Author: Park Place

We’ve all been there – you’re driving along, minding your own business, when your reverie is disturbed by a sudden beep or a flashing dash light. Or maybe your nav system starts giving you the silent treatment. Or you’re enveloped in a shimmering light and beamed onto an alien spacecraft.

Okay, so maybe not that last one. But for the other stuff, Van Patthana’s your go-to guy to sort out the mysteries of today’s sophisticated automotive technology, no appointment required.

“All the advanced electronic features can be a bit overwhelming for clients, so we’re here to help,” says Patthana, one of two Lexus Technology Specialists at Park Place Lexus Grapevine. Clients can call, email, text or simply drop in at any time, no appointment necessary.

Patthana says that about 75 percent of client questions are fairly straightforward – “Why is my smartphone not pairing?” “How do I navigate the nav system?” “Why is my alarm yelling at me?” The other 25 percent might require a little more research, but those are the questions he loves. “Half the time, we can resolve the issues right on the service drive without sending the vehicle to the shop, which saves everybody time,” he notes.

Patthana’s knowledge is the result of certification in a variety of learning modules taught at the Lexus Training Center, Southern Division, conveniently located in nearby Coppell, Texas. “It’s a hidden gem,” he says. “We get trained on vehicles before they’re released to the public, which is pretty cool.”

The North Texas native (Watauga) came by his automotive inclination at an early age. “I’ve loved cars for as long as I can remember. Built them from Legos, always had Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars underfoot, and I guess I never grew out of it,” he says with a grin. His family vehicles were always Toyotas, and his aunt and uncle drove the Lexus brand, which caught his attention and, he admits, never let go.

He joined Park Place Lexus Grapevine as a valet in 2014 because he was familiar with Park Place from a client perspective. “I bought my first car, a pre-owned 2006 IS 350, from Walter Onubogu, and compared to what I saw elsewhere at other dealerships, it was the best experience ever. Park Place sets the standard. Seeing how they did things inspired me to ask for a job.”

Last year, he was inspired to ask for something equally momentous – the hand of his lady, Fern, in marriage. “She and her parents are from Laos and were visiting her aunt and uncle and other acquaintances here,” he recalls. “We met, started hanging out as friends and one thing led to another. When you know, you know.”

The newlyweds recently took a quick getaway spin to Austin – in their Lexus LS 460, natch – to indulge their shared passion for cuisine. A quick summary of their two-day itinerary:

• • New Fortune Chinese Seafood Restaurant
  • Tumble22 Nashville – “Twice because it was so good!”
  • 68 Degrees Kitchen Italian Cuisine
  • Fleming’s Steakhouse and Wine Bar
  • Red Ash Italian Restaurant

And of course, Buc-ee’s in Temple, because, well, it’s Buc-ee’s and requires no explanation.

They’re also fans of dance music, specifically as mixed by rising superstar DJ Gareth Emery. “He’s coming out with a book funded on Kickstarter titled ‘My Life In Lasers: A Dance Music Memoir.’ Can’t wait,” Patthana enthuses.

Other interests? “Cars, dance music and food, that’s about it. I’m a simple guy,” he shrugs, then adds with a chuckle, “My wife says that about me all the time.”

One final work question – What’s the best part of your job?

“Without sounding silly, the best part is helping clients,” he says. “Some have said ‘you’ve made my day,’ or ‘we’d be lost without you.’ It’s a good feeling.”

Kirsten Jackson – Extroverted Introvert? Introverted Extrovert? Both? Neither?

It’s a dilemma. Is Kirsten a live-wire loner or a shy social butterfly? She seems to think she’s a little of both. “Sometimes at meetings or social events, I’m extremely quiet at first,” she says. “But then some comment gets me going and you’ll wish I shut up.”

Then she lets out one of her rollicking laughs – a Jackson trademark – and you pretty much realize that she’s the only one who thinks she’s a shrinking violet.

“Kirsten bashful?” snorts a co-worker, his face breaking into a giant grin. “She’s about as bashful as a hand grenade. Don’t say I said that, we all love her, really,” he adds hastily. 

Too late.

In fact, when she first interviewed with Park Place, the perky Dallas native was the essence of bubbly enthusiasm – just what the hiring manager was looking for. But for the first few initial meetings, she defaulted to demure mode.

