JIM BURKE EMPLOYEE UPDATE • AUGUST 2008
Building L a s ting R ela tionship s T hrough Gr e a t Cus to m e r S e r vic e Sin c e 19 13
Gary Pelmear Retired July 18th!
Thirty-three years of employment with one company says a lot about a man and his company.
G
ary Pelmear came to work for Jim Burke Ford in October
1975 when the dealership was more commonly known
as Haberfelde Ford. He was hired on as a salesman in
our Certified Leasing division and became the manager in
September 1988. He has had the responsibility of running
both the leasing and rental departments ever since.
Over the years Gary has received many honors including
Salesman of the Year, winning the National Walk-Around
competition (dealership level) and becoming a Master Sales
Person. He has served on several committees at the dealership including many years on the Operating Committee and
the Picnic Committee. His service on both committees will
certainly be missed as he was a valuable participant. He
most recently was in charge of the set up committee at this
year’s picnic and stayed afterward to help clean up!
Gary has been a long standing member of the North
Bakersfield Kiwanis Club and plans to remain active in that
club and maybe other charities as well.
Gary has many plans towards enjoying his retirement.
Some of those plans are wood working, improving his golf
score and surfing…a hobby he has had for many years!
He recently became a certified scuba diver and plans to go
scuba diving with his son, Robby! He tells us that he will
also be “taking over the family business….cooking, cleaning
and paying the bills!”
We are truly grateful for Gary’s dedication and almost
33 years with the dealership! We wish Gary many happy
years of retirement!
“Building Lasting Relationships Through Great Customer Service”
“Building Lasting Relationships Through Great Customer Service”
The Fabulous Ford
Drive Smart
Drive Safe
Drive Green
Drive Quality
O
n Monday July 14th we rolled out the all new Ford
Flex in a special showroom event. There were over
2000 invitations mailed out to some of Jim Burke
Ford’s V.I.P. customers and the local news agencies.
The customer comments were of total amazement on
what an outstanding vehicle Ford produced. Customers
could not believe that Ford came out with a vehicle
that can seat 6 to 7 passengers and still get 24 miles
per gallon on the highway! Everyone was thrilled with
the awesome new navigation system, advanced interior
design, and of course – the amazing exterior presence the Flex exhibits. Just sit
in the back seat of a Ford Flex and you will be amazed at how much leg room there
is. If you haven’t seen or sat in the new Ford Flex come up to the showroom and
prepare to be amazed!
Great Customer . . . and Fellow Employee Service!
Barry Sullivan, our Facilities Custodian, was recently recognized by another employee for his extra efforts to
complete a task. Below is the recognition letter received by his supervisor.
This morning I asked Barry if there was a particular way I should get all the old benefit boxes down
from upstairs and into the trash. Barry immediately offered to help me. He was extremely helpful
and knowledgeable about the parts department. He understood that shipping and receiving needed
time to unload all their newly shipped parts, and notified me when they were done. With
Barry's help we loaded all the boxes (which there were quite a few!) into carts, onto the
conveyor belt, and stacked them on the floor. He was so very cautious about being safe
and making sure that the boxes were lined up properly, with a closed lid so that they
will not spill over when on the conveyor belt. Terry was then going to help me load up
all the boxes into his truck to take to the dumpster, but I had to wait until he had some
extra time.
I went back into Human Resources to get some work done while I waited for
Terry, but then Barry came in and said he took care of it for me. He had gotten
one of the parts drivers and used their truck to load up all the boxes to take to
the dumpster!
I am just so amazed about how helpful and responsible Barry is! I have
noticed that he always is willing to lend a hand whenever needed. Barry does
a great job!
Nancy Nasrawin
Barry has been employed with the dealership since October 1986. His first job was as a janitor in our Used Car
Reconditioning shop and was transferred to the Parts Department in 2004 as their janitor. The following year
Barry was transferred to the position of Facilities Custodian. His duties are varied as he gets pulled in all different
sorts of directions to help others.
Barry helping
setup at the
company picnic
2
In addition to working full time at our Oak Street dealership, Barry also works part time at Stockdale Country Club
and at St. Philip’s Church.
R
udy Garcia entered into this world on December 8, 1948 and left us on May 12,
2008. Rudy was born in Bakersfield and eventually his family moved to Delano.
Right after high school Rudy served in the United States Army. After his honorable
service in the Army he went right into the auto parts business as a parts counterman
at Harvest Chevrolet in Delano where he worked for many years. Then in July of 1993
Rudy came to work for Jim Burke Ford as a front counterman. As time went on Ford
Motor Company started making the dealers more responsible for warranty returns
and core returns, which created an important full-time position. Rudy accepted the
position and did a fantastic job keeping the dealership from major charge-backs and
really took charge by keeping everything neat and organized.
Rudy had such a positive outlook on life though
it wasn’t always easy on him. His wife Gloria
passed away about 11 years ago which devastated
Rudy and his family. But again Rudy stood up and
took on the challenge of raising four daughters by
himself. Then some of the
daughters got married and
eventually he was blessed
with four grandchildren.
Rudy's family was the
highlight of his life. He
Above: Rudy at the
was a very proud father
Grand Canyon
and grandfather.
We are all blessed to
have known Rudy.
