This post was provided by News Now Warsaw

By Jackie Gorski
Times-Union

SILVER LAKE — Less than 30 dealerships in the Detroit region won the Ford President’s Award for 2024.

For the fifth consecutive year, and eighth overall, Kerlin Motor Company in Silver Lake was one of them.

The President’s Award is presented to top-performing Ford dealerships that exhibit quality business practices and Ford’s core principles.

Philip “PJ” Schnepp, sales business development specialist for the Detroit region for Ford Motor Company, said the President’s Award is very special for Ford, “but this is the only award at Ford that I think it takes each and every one at the dealership to earn. As we give you this award, it’s actually earned by you guys and your customers and how you treat them. So with your community service, with what you guys do in the service lane and selling cars for your customers, tying all together is how you win this award five times in a row.”

Schnepp said Kerlin was one of 29 dealerships in the region and one of 329 nationwide to receive the award for 2024.

Kerlin co-owner Rick Kerlin thanked all the team members at Kerlin.

“It truly is a team effort. It takes everybody and it’s an everyday job,” Kerlin said.

Co-owner Valerie Warner said she wanted to make sure everyone is proud of the part they played in getting the award, and “it is earned. It’s not just drawn out of a hat. And it means so much to Rick and I that we have a team that we can trust to take care of the customers the way they should be, the way they have been for 98 years. So that’s most important to me that you guys appreciate what you do and your own personal part of this puzzle.”

Kerlin thinks everyone at the dealership is really dedicated to their jobs and want to do a good job and take care of their customers and “that’s what it’s all about. It’s strictly a customer award based on customer feedback and I think we have a good mentality at the dealership that we need to take care of the customers that come through the door.” Kerlin said the employees are compassionate and care about their customers.

“Our customers are not just customers,” Kerlin said, noting they’re friends, neighbors and repeat customers.

Warner also said she thinks Kerlin employees put themselves in the customer’s shoes and do what’s right.

The post Kerlin celebrates fifth consecutive President’s Award from Ford appeared first on News Now Warsaw.