Pat’s Auto Supply Celebrates 50 Years

It was from very humble beginnings that Pat’s Auto Supply in Grande Prairie, Alta., was born 50 years ago.

Back then, Pat Gorman set out to sell auto parts to dealers in Northern Alberta with little more than his 1948 Dodge Fargo school bus.

Today Pat’s Auto Supply (GP) Ltd. is a multi-million dollar jobbing business with 30 employees at two locations, and serves customers within a 160 kilometer radius of Grande Prairie, which has itself grown to a thriving community of close to 50,000.

Pat’s son, Dan, now owns the company and has been running it for the past 15 years; Pat stepped out of the day-to-day operations in 1985 to spend time on other ventures, primarily as a real estate developer.

The Pat’s Auto Supply story is one of consistent growth, with sales that have more than tripled over the last 10 years. Pat’s employs 24 people at its main store and six at its Bumper to Bumper location, which was purchased in January 2004.

Dan has been involved in the business for 27 years, but took control of the operation a decade ago, buying out several partners in the operation. At that time, annual sales were just over $2 million.

“My current partners (other than my wife) include Betty Lindblom, our office manager, and George Emmett. They both have been with me for over 10 years, and have made our growth possible, and enjoyable.

“Last year I hired Kenton Switzer to manage the Bumper to Bumper store and made him a partner, because I knew how good he was. He is former partner John Switzer’s son.”

SUPPLIER SUPPORT

Pat’s Auto Supply has been a Uni-Select member for almost 20 years, and Dan values their programs.

“They have an incredible track record of growth and expansion. We have a great relationship with their sales representative, Gary Kother, and the Uni-Select Pacific management team, led by Sean Corcelli. We feel that Uni-Select president Jacques Landreville and vice-president Michelle Maheux and their team are doing a great job of guiding members through this new era,” says Dan.

Dan has served for many years on the Uni-Select Regional Advisory Board and the Uni-Select National Advisory Board.

He also notes that Pat’s has been an ACDelco distributor for the past five years.

“This has been a great development for us and has helped to enhance our growth. The ACDelco and Uni-Select programs complement each other. Our ACDelco success has a lot to do with their sales representative, Donah Hogue.

“We have been truly blessed with great representation from all our suppliers. We love the ACDelco program, and are proud to be associated with it.

“We carry a full line of ACDelco products, and take advantage of their training programs. Both our Pat’s and Bumper to Bumper locations offer training courses on a monthly basis.”

Dan says that without question the company’s biggest asset is its staff.

“We spend a lot of time training and helping our staff grow in all areas of customer service. Many members of our staff have been with us for a long time. We offer them a retirement plan through our company, as well as many other benefits.”

CUSTOMER RELATIONS

But, Dan says, no business is a business without customers.

“Our customers have, for the most part, become our friends as well as business associates. We learn from them, and spend a lot of time at one-to-one meetings away from their businesses to focus on their needs. I consider many of them good friends. That has been an unexpected gift from this business.

“We are currently negotiating to bring trainer Marius Deschambeault and his staff up to Grande Prairie to take advantage of some of his training programs, including garage management, sales training and inventory management.

“I strongly believe that training is the key to continued success for ourselves, our installers, and our industry. And we are fortunate that the installers in our area want to be professionals and to keep abreast of new information and technology.”

Some have even embraced on-line ordering.

“They can look up their own parts in our electronic catalogue, check stock, and print a pick-ticket without picking up a phone. It saves them and us time, and as a result they get a special discount.”

Pat’s also does big business in selling equipment.

“We have expanded into transfer cases and transmissions, as well as into many areas of equipment. We sell an average of 12 to 15 hoists per year, and have our own dedicated installer to put the hoists in.

“We have recently renovated our entire store, to make it more user-friendly for people who aren’t normally comfortable coming into a jobber store. A lot of our customers are women, and we are trying to be sensitive to their requirements as well.”

