HOTLINETHE

A NEWSLETTER FOR EMPLOYEES“Cause You Auto Know…”

TOYOTA

HERITAGE FORD

HERITAGE TOYOTA

WHITE RIVER TOYOTA

Employees Reach Significant Milestones

FALL2014

A number of Heritage Automotive Group employees have been part of the organization for 10, 20, or 30 years or more. Those marking special employment anniversaries this year include the following employees who have been at Heritage for 20-plus years.

Mike Charbonneau, 35 YearsHeritage FordReconditionerPrior positions: Lot attendant, Ford new car check-inLikes best about Heritage: Working with other employees and doing a job well and enjoying it.Advice for other employees about reaching an employment milestone: Take one day at a time, come in with a positive attitude and do your best on everything.Favorite Heritage memory: Watching all the changes over the years, like the site, etc.

Ken Kittell, 30 YearsHeritage FordParts Delivery DriverPrior position: Ford SalesLikes best about Heritage: I enjoy the people I work with at the dealership and the people that buy parts from us.Advice for other employees about reaching an employment milestone: Always be dependable at work. Do your job so that you give good customer service. Enjoy what you are doing.Favorite Heritage memory: I don’t have one favorite memory. The times that the dealership has had activities away from work are the best.

Mary Rodriguez, 25 YearsHeritage ToyotaFinancial Services AssistantPrior positon: F&I ManagerLikes best about Heritage: I think that everybody is so very different. You just never know what the day will bring.Advice for other employees about reaching an employment milestone: Work hard, be honest and treat people the way you want to be treated.

Favorite Heritage memory: One of the funniest was when I tried to call information 411 and by mistake dialed 911. Within minutes three cops pulled up outside my office window. I laughed, “Oh the cops are here.” I had no idea they were coming for me. One of the cops had just purchased a vehicle a week earlier! Later in the day when David Bergeron walked into my office, I dropped to my knees and begged for forgiveness. Oh how everyone laughed!

Chris Killmer, 20 YearsWhite River ToyotaCustomer Relations ManagerPrior positions: Sales consultant, truck championLikes best about Heritage: The people here make it enjoyable. Knowing that if push comes to shove and you truly need something, you can count on people here to assist you. Advice for other employees about reaching an employment milestone: Work hard. Set achievable goals and go forth with them. Be patient. Good things come to those who work hard and put in the effort each day. Favorite Heritage memory: There are so many it would be too hard to select just one.

Paul Machavern, 20 YearsHeritage Ford & ToyotaParts & Service DirectorLikes best about Heritage: The job is never boring. The business is always changing, so you never stop learning. And then there are the people: many interesting types in this business, both customers and employees.Advice for other employees about reaching an employment milestone: Work hard, do what you say you are going to do and try to make a difference. Always remember it doesn’t matter who gets the credit.Favorite Heritage memory: By far the most memorable and the funniest memory was the making of the pants on the ground American Idol commercial. It was a 30-second spot that took almost three hours to shoot because we couldn’t stop laughing. We all went home with our sides splitting from the hours of laughter.

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Scott Stafford, 20 YearsHeritage Automotive GroupIT ManagerPrior position: Police dispatcher. I have my badge and the 12-year plaque on my wall.Likes best about Heritage: The people. Dave and David, and the rest of the folks I work with, have never tried to micromanage anything I do. I do my best and everyone accepts this — even on the many occasions I screw up. Thank you.Advice for other employees about reaching an employment milestone: My best advice is, when Mary Benoit retired two years ago, she’d been with this company longer than I’d been alive. That says something about the Heritage family.

Favorite Heritage memory: One day I was getting my morning coffee at the machine in the Ford building when a woman came out of the ladies room and loudly asked me, “DO YOU WORK HERE!?!” I told her that I did. “ARE YOU A MANAGER!?!” I said that I was. She told me, “The trail mix you people put out in the ladies room tastes like $hit. Your owners just suck, and I want you to give them a piece of my mind!” Not believing that Rosie was insane enough to put food in a public bathroom (nor that anyone with half a brain was capable of eating anything put out in a public bathroom), I investigated. On the back of the commode was a bowl of very nice potpourri. It probably did not taste very good. I didn’t try it. Sorry, Rosie.

2 THE HERITAGE HOTLINE FALL 2014

Employee Milestones continued from page 1

HERITAGE FORD SALES ‘Smooth and painless’“I was ready to purchase a new car and my husband and I visited many dealerships. The day was getting late and our spirits were growing weary; it looked like we were going to have to make it a multi-day hunt. When we walked into Heritage, Bill Hungerford made the end of the day smooth and painless. He didn’t try to hide the best deal available. I loved how transparent the numbers and paperwork are. Several team members stayed late to be sure I left with a new car. Never once did I feel rushed or hurried out the door. I was not patronized being a woman buyer, which I really appreciate. Bill is friendly and it’s clear service is his goal, second to sales. I was able to leave in my new Focus. Thanks everyone!”

HERITAGE TOYOTA SALES‘Helpful and knowledgeable’“Angus Gunn was very helpful and knowledgeable about the Tundra that we were interested in. He didn’t try to pressure us into a decision and he genuinely worked to meet our needs and ensure that we got a great deal on a great vehicle. He also provided excellent after-sales support to ensure that we were 100% satisfied with our purchase. I heartily recommend Angus as the salesman to contact if anyone is interested in a new car.”

