Woodstock Ontario Carquest Store Owner Named Jobber of the Year

Gorwood Automotive owner Adrian Gordon has been named the 2007 Jobber News Jobber of the Year.
Gordon, a firm believer in promoting a maintenance approach with his service provider client base in Woodstock, Ontario, gives a great deal of credit for the companys long-term success to the small but efficient staff at the store.
Our crew is just terrific, says Gordon of the Carquest associates staff. It doesnt matter what needs to be done, we get the client looked after. There is no hierarchy.
Gordon is quick to credit the staff at Gorwood, and was at a loss for words in being named to the award. If you ask my wife, the fact that Im speechless is highly unusual. Strong managerial skills among the staff enable Gordon and wife Joyce to get away from the business on occasion without concern about the health of the business.
His self-effacing nature even caused him to question whether other jobbers werent doing a better job in the market and more deserving of the award, but he admitted that he looks and learns every day from others in the market and tries to apply those skills to his own operation.
By seeing our clients succeed tends to cement our net profit in years to come. In the short term, in a lot of cases it doesnt. They need to encourage maintenance and service, and be building their management skills. The more maintenance they do, the more they promote it is obviously detrimental to parts sales because the vehicle will last longer and not break down.
But by not encouraging that, they are not going to succeed and be profitable and be around in five years.
A compelling nomination from a service provider customer brought this point home. What Adrian has done for me personally is what I call going above and beyond, wrote the customer in a letter detailing Gordons initiatives. About four years ago I was struggling in my business. I was busy and I thought I was doing okay money-wise, but I was not sure. He asked for help and for the next year, one night a week, he and Gordon went over his numbers and developed a successful strategy. I believe he has the foresight, the drive, and the determination to help take this industry into the future. And what a future it would be if we had more jobbers like Adrian, the letter concluded.
Gordon has also spearheaded training initiatives, charity drives, and association activities.
Formally called the E.J. and A.E. Wadham Memorial award, this award is named in memory of the founders of Jobber News 75 years ago. The Jobber of the Year Award is a lifetime achievement award that recognizes those auto parts wholesalers who epitomize the values held by the aftermarket.
Throughout the past 25 years, each recipient has demonstrated the highest level of achievement in business, been key participants in the industry, and showed commitment to the type of community involvement that has become an integral part of this industrys role within the Canadian social fabric.
A full profile will appear in the July issue of Jobber News Magazine.