He also reaches out to the enthusiast.

“We have been the major sponsor for Drag Wars in Grande Prairie for the past few years, with up to 25,000 people attending these drag races.”

FAMILY BUSINESS

Pat’s remains a family business with an interesting history.

Dan explains: “I met my wife Tiana while she was working for my dad at his holding company in 1980. Her father is John Switzer, who was my dad’s partner for 40 years. He retired five years ago.

“Tiana works half-days in the office on data entry and accounts receivable and she has worked with me for almost 15 years. She is not only great at what she does, but she is my best friend, inspiration, and undoubtedly the best thing that ever happened to me.

“I don’t mean to embarrass her, but she is simply incredible. Tiana and I have three children, Brad, 21, Jessica, 19 (currently working as one of our drivers), and Kayla, 17. Brad also works with us a half day a week.

“My brother Tom is a sales territory manager for us at Pat’s Auto, and does an incredible job for us on the road.”

RESPONDING TO CUSTOMER NEEDS

What makes Pat’s Auto Supply unique?

“We do sit down and talk to our customers a lot,” says Dan. “They tell us their number one concern is warranty and labour, and the quickness of getting credits. As a result we have implemented a two-day turnaround on credits, including warranty and labour claims.

“We consistently try to find out what is important to our customers. We try not to make excuses or give reasons as to why we can’t do something. It’s incredibly simple, and incredibly difficult, but it works.

“I remember a number of years ago when we had only one delivery vehicle on the road. I was on the phone discussing with a good customer why we couldn’t guarantee the delivery to him in 20-30 minutes. He said ‘I don’t care. Either get the parts to me when I need them, or someone else will.’

“It wasn’t said with malice or anger, it was just a fact. Within two days we had a second delivery vehicle on the road, and today we have up to six vehicles delivering parts.”

CREDITING MENTORS

There are other things that Dan remembers; history has provided its share of stories.

“I look back at how Fred Shaddick and my dad were good friends and did business together in the ’60s. Fred and Dad sold Monroe shocks together, detailing out of Grande Prairie back then. Now Fred’s son Brad Shaddick [with Federal-Mogul] and I are good friends, and we have similar business dealings as our fathers did 30-40 years ago.”

Many of Pat’s employees are involved in the community, and Dan sets a good example. Among other things, he has coached basketball, soccer and volleyball. He also serves on various local councils and he was a volunteer at the 1995 Canada Games in Grande Prairie.

And finally, Pat Gorman, a former chairman of the Automotive Industries Association of Canada, who has been suffering from ill health for the last few years, is very proud of his son and the staff at Pat’s. His wife Shirley shares that feeling and they are looking forward to the upcoming celebration.

Dan says he shares the same passion for the business as his dad. He believes in constantly updating and adding to his knowledge base, reading between two to four books at any one time.

“I learned a lot from my dad. He taught me how to do budgets, make sales forecasts, and the importance of cash flow. He taught me how to pay my way in life in all areas.

“I paid full market value and a little more for the business when I bought it from Dad and John Switzer, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. He taught me how to work hard, and make any sacrifices early; how to make good, sometimes quick decisions when necessary, and not to make decisions based on emotion.

“John Switzer was another great mentor, as was the late Earl Corbett, Ron Fraser, and even current associates such as Wayne Maunula, with whom we exchange ideas. Recently Kenton and I flew out to Thunder Bay to look at Wayne’s infrastructure at his Central Auto Parts stores, and we’re grateful for that spirit of sharing information.

“We are looking at eventually having five to six stores, and we are setting up a business plan to journey in that direction. We plan on having our third store in place by the end of 2005.”

The story of Pat’s Auto Supply, from school bus to major force in the Northern Alberta aftermarket, is above all one of people with a passion for that aftermarket and a passion for their community.

With Dan Gorman at the helm, and a staff that embodies all the values that built the company’s success, there is every reason to believe Pat’s Auto Supply will continue to grow and prosper.