MEET KORTINA CHANDLER, SERVICE MANAGER, PARK PLACE ACURA

Kortina started at Park Place in 2007 working in Organizational Excellence and has since moved from Service Coordinator to Assistant Service Manager and now Service Manager at Park Place Acura.

“Technology has come a long way in speeding up our check-in process, more history on our clients’ vehicles, etc., which allows us to spend more time with our clients. I’ve attended management training and learned so much to share with my team. It’s all about giving our clients a better service experience.”

Originally from Oklahoma City, Kortina moved to Dallas in 1997 for a “bigger city and better life.” She’s married with a 30-year-old daughter and three grandchildren. After work, she loves going home, spending time with her husband and watching her “shows.”

Don’t be surprised if you catch her crying while watching the news, commercials, or movies. “I’m super sensitive and cry very easily,” she confided.

Her advice to other Park Place Members: “Make sure you are the Park Place Experience. We take great care of our clients who trust us with their vehicle. No matter whose client it is, it’s all of our client!”

Bottom line: “I’m very passionate about work and providing a great guest experience. I also want to save the whole world!”

Park Place Dealerships was founded in 1987 and has been engaged in the community through its support of the arts, medical research, children’s advocacy, and education. Park Place employs more than 1,400 members and operates nine full-service dealerships representing luxury brands including Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover, Acura, and Sprinter Vans. Park Place BodyWerks Collision Centers in Fort Worth, Dallas, and Plano and the Park Place Auto Auction, round out the company’s offerings. Park Place was acquired in 2020 by Asbury Automotive Group, Inc., a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Duluth, GA. For more information, visit parkplace.com.

Porsche Dallas Techs Are Solid Gold

Park Place Porsche Dallas Technicians Tony Araguz and Jade Dugurechaff recently earned the prestigious Certified Porsche Technician – Gold  (CPT Gold) designation! They join six other Gold techs at Porsche Dallas and approximately 575 Gold techs in the U.S., with less than 2,000 worldwide.

‘We are extremely proud of Tony and Jade for their commitment to this lengthy process and accomplishing their goal,” said Patrick Huston, Porsche Dallas General Manager. “Our clients will be the beneficiary of their hard work and we will continue to support each team member in their journey to hone their skills and truly be an expert in the industry.”

A Porsche Gold Technician must have a minimum of one year experience before they are eligible to take the Gold test. The candidate must work their way up from Bronze to Silver, then Gold level. It takes an average of six years to obtain all the required training courses. Testing is broken up into two parts: they must first pass a written assessment in order to be eligible to take the hands-on portion, which includes diagnosing and documenting repairs on a bugged car.

The Gold test was conducted at Porsche Training HQ in Atlanta. It is a pass or fail test. The same test is conducted worldwide. After achieving the Gold standard, the technician has to maintain certification quarterly and attend at least 40 hours of hands-on training at the Porsche facility in Atlanta every year.

“I had never so much as changed a car’s oil before becoming a tech at a Honda dealership when I was 23 years old,” said Tony Araguz. “I spent 10 years at Honda and have been a tech at Porsche Dallas since 2017. I was absolutely in awe when I started at Park Place! It’s a great shop and everyone was so helpful. It’s really a team effort!” 

Porsche Dallas is located at 6107 Lemmon Avenue, near Love Field. 

Park Place Dealerships employs more than 1,400 members and operates nine full-service dealerships representing luxury brands including Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Acura, and Land Rover. Park Place BodyWerks Collision Centers in Fort Worth and Dallas, and the Park Place Auto Auction, round out the company’s offerings. Park Place was acquired in 2020 by Asbury Automotive Group, Inc., a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Duluth, GA.

Love at First Sight

It was love at first sight. Their eyes locked together.  “I didn’t go looking to adopt another dog,” said Park Place Lexus Grapevine’s GM Charles Owen. “But seeing how sweet Zeke was just made me want him!” 

A team from Park Place Dealerships recently visited the Apollo Support & Rescue in Justin to present the no-kill animal shelter with a Season of Giving grant.

While there, a man pulled up to surrender a 5-year-old Bernese Mountain dog.