“My boss asked me if I’d faked my interview, but I was new, you know?” Kirsten says. “I just started laughing and said okay, you’ll be sorry. But I always remember what my high school history teacher at Franklin D. Roosevelt High said: ‘It’s better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.’”

If she’s quiet now and then, it’s because she’s naturally calm. Given her job as a payroll specialist, that’s a good thing. “In my job, I put out fires, because people tend to get hot when it comes to their check,” she says. “And I get it, it’s perfectly understandable. So I just say, ‘Let’s calm down, everything is fixable, I promise I’ll fix it.’”

She credits her calm demeanor to being raised an only child. “I never had to deal with all that ‘he took my stuff or open the bathroom’ nonsense. I’m the calm one in the room. Even if sometimes my body language might say what I’m not verbalizing!”

When she’s not verbalizing, she’s planning. “A personality test said I fell into the planner category and that’s so true,” she says. “Honestly, I have more fun planning a party or an event and buying all the stuff to make it a success, than I do at the actual event.”

If you were a personality on a TV show, who would you be? “All the characters on the ‘Golden Girls’ TV show,” she enthuses. “It’s my favorite show of all time, I watch it every day!”

She joined Park Place in 2012, after six-year stints in HR at both the Mervyn’s department store chain and Dallas-based Truco Industries, a national marketing and distribution company representing On The Border® brand products. She got caught up in a layoff and, as she cast about for a new gig, Park Place hit her radar.

“All I really knew about Park Place was that my mom got her car there,” she says. “But once I was on board, I found the behind-the-scenes dealership dynamic fascinating. And the people! It’s hard to describe the culture but it just feels so right and comfortable.”

To say the feeling is mutual is an understatement. In a recent email exchange, Cam Mayfield, Service Director at Park Place Motorcars Dallas, wrote to her and said, “I just want to take a second to recognize you, Kirsten, for the incredible job you’ve been doing! You have really done an amazing job teaching all of us the new payroll process. We are fortunate to have you are on our team. Thank you!”

Malcolm Gage​, General Manager, Park Place Motorcars Arlington, added to the love-fest: “I agree 1000%! You have been a superstar for our members during this transition and the challenges that we’ve faced. You are truly a VIP for Park Place and the epitome of our core values. Thank you for all you do!”

Elisa Waugh, HR Director, Park Place Dealerships, also weighed in. “I second that. Thank you, Kirsten, for all you do.”

And that pretty much sums things up right there.

“I’ve been obsessed with Mercedes practically my whole life,” says Mark Kelley. “And I never imagined as a kid that I’d be doing this for a living.”

“This” is his gig as a Product Specialist with Park Place Motorcars Dallas. In a nutshell, his job is to familiarize himself with all the ins and outs of every Mercedes product – no small task, given the company’s expansive portfolio – then share that knowledge with clients who might have questions about their model’s advanced technology and performance.

He also shares his expertise with team members to help them understand a particular vehicle’s features and functions. In some cases, that might mean diagnosing and explaining an electronic application – a nav system or alarm feature, perhaps – that eliminates the need for a service drop-off.

“Sometimes we can solve an issue right in the service driveway without having to take the vehicle in,” he says. “Saves a lot of time.”

He joined the dealership just a year ago as part of the concierge team. But his infatuation with learning all things Mercedes quickly led to his current role, which also includes actively posting (along with his buddy Joni Tsosie) for the store on social media.

“She’s everything a good co-worker is supposed to be,” he says. “Super-kind, always has new and original ideas. We complement each other well and I think we’re a really good team.”

He recalls his first days at the store with unbridled enthusiasm. “On my first day, I was handed the keys to an AMG GT 63 S for a client delivery and was thunderstruck. This environment is just a dream for a car nut like me. It’ll never, ever get old.”

Recounting his fascination with cars, the southeast Kentucky native admits that when he was younger, Corvettes and the Italian breeds were his thing. But even then, he always admired the style, power, luxury and storied history of Mercedes.

Then he got to ride in the legendary SLK55 AMG, with its hand-built 5.5-liter V-8 cranking an impressive 415 hp, mated with the silky-smooth seven-speed automatic transmission.

And that, as they say, was that. “To say that my impression was lasting is a huge understatement,” he laughs. “It’s been Mercedes, Mercedes, Mercedes, ever since.”

As to the thorny issue (for car nuts, at least) of what his favorite Mercedes product is, Kelley pauses, then whistles. “That’s really difficult, but I’d have to say the Maybach. The execution, the tech, the luxury, the performance – it has no flaws. It’s perfection.”