WHITE RIVER TOYOTA SALES‘Couldn’t be happier’“These guys are professionals. I was new to the buying process and they couldn’t have made it easier for me. The best guy, Brandon Newman, came to pick me up from my house when I didn’t have a ride out to the dealership! He came and picked me up in the car I was going to get! Felt like a limo service. He was professional, polite and generally seemed interested in helping me find a good deal. And boy, what a great deal I got! I couldn’t be happier with my financial arrangement with these guys. I’m ecstatic. They really did a great job. I highly recommend going to this dealership.”

Customer Kudos

Employee Anniversaries Congratulations to these employees who also have reached special Heritage employment anniversaries this year:

15 YEARSBillie Baslow, Ford TechnicianCassie Brown, Call Center ManagerDavid Brown, BDC ManagerPaul Coleman, Toyota Sales RepLois Griggs, Ford Assistant Parts ManagerBill Keough, ReconditionerBecky Treanor, Dealersocket Specialist

10 YEARSMichael Cloutier, Body Shop TechnicianJason Decato, WRT Parts CounterpersonSteve Furness, Toyota TechnicianJohn Nelson, Parts Delivery Driver

5 YEARSBuzz Barr, WRT MaintenanceRyan Denecker, Toyota General Sales ManagerMelissa Hamblett, Human ResourcesBrandon Hammond, Toyota TechnicianCasey Hammond, Toyota TechnicianDave Juenker, Toyota Sales RepJames Offensend, WRT TechnicianJason Quenneville, WRT General ManagerJeromey Ricker, Ford Parts Delivery DriverSteve Russell, Body Shop TechnicianAmanda Startari, Toyota Service AdvisorFrank Weigel, WRT Parts CounterpersonTimothy Wells, Toyota Parts CounterpersonDavid West Jr., WRT Lot AssistantScott Zuanich, Ford Technician

THE HERITAGE HOTLINE 3FALL 2014

New Employees Join the Heritage Team

Heritage Ford

White River Toyota

Heritage Automotive Group

Heritage Toyota

BDCPeggy Ray

BDCTravis LaFrance

AutoshineJamie Tipper

BDCTyler Struss

BDCCameron Willis

SalesJustin Ciccarelli

SalesJosh Harrington

BDCSteven Dube

ServiceAndrew Duprey

ServiceJake Kimball

SalesParker Fothergill

SalesRoss Lumbra

ServiceEllen Sheehey

ServiceConnor Chase

ServiceHazen Martel

SalesAndrew Melvin

SalesMichael Hassett

ServiceBrandon Ryea

ServiceJill Greenough

Jeremy Bartlett was promoted to WRT shop foreman.

Promotions

Jason Quenneville is now the WRT general manager.

WRT Adds TRAC ProgramWhite River has been renting a few vehicles to customers for some time but now has a TRAC rent-a-car program. Customers, employees and the general public can choose from 43 vehicles to rent, with more vehicles potentially available soon. Aletia Potter oversees the TRAC program for WRT, including rental rates, vehicle maintenance, inspections, cleanings and a host of other duties.

HOTLINETHE

A NEWSLETTER FOR EMPLOYEES“Cause You Auto Know…”

TOYOTA

HERITAGE FORD

HERITAGE TOYOTA

WHITE RIVER TOYOTA

Halloween Fun

The heriTage hoTline is published by The Heritage

Automotive GroupP.O. Box 1100

Burlington, VT 05402-1100

1-800-833-6017www.heritagevt.com

©2014 Heritage Automotive Group

Dana Lawrence (left center) and Amanda Startari (right center) from Heritage Toyota dress up as Toby Tyler (far left) and Charlie Hagar (far right) for Halloween.

Holiday ScheduleHeritage will be closed on the following days:Christmas Day: December 25New Year’s Day: January 1

Flex Spending EnrollmentFlexible spending enrollment information will hit your mailbox soon. Flex spending is a company benefit that allows you to set aside pre-tax dollars from your paycheck to cover medical expenses not covered by insurance, including co-pays and deductibles. A dependent care plan is also available to cover the cost of daycare expenses. Information will be mailed to employee home addresses shortly. Please contact Melissa in HR if you have any questions.

With Heritage Ford and Toyota vehicle sales booming, the dealerships needed to add another gas tank to ensure that every sold vehicle has a full tank of gas before it leaves with its new owner.

Have You Moved?If you have moved this year, have you reported your new address to HR? If you have not yet reported an address change, it’s important that you do. W-2 forms will be mailed in January, in addition to other items sent during the year. Please call Melissa in HR at ext. 8270 to report an address change.

This Won’t Hurt a Bit

Eric Laing of Ford Parts gets a flu shot during the fall Heritage flu shot and wellness screening sessions.

Special Birthday RideAndy King and Heritage Ford customer Chuck Robitaille got together to surprise Andy’s daughter for her 11th birthday. Here they are in front of Chuck’s Cessna during a beautiful day of flying out of the Franklin County State Airport.

Set It Right ThereKids City in South Burlington was the site of Bloom, a Heritage-sponsored event on November 16 for new and expectant mothers and fathers. Heritage Toyota sales team members (left to right) Rob Ploof, Megan Terry, Roger Patterson and Lazarus Koep greeted customers and raffled off a full detail by the Autoshine department. They also gave customers a tour of a new Toyota Sienna parked out front.

Bloom Attracts Attention

Todd Peck, White River Toyota parts manager, talks to new vehicle owners at a special event in November. Heritage Toyota also hosted an event for new owners.

Special Treatment