment to do
it right for his employees because it mirrored our own values in
keeping team members both safe and employed. We wanted to support
his ingenuity and shine a light on the important role service techs
play in the auto business," said Andrea
Brimmer, chief marketing and PR officer at Ally.
Inspired by Hiester's initiative, the Ally Foundation will
support efforts to recruit and train the next generation of auto
mechanics by donating $25,000 to the
North Carolina Auto Dealers Foundation. According to the National
Automobile Dealers Association, the industry requires 76,000 new
technicians every year and technical colleges and training programs
only graduate about half that number.
Ally's Brimmer connected the Hiester team with reality show host
and celebrity car customizer Danny
Koker of History Channel's "Counting Cars." Koker, based in
Las Vegas, served as a virtual
coach to the Hiester mechanics while also documenting the
renovation process for a new web-based video series called "Count's
Kulture." The series began streaming in early December on Koker's
YouTube channel. Car enthusiasts are encouraged to follow the
restoration competition online and vote for their favorite.
Hiester plans to auction the winning vehicle at the Greensboro
Auto Auction in Greensboro, N.C.,
with the proceeds donated to a charity selected by his
mechanics.
About Ally Financial Inc.
Ally Financial Inc. (NYSE: ALLY) is a leading digital
financial-services company with $182.2 billion in assets
as of December 31, 2020. As a customer-centric company with
passionate customer service and innovative financial solutions, we
are relentlessly focused on "Doing it Right" and being a trusted
financial-services provider to our consumer, commercial, and
corporate customers. We are one of the largest full-service
automotive-finance operations in the country and offer a wide range
of financial services and insurance products to automotive
dealerships and consumers. Our award-winning online bank
(Ally Bank, Member FDIC and Equal
Housing Lender) offers mortgage lending, personal lending, and a
variety of deposit and other banking products, including savings,
money-market, and checking accounts, certificates of deposit (CDs),
and individual retirement accounts (IRAs). Additionally, we offer
securities-brokerage and investment-advisory services through Ally
Invest. Our robust corporate finance business offers capital for
equity sponsors and middle-market companies.
For more information and disclosures about Ally,
visit https://www.ally.com/#disclosures.
Contact:
Tim Gerstenberger
tim.gerstenberger@ally.com
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SOURCE Ally Financial