Tuesday, May 5, 2009

GRAND OPENING EVENT: From Diesel Mechanic to Ford Mega Dealer – A Story of Hope, Faith, and Determination!












PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


(For high-res images, please contact Brenda Dash at bdash@prestigegarland.com)

Garland, Texas, May 4, 2009 – While much of the auto industry suffers with the fear and reality of Bankruptcy that consumes our daily news media, the Randall Reed dealership group, World Class Automotive, takes a daring leap of faith and opens its newest crown jewel by adding Lincoln Mercury to Prestige Ford in Garland. Randall Reed announced today the Grand Opening of his recently completed dealership located at 3601 South Shiloh Road, Garland, Texas. The significance of this opening on May 15, 2009 is underscored by the attendance of Alan Mulally, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ford Motor Company, along with other top Ford officials from Detroit. “Sherry and I are truly honored and look forward to Mr. Mulally’s visit,” states Randall Reed. “This marks our third completion of a new or completely renovated Ford Lincoln Mercury facility in Texas within the past two years. Our dedication and commitment to Ford and the Blue Oval for the past twenty-eight (28) years has been an honor and blessing! While the past year in our industry has been one of tumultuous peril, the health and market share of Ford Motor Company continues to improve due to the incredible leadership of Alan Mulally and his hard working team. We hope the City of Garland, and all of north Texas will take pride in the message of Mr. Mulally’ s visit to our humble little automobile dealership.” states Reed.
“We’re proud to represent eight Ford and Lincoln Mercury dealership franchises here in Texas. Knowing our future is bright, and our conscious is clear when it comes to Government bailout or Bankruptcy blues, we now are planning our next Ford acquisition. Look for the announcement soon,” states Reed.
The Reeds own and operate some of the most successful Ford Lincoln Mercury dealerships in the nation. Recognized as a “Top 100” Mega Dealer by Wards Dealer Business, Reed continues to be honored as one of Ford’s largest volume, highest customer satisfaction award winning dealers in the USA.
Randall Reed’s Prestige Ford/Lincoln-Mercury located north on Garland Road and I-635 provides a showcase for all the newest Ford brands, and a totally separate new showroom for Lincoln Mercury. These new showrooms feature all the brand design icons required by Ford Motor Company for the joint housing of these Ford brands in one dealership. In total, the seven hundred and ninety-five thousand and three hundred (795,300) square foot dealership campus features eleven hundred (1,100) regular and twelve (12) handicap parking spaces, a fifteen thousand nine hundred (15,900) square foot Ford showroom, a forty-four hundred (4,400) square foot Lincoln Mercury showroom, forty-two hundred (4,200) square feet of general offices and training area, an eleven thousand two hundred (11,200) square foot parts department, a forty one thousand three hundred (41,300) square foot service department and twenty-one thousand seven hundred (21,700) square feet of collision space. The former Ford showroom, located across the street at 3401 Garland Road, has been converted into a pre-owned supercenter facility and renamed Randall Reed’s Prestige Pre-Owned Superstore. In tandem, these two facilities now make Randall Reed’s Prestige Ford Lincoln Mercury the largest new and used dealership in Garland and one of the largest in the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area. Prestige Ford Lincoln Mercury is one of ten (10) highly successful retail automobile franchises owned by World Class Automotive Group whose dealerships are located in Houston, Dallas and Huntsville. The group successfully sells the vehicle brands of Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Dodge and Hyundai. World Class Automotive is nationally ranked 61st in Automotive News recent rank of all US dealership groups.
The new facility has tailored its business to accommodate the various consumer groups using the second generation of the successful Autotainment™ concept. Guests are greeted when entering the Ford showroom, by a receptionist seated at a sweeping receptionist desk centered between vehicle displays of new Ford products. The more refined Lincoln Mercury showroom is connected to the Ford showroom by the Java Café and accessory showroom, where customers enjoy their choice of Starbucks coffee, while shopping for just the right accessory to personalize their new Ford. The design of the Lincoln Mercury showroom provides its guests with designated parking, separate entrance/reception area, vehicle display area, sales offices and a service write up area. The entire showroom incorporates design elements that fit the specific tastes of Lincoln and Mercury buyers.
There are numerous areas of interest for guests at the dealership that become part of their automotive buying experience at Prestige Ford Lincoln Mercury. A separate internet department has their own showroom space and dedicated lounge for their fast-paced customers. A new performance showroom and service shop, Reed Speed, serves an entire new fast growing segment of the automotive market. Also, for customers in need of speedy service, a new Quick Lane service department has been added. Each and every area is connected by way finding signage, coordinated to link every one of the guest areas and designed to enhance every guest’s automotive buying experience. From the Java Café to accessory showroom, to Reed Speed Performance Shop, to the Quick Lane service, to the Internet showroom, to the Fleet showroom, to the Prestige Accessory Lounge, each area is designed so the guests have a seamless automotive experience.
The ownership of Prestige Ford Lincoln Mercury is lead by Randall and Sherry Reed, who are as interesting as the dealership. Marketed as the Texas Giant, the Reed dynasty of dealerships takes pride in being able to buy big and pass savings onto the customers. The multiple locations within two major markets allow the group dealerships to offer customers a very large base of inventory from which to choose.
“We simply choose not to participate in the recession. Instead, we have chosen to invest in the future of our dealerships, the future of the brands we sell and the future of our customers,” comments Mr. Reed. “In fact, we have done remarkably well in such tough times. From the sales staff to management, the teams have pulled together and are working hard to best serve every customer that comes to us.”
Randall and Sherry Reed have established a tradition of providing twenty eight (28) years of new vehicle sales and services that the community can trust. They sell more, service more and will save you more, which is why they always say "We're Dealin!"
Next time you see your mechanic – look again. Some day, he or she just might own the very same dealership they fix cars at today! That’s the story of Randall Reed. Randall started working in the automobile industry as a diesel tech. Over 30-years of automotive experience, Randall Reed, with his wife Sherry, own one of the largest, privately-held dealer groups in the country. Today the Randall Reed family of dealerships includes:

• Randall Reed’s Planet Ford 45 in Spring, TX
• Randall Reed’s Planet Ford 59 in Humble, TX
• Randall Reed’s Planet Dodge in Humble, TX
• Randall Reed’s Used Car Factory / Online Auto Liquidators, Houston, TX
• Randall Reed’s Prestige Ford Lincoln Mercury in Garland, TX
• Randall Reed’s Prestige Pre Owned in Garland, TX
• Randall Reed’s Park Cities Ford Lincoln Mercury in Dallas, TX
• Randall Reed’s Planet Pre Owned in Dallas, TX
• Randall Reed’s Hillcrest Ford Lincoln Mercury in Huntsville, TX
• Randall Reed’s Hillcrest Hyundai in Huntsville, TX

It’s all about people…the right people, in the right positions doing the right things. The Randall Reed organization instills solid philosophies, beliefs and moral fiber throughout all facets of the operations.

“God has really blessed me with a fantastic family. My wife and I have been married and in business for over twenty-one (21) years. We have three teenaged children - each one an absolute treasure,” Reed says. “We’re blessed with health and a hard-work ethic. All along, there have been people in my life who have taken time to shape who I am today. Now, there are thousands of customers to whom Sherry and I owe everything in business – I am a very thankful person.”

In addition to providing the best in automotive selection and service for its customers, the family of Randall Reed dealerships has a long history of sponsoring numerous local events and programs, benefiting disadvantaged families and children, as well as our communities at-large in north Texas. You can contact Mr. Reed at rreed@prestigegarland.com


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