Anniversary Spotlight - Mike DeJong

Anniversary Spotlight

Mike DeJong

Customer Service Manager

Village Automotive Group is celebrating Mike DeJong’s 10th year of service with Lexus of Wayzata.

Mike began his career at Village Chevrolet as a Service Advisor in 2006. Since then he pursued his career goals with Village Automotive Group when he was transferred from Village Chevrolet to Lexus of Wayzata in June of 2011 as a Service Consultant.  In January of 2014, he was promoted to Customer Service Sales Manager, which he remains in today.

When describing the culture of Village Automotive Group, Mike says, “They will reward you for your hard work.”  Mike believes employees and managers are very connected and says he enjoys being able to talk to any of the employees, even those outside of his team, because of the shared philosophy, “We are all here to help our guests.”

There have been a variety of training opportunities during Mike’s career. He has found that the Chicago hands-on training with Lexus has been very helpful. Mike’s favorite event was when the General Manager took his team to Lord Fletcher’s for a, “Nice dinner and great comradery with fellow coworkers where all enjoyed a great conversation.”

Most days, Mike arrives to Lexus of Wayzata at 6:30am. He starts the day by preparing the write-up area. In short, his day is spent assisting guests and the Advisor team with questions providing guidance in supporting the Advisor team so they can provide the Lexus experience. He also assists the Call Center team when questions arise. His favorite part of the day is helping guests. Mike encourages others to apply at villageautomoivegroup.com/careers because he says, “If you want to be able to take care of a guest, this is the place to work.”

Village Automotive Group thanks Mike for his years of service and looks forward to his future with us.

Anniversary Spotlight | Ignacio Garrigos

Village Automotive Group is celebrating Ignacio Garrigos’ 10th year of service with Lexus of Wayzata.

When first starting at Lexus of Wayzata, he describes himself as being motivated and believing in doing his absolute best for the company.

Before arriving at Village Automotive Group, Ignacio worked at other local dealerships within the Twin Cities. He remembers coming to the Lexus of Wayzata to service his vehicle and thinking, “One day, I want to work here.” What he quickly learned as a customer at Lexus of Wayzata was the staff and management’s desire to always take care of the guest. If a guest brought issues or concerns to the table, “They faced the issues with determination and the utmost desire to do our best for them.”

Each day is different, but Ignacio begins the day making calls and following up with guests. Follow-up includes sending birthday cards, thank you notes, and emailing guests updates on vehicle information. When guests arrive, it is key to, “Know your car inventory. I have to be prepared to answer questions.”  Ignacio most enjoys meeting with guests and describes it as the best part of his day. He enjoys sitting in the office with them and listening to their needs and wants. He enjoys the process of finding the right car for them and showing them around to give them a better idea of the dealership. For Ignacio, this job is not only about sales, it is about dedicating himself to others and being committed to them and their needs.

Being a part of Lexus provides “constant training.” Whether it is with the management team, with the Lexus Central Office, with the dealership itself, or if it is online or video training, there is always something new to learn.

Ignacio describes the ideal potential employee as being someone who is prepared to work hard and is determined to succeed. He believes that, “We will help you achieve your personal goals. We have the tools and personnel to help you.”

Village Automotive Group thanks Ignacio for his years of service and looks forward to his future with us.

David Skeens - July Anniversary Spotlight

Anniversary Spotlight

David Skeens

Lexus of Wayzata

Village Automotive Group is celebrating David Skeen’s 10^th year of service with Lexus of Wayzata.

David’s story begins in 2006 when he was given the opportunity to join the sales team at a relatively young age. With his previous experience and the opportunity he was given, he was able to build a successful career in sales. After multiple years as one of the top performers, he became part of the New Car Sales Management team in a position that has an emphasis on training the sales associates in both the new and pre-owned departments. David’s favorite part of the day is usually at the end of his shift because that is when he can look back at all he has accomplished. “Getting to see the guest’s faces when they pick up their new car, there’s nothing like it.”  His best memory thus far was breaking the store record in sales last year which was extremely satisfying after all of the work it took to get there.  

While Village Automotive Group is a big operation, ownership is small and the feel of the organization is small. David explains, “The owners make you feel like you are part of the family first and business second. There is a great level of respect among all of the members of our team. We are a team and there is a theme of positivity, encouragement, and opportunity to grow, which allows us to keep excelling.” David has found the Lexus Covenant not only applies to how each customer is treated, but also to each team member. He explains, “It is a great group to work for and take pride in. They offer great benefits and take good care of us. With time and proven success, there are opportunities for advancement.”

The most impactful training experience for David was shadowing one of the top salesmen. Dave was able to become acclimated to the duties and roles involved in the sales process. “Watching others perform this job is a great way to learn and has helped exponentially. I continue to learn new things that are important factors in my success so far.” 

Village Automotive Group thanks David for his years of service and looks forward to his future with us.

Greg Ziton - March Anniversary Spotlight

Village Automotive Group is celebrating Greg Ziton’s 21st year of service with Lexus of Wayzata. 

Greg built his sales career around building relationships with customers. 

“I believe creating relationships is built on 

integrity and value that keeps the business growing.” 

Lexus of Wayzata initially attracted Greg because of its reputation for great customer service. He explains, “All departments put customer care first.” That factor stood out to Greg when he first came to Lexus of Wayzata, and that fact keeps him at Lexus of Wayzata. He enjoys all of the great relationships that have been made through the years, both with customers and coworkers.

“All departments put customer care first.” 

The culture at Lexus of Wayzata can be seen in the beautiful facility, fleets of loaner cars, and great customer events. Greg enjoys being part of the strong sales team who has the ability and stresses the importance of doing things right.