LEFT: Rudy with daughters
Malissa, Diana, Valerie (top)
& Raquel (bottom left)
Lincoln Mercury Elite and
Ford Blue Oval Certification
C
ongratulations to both dealerships for maintaining our Ford Blue Oval (BOC)
and Lincoln Mercury Elite (LME) certification! In years past this process meant
lengthy on-sight inspections examining everything from our service procedures
to the upkeep of our facilities. The last couple years we have been able to recertify
automatically because of our customer service scores and the number of employees
that have completed their Ford training!
The biggest employee benefit we receive from these certifications is the D-Plan. This
plan offers thousands of dollars off new car prices every year for employees and their
family members. Another mentionable benefit is
Jim Burke’s 401k program which has better plans
and options due to our BOC/LME status.
These certifications also benefit our customers.
In our service departments we receive an increase
in parameters for our After-Warranty-Assistance
(AWA) program and an increase in funds for our
Transportation-Assistance-Program (TAPs). Even
the magazines in our customer lounges are provided
because of our certification!
Keep up the great work! We are on our way to
winning the President’s Awards for 2008!
COOK’S
C hile
Verde
CORNER
A Great Father,
A Great Employee, A Great Friend
Ingredients:
• 3 lbs tomatillos (husked)
• Cilantro
• 1 yellow onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 8-10 fresh jalapeño peppers (to reduce the heat remove seeds & veins)
• Salt
• 1 tsp Olive oil
• 3 lbs pork shoulder (cubed)
• 1 lbs pork spare ribs (cut to 1”)
• ¼ package Pork Chorizo
Putting the Salsa together
Boil tomatillos & jalapeños for
5 minutes. In a blender add
tomatillos, jalapeños, cilantro,
onion, & garlic. Salt to taste.
Puree until ingredients are a
paste.
In a large pot, heat olive oil
over med-hi heat. Add cubed
pork & spare rib pieces,
brown lightly. Add Chorizo.
Add salsa, let simmer over
med-low heat for 45 minutes.
Submitted By:
Carlos Lozano
New Car Salesman
at the Automall Ford Store
3
Mark
Your
Calendars!
August
ember
Birthdays
Alex Pascascio...................... 8/2
Henry Smith............................ 8/5
Rex Tudor................................ 8/5
Agustin Reyes......................... 8/6
Walter Felix............................. 8/7
Sergio Caro............................. 8/8
Joseph Whitby........................ 8/8
Sathi Sanghera...................... 8/10
Cathy Reese.......................... 8/13
Bonnie Bentley...................... 8/16
Raymond Morales................. 8/17
Barry Sullivan........................ 8/18
Wade Pettit............................8/21
Cindy Setser.......................... 8/24
Maria Crowe.......................... 8/24
Jesus Gomez.........................8/26
Gary Sandridge.....................8/26
RJ Williams........................... 8/27
Denise Shepherd...................8/29
Roger Lara.............................8/30
Pete DeJesus.........................8/30
Rudy Galicia..........................8/30
Alan Giblin............................. 8/31
Anniversaries
8/2 Christina Housley.............1 yr
8/5 Rea Griggers ................17 yrs
8/6 Barry Hopfe...................24 yrs
8/7 Ray Daniel.....................18 yrs
8/7 Temo Martinez................8 yrs
8/7 Henry Smith....................2 yrs
8/8 Rick Torres....................12 yrs
8/8 Alex Lopez........................1 yr
8/10 Geoffrey Holcomb.........8 yrs
8/11 David Gonzales...........26 yrs
8/14 Art Franco ....................6 yrs
8/15 Bob Miller.................. 38 yrs
8/15 Joe Hay.........................3 yrs
8/15 Shawn Underwood.......3 yrs
8/16 Casey Gonzales............2 yrs
8/18 Audrey Walden............15 yrs
8/20 Lori Crawford..................1 yr
8/20 Walter Felix.....................1 yr
8/22 Alex Arana....................5 yrs
8/26 Jesse Guevara ...........12 yrs
8/27 Mark Salcido............. 22 yrs
8/27 Anna Sheller...............10 yrs
8/28 Rigo Hernandez............2 yrs
8/29 Renee Evaro . .............13 yrs
8/30 Lupe Sanchez.............32 yrs
For Your Well-being
Staying Healthy with Your New Benefits
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For many people it happens in their 40s or 50s: They wake up and realize they’re aging.
Luckily, it’s never too late to combat the effects of time. Studies show that preventive
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You are what you eat Healthy bodies need high-quality nutrition. Eat small, frequent
meals with protein (think nuts, bean spreads and low-fat cheese), whole grains, healthy
fats (olive oil, fish) and at least five daily servings of fruits and vegetables.
Use it or lose it Exercise does wonders for cholesterol levels, bone strength, flexibility and
mood. Aim for moderate- to vigorous-intensity exercise and physical activity most days of
the week. Exercise is also crucial to reaching or maintaining a healthy weight — another
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Avoid “the vices” Quitting smoking is hard, but the sooner you break the habit, the sooner
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Have you had your blood pressure checked lately? Keeping your
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Step on the scale Being overweight causes a two- to sixfold increased risk of high blood
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Hold the salt It’s easy to exceed your daily sodium intake, which is 2,300 mg—about a
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Follow the DASH diet This eating plan is rich in vegetables, fruits, grains and low-fat dairy
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Limit alcohol and tobacco If you drink, limit alcohol to one to two servings daily, and
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