“Unfortunately, this is not at all uncommon,” explained Danielle Stewart, Apollo Support & Rescue founder. “Many days we arrive to find abandoned animals tied to our fence. It’s really heartbreaking.”

A week later the Owen family went back to Apollo to adopt Zeke. Charles’ wife April had reservations at first. They already had Cona, a one-year-old black Labrador. And everyone knows how puppies can be a handful. But Zeke won April over, too.

“April has become the Dog Mom! Zeke helped with Cona’s puppy phase. And Zeke needed someone like April, who would give him around the clock love. Those two are something special. He doesn’t take his eyes off her.”

Charles says Zeke is the biggest lap dog ever! “He has to be right next to you and touching you at all times. He likes to play and run with Cona, but is also content laying on the couch right next to you. The way he looks at you is the sweetest thing it’s almost like he is smiling.”

Park Place Cares delivered $100,000 in grants to a total of 18 non-profits across DFW.

The non-profits included: Sixty & Better in Arlington; Academy 4 (Ft. Worth); Primo’s (Dallas); Vogel (Dallas); Mammogram Poster Girls (Dallas); Hope Center 4 Autism (Ft. Worth); Evan’s Avengers (Denton); Annie’s Place (Dallas); Camp Summit (Dallas); The Vitamin Bridge (Coppell); Carry the Load (Dallas); Airborne Angel Cadets of Texas (Farmers Branch); Canine Companions (Irving); Community Caring Center (Azle); Heroes For Children (Plano); Children’s Advocacy Center for North Texas (Lewisville) and Ability Connection (Irving). 

“I know it was a hard decision for Zeke’s previous owners to take him to Apollo,” said Charles. “I hope they know Zeke found his forever home and gets all the love and attention he wants!”

Park Place Dealerships was founded in 1987 and has been engaged in the community through its support of the arts, medical research, children’s advocacy, and education. 

Park Place employs more than 1,400 members and operates eight full-service dealerships representing luxury brands including Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Acura, and Land Rover. Park Place Bodywerks Collision Centers in Fort Worth and Dallas, and the Park Place Auto Auction, round out the company’s offerings. Park Place was acquired in 2020 by Asbury Automotive Group, Inc., a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Duluth, GA. For more information, visit parkplace.com.

Black Heart Association Offering Free Screenings In Arlington And Grapevine During American Heart Month

The Black Heart Association will host free heart health screenings to the community during February’s Heart Month in Arlington and Grapevine.  

On Thursday, February 8,the Black Heart Mobile Unit will be at Park Place Lexus Grapevine located at 901 E. State Hwy 114 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. and on Thursday, February 29 and Park Place Motorcars Arlington, 4201 Beltway Place from 10 a.m. –2 p.m.No appointment is needed for the screenings and is open to the public.

After suffering three heart attacks in one week, Tara Robinson, along with her husband Frederick, founded Black Heart Association in 2014 to fight for the thousands of minority men, women and children who experience the impact of heart disease or stroke each year.

In 2022, Park Place Cares, the philanthropic arm of Park Place Dealerships, recognized the work of Black Heart Association with a $5,000 Season of Giving grant to provide heart health education and screenings through its Mobile Heart Health Unit to patients who are primarily uninsured. Upon learning the organization also had maintenance needs for the Black Heart Mobile Unit, Park Place Dealerships has been providing experienced technicians to assist with keeping the mobile unit on the road serving the community.

“This is a wonderful nonprofit that provides an incredible service at no expense to the community,” said Kara Connor, Park Place Dealership’s Experiential Marketing Manager. “We are continuing our partnership with Black Heart Association by hosting the mobile unit at two of our dealerships so the community has access to free heart health screenings along with telehealth services. We hope the community will utilize this opportunity in the location that is convenient to them.”

Through Park Place Cares, the automotive company has donated $300,000 in grants during the Season of Giving program over the past three years to 65 nonprofits and finds opportunities for Park Place Members to volunteer throughout the year with the grant recipients.

Park Place Dealerships was founded in 1987 and has been engaged in the community through its support of the arts, medical research, children’s advocacy, and education. 