In Greg’s mind, training began on his first day and has continued every day since. Class room and computer training, as well as group discussions provide an advantage to the sales team over the competition. In his time here, Greg has made some great memories, some of those memories include sales team dinners, sporting events, and “really awesome parties.”

Village Automotive Group thanks Greg for his years of service and looks forward to his future with us.

December Employee Spotlight: Gerald Franti

Lexus of Wayzata is excited to highlight Gerald Franti for our December Employee Spotlight.

Gerald will celebrate his third year with Lexus as a New Car Sales Associate this February. His favorite part about his role at Lexus is that each day is different. He appreciates getting physical activity each day by climbing stairs and walking around the dealership. Gerald is often recognized as “the bow tie guy;” however, many people may not know he is the one making the bow ties!

Before working for Lexus, Gerald taught music for over 20 years. He then managed custom international tours which focused on specialty tours for fine arts clientele including music performer groups, museums, artists, culinary and garden groups. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Northern Michigan University and a Master’s of Music on the Bassoon from Ohio University in Athens. Gerald’s father worked for the US Air force while he was growing up which allowed the family to live in several places including Texas, London and Michigan. If he could recommend a place to visit, he would suggest the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. His family settled there in 1918 from Finland and Gerald recognizes the area as reminiscent of his Finnish heritage.

Gerald currently resides in Burnsville with his wife of 35 years and has two children. One recently graduated from college and the other is currently attending the University of Minnesota- Duluth. Gerald has two dogs, a Springer Spaniel and a Bichon. In his spare time, Gerald enjoys the outdoors. He is an avid gardener and has managed to keep a Geranium plant alive for over 8 years. Music is kept alive in Gerald’s home as he is the proud owner of his Grandmother’s baby grand piano from 1849!  Gerald also spends spare time volunteering in his community and at schools.

As the holiday season is upon us, Gerald recognizes December to Remember as a time of opportunity. He feels Lexus does a great job bringing on special programs that appeal to a wide range of interests and needs. It’s a win-win for all involved. Lexus thanks Gerald for his commitment to the dealership for the last three years and we look forward to the years ahead.


To view past employee spotlights click here 

 

Pre-Order the All-New Lexus NX or Lexus RC

Pre-Order the All-New Lexus NX or Lexus RC and Receive a FREE 2 Year/20,000 Mile Maintenance Plan!

Lexus NX

Contact Mike Dalton, the General Sales Manager at (952) 404-5103 or via email at mdalton@lexusofwayzata.com to take advantage of this LIMITED TIME ONLY SPECIAL!

Are you interested in learning more about the all-new 2015 Lexus NX? You will be able to see, touch and drive this breakthrough luxury-utility crossover at our dealership starting in mid-November. 

With its turbo-charged engine (a Lexus first), all-new sequential six-speed automatic transmission, optimized driving dynamics and stirring design, the NX delivers power, excitement, style and convenience in a smartly compact SUV.
The versatile NX debuts in these three versions:

• The turbo-charged NX 200t.
• The NX 300h, our hybrid model which shares the sporty persona of the NX200t while delivering greater fuel efficiency.
• The NX F SPORT, with its bold, aggressive design.

The pleasure of owning a Lexus goes beyond the confines of your vehicle. Lexus owners' benefits include exclusive experiences at some of the most sought-after hotels and restaurants, as well as preferential access to premiere event tickets, unique benefits at sports events and special discounts from luxury retail partners.

Lexus RC

Pre-order now, or get on the mailing list to be on the Fast Track for the first look at the all-new, 2015 Lexus RC and 2015 Lexus RC F Sport. What began with a blank sheet of paper and uninhibited desire transformed into this: the first-ever RC and RC F SPORT. These alluring two-door coupes showcase deeply contoured lines and modern interiors punctuated by precise handling and invigorating performance.

• New Lexus Dedicated Coupe with the Most Aggressive use yet of the Iconic Spindle Grille
• New Remote Touch Interface Implements Intuitive Touch-Sensitive Design 
• New Generation Technologies and Advanced Manufacturing Techniques Utilized in Vehicle Development

The pleasure of owning a Lexus goes beyond the confines of your vehicle. Lexus owners’ benefits include exclusive experiences at some of the most sought-after hotels and restaurants, as well as preferential access to premiere event tickets, unique benefits at sports events and special discounts from luxury retail partners.

Keep updated on the all-new RC as its arrival in our showroom approaches. See more by clicking HERE.

Lexus of Wayzata is excited to highlight Celeste Harris as our February Employee Spotlight!

Celeste Harris

February 2014

Lexus of Wayzata is excited to highlight Celeste Harris as our February Employee Spotlight.

Celeste has worked for Lexus of Wayzata for 1 ½ years. She started her Lexus career as a Guest Services Associate in the Service Department and is now working as a Sales & Administrative Assistant. Her favorite part about her position is helping someone’s day run smoother and more productively, and she enjoys that every day is different.

Before working for Lexus, Celeste worked for Wells Fargo as a Loan Representative and also at Hopkins Honda as a Service Advisor. She began her eight year career at Honda as a Cashier and was quickly promoted to Service Advisor. Celeste appreciates learning and knowing all aspects of the dealership.

In her spare time, Celeste enjoys biking, reading and watching her favorite TV show - Chopped. She spends much of her free time cheering on her two sons, Aaron Jr. and Cedric, at various basketball and baseball games. As a family, they enjoy going to the beach and biking in the summer; during winter months they spend time at the movies or enjoying each other’s company.

Lexus of Wayzata thanks Celeste for being an outstanding member of the Lexus team. We appreciate Celeste’s continued hard work, dedication and eagerness to learn.