Kevin Massie takes the driver's seat at Napa Ford dealership
Tuesday, August 24, 2004

By KATHLEEN DREESSEN
Register Correspondent

Kevin Massie, owner of car dealership Napa Ford-Lincoln-Mercury, has a simple goal. "We want to be the best dealership in the way we treat customers," he said. Massie took the reins of Napa Ford-Lincoln-Mercury in November 2003 and recently held a grand opening, attended by family, friends and new customers. "It's a lot of fun and a great challenge," said Massie, a native of Xenia, Ohio. "We want to get a reputation in the community of providing the best customer service." Although Massie graduated with a degree in business marketing from Ohio State University, he never expected his business to be automobiles. "I worked for Owens Corning Fiberglass, which brought me to South San Francisco," Massie said. He held positions at several other companies through the '90s, enduring downsizing, layoffs and other economic fluctuations before making a decision.

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"December 6, 1997, I decided I wasn't going to work for anyone else again," he said. Massie joined Ford's Dealer Development program and trained for two years before entering the automotive world in 2000. While working at Ford dealerships in Ukiah and Placerville, he scouted for dealerships available for purchase. "I looked in California, Oregon and Washington," he said. "Basically the Western U.S. and Pacific Northwest. The Napa dealership was the ideal situation, this was the best of them."

Napa has had a Ford dealership for decades and has been in its current location on Soscal Avenue since the mid-'60s.

"I get up everyday and get to play," he said of the new venture. "We have a wonderful group of people and have fun working together as a team. I don't have 'the' way to do things; I have 'a' way. The staff can try new ideas and know I'll be open to that." Napa Ford-Lincoln-Mercury has a staff of 40.

Massie's wife, Carla, and his three elementary school age children have yet to relocate to Napa, electing to complete the current school year in their El Dorado County home. "I've been concentrating on the business," said Massie, who commutes to see his family on weekends. "The hours are extensive when you're trying to get the business where you want it to be."

Despite the long hours, Massie is interested in activities in his new community and joined the Napa Chamber of Commerce and noon Rotary. "My personal goals are to do something for children and education," he said. "We're helping with fundraising for the Napa High School band and New Tech High School."

The dealership staff recently participated in the Commitment to Kids I.D. program, taking digital images and compiling data. "Children and the community are what we believe in as a business," Massie said.

How's the community responding? Customer Mark Eleccion of Millennium Painting recently purchased a Ford 250 long bed truck. "I wasn't planning to buy there, because I thought I could get a better deal elsewhere," said Eleccion, who is also considering purchasing a utility van for his company. "But I stopped by and, in the end, I got the best deal there. Now I wouldn't buy a Ford vehicle anywhere else."

Customer Larry Wolfe first met Massie at noon Rotary. "He's got such an outgoing personality and a great outlook," said Wolfe. "I bought a Ford F150 pick up for pulling the horse trailer and our boat. I wish him well. With his personality it's easy to see he'll be successful."

"I didn't come from the car business, so there's no high pressure or hard closings," Massie said. "We respect the customer, show them what we can do along with features and benefits."

Massie attributes his work ethic to his parents, who've been married for 56 years. "My father started his own law practice over 50 years ago," said Massie, the youngest of four children. "I still talk to him daily and we discuss goals and what I accomplished that day."

This is always an exciting time of year in the automotive business, with new models rolling out. What's Ford offering this year? "Our hottest car is the Focus, that's our big seller," Massie reported.

"Of course, Ford is known as a truck company with our F150, 250 and 350. The Mustang has been completely redesigned and there's a tremendous demand for it. We're expecting it by the end of the year. The Hybrid SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle) will be in short supply and we have a waiting list for it." Massie drives a Lincoln Navigator.

"We want Napa to know that we're a local business," said Massie. "We're doing the best to be the best we can. Our goal is not to make the customer satisfied, it's to make the customer happy."