Park Place employs more than 1,400 members and operates eight full-service dealerships representing luxury brands including Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Acura, and Land Rover. Park Place Bodywerks Collision Centers in Fort Worth and Dallas, and the Park Place Auto Auction, round out the company’s offerings. Park Place was acquired in 2020 by Asbury Automotive Group, Inc., a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Duluth, GA. For more information, visit parkplace.com.

Lexus Grapevine Members Spring into Action

Last summer, Micah Owens was working for another automotive company when he saw his client pull out from their service drive onto the Highway 114 service road. Suddenly, the client’s trunk flew open and papers started flying out and scattered across the road.

“Someone on the drive forgot to close her trunk. She had thousands of important documents sitting loosely in the trunk. I jumped into action to help my client. No one from my dealership came out to help. But I noticed people coming from Lexus Grapevine on foot and in golf carts, picking up pieces of paper to help. It was true compassion.”

“I knew in that moment I wanted to be a part of the team that never leaves anyone behind and is always willing to help. It reminded me of what I loved about being in the U.S. Navy: compassion, fortitude, and always helping your teammates out. That is the Park Place standard of care…for clients and each other.”

In November 2023, Micah joined Land Rover DFW as a loan car coordinator. “My first impression of Park Place was that they do things right. They don’t make things robotic. They make it personal.”

Micah says the biggest challenge since joining Park Place is learning new systems and how to streamline the process in the loan car department.  “It’s also the biggest opportunity to make things seamless for the benefit of our clients.”

“I can confidently say I have found a place where I want to be for a long time and work my way up. I’m very excited for the opportunities Park Place and Asbury have offered me. I’m excited to learn and grow with all the tools they provide. I truly have a wonderful, amazing, talented support team!”

Founded in 1987, Park Place Dealerships has been engaged in the community through its support of the arts, medical research, children’s advocacy, and education. Park Place employs more than 1,400 members and operates nine full-service dealerships representing luxury brands including Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Land Rover, Acura, and Sprinter Vans. Park Place BodyWerks Collision Centers in Fort Worth, Dallas, and Plano and the Park Place Auto Auction, round out the company’s offerings. Park Place was acquired in 2020 by Asbury Automotive Group, Inc., a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Duluth, GA. For more information, visit parkplace.com.

From Parts Driver to General Manager, Patrick Huston Loves Serving People

Porsche Dallas GM Patrick Huston is celebrating 20 years at Park Place. He entered the automotive world at an early age, helping his Dad open and operate an auto parts store in Kansas when he was only 11 years old.

“That is where my passion for automobiles started.” By the time he was 16, he was driving a Parts truck.

Patrick moved to Dallas at 18.  “I moved here in my Ford Bronco and a U-Haul with no job secured. But I was employed within a few days given all of the opportunities the big city had to provide.”

Eventually he landed at Porsche Dallas as Pre-Owned Director. “When I started, we did not have electronic communication or lead generation. Technology has allowed for a more connected interaction with our clients in both Sales and Service.”

His advice to someone just starting at Park Place: “Have fun! Showing up every day excited and happy about what you do only leads to growth, success and relationships that will last a lifetime.”

Founded in 1987, Park Place Dealerships has been engaged in the community through its support of the arts, medical research, children’s advocacy, and education. Park Place employs more than 1,400 members and operates nine full-service dealerships representing luxury brands including Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Land Rover, Acura, and Sprinter Vans. Park Place BodyWerks Collision Centers in Fort Worth, Dallas, and Plano and the Park Place Auto Auction, round out the company’s offerings. Park Place was acquired in 2020 by Asbury Automotive Group, Inc., a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Duluth, GA. For more information, visit parkplace.com.

Park Place Acura Celebrates First Anniversary in Plano with Donations to Cook Children’s Medical Center Prosper

NSX Owners of Texas Bring Rare Supercars to the Celebration

Children who are patients at Cook Children’s Medical Center in Prosper are the beneficiaries of Park Place Acura’s first anniversary celebration, held at the exquisite 68,000 square-foot facility just south of Spring Creek off the Dallas North Tollway in Plano. Guests brought new toys and games to donate to the children’s hospital.

During the event, members of the NSX Owners of Texas showcased their many different models of the rare Acura NSX supercar. Tracing its origins back to 1984, the NSX was the world’s first mass produced car with an all-aluminum body. At its peak in 1992, less than 2,000 NSX models were sold in the U.S. Acura discontinued the NSX last year, with only 300 NSX Type S models sold in the U.S in 2022.

NSX Owners of Texas during the first anniversary of Park Place Acura

Guests enjoyed music by DJ Chris with Inkredible Sounds, celebratory sips featuring a bubbly bar, hand-made donuts by Li’l Bits Mini Donuts, and Boba drinks provided by Bobaddiction.

“We’re proud of the relationships we’ve developed over the past year,” said Jason Feuerberg, Park Place Acura General Manager. “We’ve had the opportunity to give back to our community in many ways, including Park Place Members volunteering their time with several non-profit agencies across Collin County. Park Place has established a great reputation over the past 35 years for taking care of our Members, clients and the community.”

Feuerberg began his journey more than 23 years ago as a porter at the original Park Place Lexus dealership on Preston Road while attending college at the University of North Texas. After graduating in 2001, he joined Park Place as a sales consultant. Feuerberg was named General Manager of the Park Place Acura dealership last year.

Located off the Dallas North Tollway, just south of Spring Creek Parkway, Park Place Acura is one of the largest Acura dealerships in the country with a six-car showroom and a 37-bay service center.

Cook Children’s Health Care System has been recognized as one of the best children’s hospitals in the nation, earning five rankings in the U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Children’s Hospitals” list for 2023-2024. Based in Fort Worth, Cook Children’s 8,000+ dedicated team members care for more than 1.5 million patient encounters each year at its two medical and surgery centers, a physician network, home health services and a health plan.

Park Place Dealerships was founded in 1987 and has been engaged in the community through its support of the arts, medical research, children’s advocacy, and education. Park Place employs more than 1,400 members and operates eight full-service dealerships representing luxury brands including Acura, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Jaguar, and Land Rover. Park Place BodyWerks Collision Centers in Fort Worth and Dallas, and the Park Place Auto Auction, round out the company’s offerings. Park Place was acquired in 2020 by Asbury Automotive Group, Inc., a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Duluth, GA. For more information, visit parkplace.com.

$100,000 Donated to Local Charities as Part of 3rd Annual Season of Giving

Park Place Dealerships Delivers Grants to 18 North Texas Non-Profits

Eighteen North Texas non-profits received an early holiday gift through a Season of Giving grant from Park Place Dealerships. The dealership group awarded $100,000 to the non-profits who serve the greater Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Park Place received applications from more than 400 North Texas area non-profits. They selected the recipients for a Season of Giving grant that aligns with one of Park Place’s Four Pillars of Giving: Education; Medical Research; Advocacy; or the Arts.

“It was wonderful to learn about so many different non-profits who are doing great work across Dallas/Fort Worth,” said Tony Carimi, managing director of Park Place Dealerships. “In addition to providing end of year grants, Park Place Members will be actively engaged in volunteering with these non-profit partners throughout 2024. It’s inspiring to see the impact our Members make in the community.”  

Under Park Place Cares, Park Place Dealerships’ philanthropic arm, the Season of Giving program provides a one-time grant ranging from $2,500 to $10,000. This is the third year of the program which has now donated $300,000 to 65 charities since the inaugural Season of Giving.  The Park Place Cares program has donated millions to charities in the last 36 years.

The chosen organizations are diverse in their missions and the areas they serve throughout North Texas. The charities receiving a grant for the 2023 Season of Giving include:

Education

  • Academy 4 (Fort Worth)
  • Primo’s (Dallas)
  • Vogel (Dallas)

Medical

  • Mammogram Poster Girls (Dallas)
  • Hope Center 4 Autism (Fort Worth)
  • Evan’s Avengers (Denton)

Advocacy

  • Annie’s Place (Dallas)
  • Camp Summit (Dallas)
  • The Vitamin Bridge (Coppell)
  • Carry The Load (Dallas)
  • Airborne Angel Cadets of Texas (Farmers Branch)
  • Canine Companions (Irving)
  • Community Caring Center (Azle)
  • Heroes For Children (Plano)
  • Children’s Advocacy Center for North Texas (Lewisville)
  • Apollo Support and Rescue (Justin)
  • Ability Connection (Irving)

Arts

  • Sixty & Better (Arlington)

“For more than 35 years, Park Place has partnered with local charities that serve Dallas/Fort Worth and surrounding areas,” said Kara Connor, Park Place Dealership’s Experiential Marketing Manager. “We have developed relationships with many amazing organizations who serve North Texas in meaningful ways. We are excited to learn more about these new recipients and learn how we can work together going forward to help them achieve their goals.”

A committee comprised of Park Place members from the nine dealerships across North Texas selected the non-profits to receive Season of Giving grants.

Park Place Dealerships was founded in 1987 and has been engaged in the community through its support of the arts, medical research, children’s advocacy, and education. Park Place employs more than 1,400 members and operates eight full-service dealerships representing luxury brands including Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Acura, and Land Rover. Park Place BodyWerks Collision Centers in Fort Worth and Dallas, and the Park Place Auto Auction, round out the company’s offerings. Park Place was acquired in 2020 by Asbury Automotive Group, Inc., a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Duluth, GA. For more information, visit parkplace.com.

Paul Quinn College Receives $20,000 HBCU Change Donation

Park Place Dealerships recently visited Paul Quinn College in Dallas to present a $20,000 check from the “Round Up Change for HBCU Change” program.

“I’d like for every student that graduates from Paul Quinn College to believe they are capable of more now than when they started,” said Paul Quinn President Michael Sorrell. “I’d like for them to believe in the inevitability of their own success.”

From May 2021 – August 2023, Asbury Automotive Group (ABG) dealerships across the U.S. raised more than $800,000 for the HBCU Change program through guests’ donations and the company’s matching donations.

“Through our interactions every day, we’ve had the opportunity to educate our North Texas community about what HBCU does and how it can impact them,” said Tony Carimi. “We both strive to make an impact in our own backyard…to provide not just a higher level of service, but a higher level of connection.”

This was the third presentation to a HBCU in the past 12 months. Asbury Automotive executives David Hult, Wendy Reynold-Dobbs and Sid Barron presented a $100,000 check to Clark Atlanta University in October 2022. Malcolm Gage and Plaza Motors St. Louis presented $20,000 checks to both Lincoln University and Harris Stowe State University last month. HBCU Change has a goal of raising $1 billion for Historic Black Colleges & Universities over the next 5 years working with partners like Asbury.

Founded in 1987, Park Place Dealerships has been engaged in the community through its support of the arts, medical research, children’s advocacy, and education. Park Place employs more than 1,400 members and operates nine full-service dealerships representing luxury brands including Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Land Rover, Acura, and Sprinter Vans. Park Place BodyWerks Collision Centers in Fort Worth, Dallas, and Plano and the Park Place Auto Auction, round out the company’s offerings. Park Place was acquired in 2020 by Asbury Automotive Group, Inc., a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Duluth, GA. For more information, visit parkplace.com.

Fall Weather and Pumpkins are Plentiful at the 18th Annual Autumn at the Dallas Arboretum through November 5, 2023

Park Place Dealerships continues its decade-long support of Autumn at the Arboretum which runs through November 5 located on 66 acres at Dallas’ White Rock Lake. Charlie Brown and the Peanuts Gang return with “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.”

Guests can expect to see Snoopy, Woodstock, Pigpen, Linus, Lucy, Franklin, Peppermint Patty and Marcie along with 100,000 pumpkins, gourds and squash and 150,000 colorful fall plants throughout the gardens.

Guests also will find the 2024 Volvo, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz vehicles around the Gardens, a hay maze and endless photo opportunities.

Autumn at the Dallas Arboretum is open daily and more details are available at www.dallasarboretum.org.

Park Place Dealerships was founded in 1987 and has been engaged in the community through its support of the arts, medical research, children’s advocacy, and education. Park Place employs more than 1,400 members and operates nine full-service dealerships representing luxury brands including Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Land Rover, Acura, and Sprinter Vans. Park Place BodyWerks Collision Centers in Fort Worth, Dallas, and Plano and the Park Place Auto Auction, round out the company’s offerings. Park Place was acquired in 2020 by Asbury Automotive Group, Inc., a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Duluth, GA. For more information, visit parkplace.com.