In his spare time, Kelley’s a fancier of anything outdoor-sports related, such as hiking and playing disc golf, a game that involves Frisbees instead of the traditional clubs and little white ball. The degree of difficulty, however, is similarly frustrating. “I try,” he says with a sigh.

One thing he misses from Kentucky – homestyle chicken and dumplings. “I’ll get a hankering, but nobody knows how to do it in Texas. I’m still looking, though.”

He also says he’s into all kinds of music. “Country, pop, and a lot of the stuff from the early 2000s, like Britney, NSYNC, Destiny’s Child, TLC and Backstreet Boys. “Kind of weird, but I like it,” he grins. At the moment, he’s into “Midnight Sky,” the latest single from Miley Cyrus’ upcoming album. 

Hey, bet she sounds really good coming through the 26 speakers of the Maybach’s Burmester® High-End 3D Surround Sound system.

“I’ll let you know,” he chuckles.

Kara Connor can be forgiven if, every once in a while, she sounds a bit out of breath. “I just got asked to run downstairs and help someone with …”  (Fill in the blank with any of the hundreds of business activities at bustling Park Place Motorcars Arlington.)

She’s what’s known as a “multipotentialite,” which is a multisyllabic mouthful that describes someone with particularly strong intellectual or artistic curiosity who displays aptitudes across multiple disciplines.

To her credit, she cracks up at the lofty description, then dismisses it with an always-ready smile. “We’re a team, and we all pitch in when we can,” she says. “It’s just the way we’re wired.”

The Mansfield, Texas, native seems to pop up all over the place – greeting clients at the welcome desk, running down a service question, fielding calls and emails from local media, as well as other sundry and myriad daily activities. All that’s in addition to her official duties as General Manager Malcolm Gage’s Administrative Assistant and Mercedes Benz Certification Program Coordinator.

“Kara is truly an asset and an integral part of the Motorcars Arlington team,” says Gage. “Her positivity and accommodating attitude toward our members, and her dedication to the dealership’s community marketing and presence, proves that she is truly the epitome of Park Place core values.”

The gregarious Connor graduated from Texas Tech with a degree in (not surprising) Public Relations, and remains a staunch Red Raider fan. After graduation and a brief stint with the marketing team at a commercial construction company, she got wind of an opportunity at Park Place, wangled an interview and (also not surprising) was hired immediately.

“That was 13 years ago,” she marvels. “I served as a marketing coordinator for eight years, mainly handling community relations and dealer events but also anything that sailed over the transom. It’s a great team. In fact, the person who now heads up Park Place marketing, Anam Ali, was my intern! We talk all the time! It’s cool to see how far she’s come and deservedly so.”  

Five years ago, her growing family (she and her husband Tim have two equally super-active kids, 10-year-old Cade and six-year-old Quinn) prompted her to reassess her schedule, which often included late-night promotional events. Aware that the then-new Arlington location would be seeking qualified people, she was emboldened to request a lateral transfer in order to take advantage of the location’s proximity to home and hearth.

“That’s yet another great thing about Park Place,” she says. “The family-first concept is a paramount priority. So when the opportunity arose to make a change, everyone was encouraging, positive and happy to help.”

The switch allowed her to direct more energy to her family’s life – she’s president of her school’s PTA – while still doing the work she loves for Park Place.

As an example, she worked with the Park Place marketing team to create a “Summer Road Trip” video series with Gage as host. Her behind-the-scenes energy is apparent.

In her rare spare time, she’s a big reader and admits to liking “chick flicks” as well as thrillers. She’s also a fan of social media but tries to limit its use at home. “It’s really easy to go down that rabbit hole for hours,” she says. “But it’s important to show kids that you don’t need to be on a device all the time. Even in these times, personal interaction is paramount.”

The same is true of how she approaches her job. “The people and the relationships I’ve made throughout the years gives me a real sense of satisfaction and fulfillment,” she says. “Our standards of integrity, a passion for people, owning it and grit aren’t just words on a poster,” she says. “I agree with them and try to live by them, because I think they’ll take you far. The sense of team, family priority, belonging and contributing – they’re all here and it’s just wonderful. I can’t imagine being anywhere else.”

It’s been said, usually tongue-in-cheek, that you can choose your friends but you can’t choose your family. But in the case of Colleyville native Travis Tittle, his friends ARE his family. And as an added bonus- his coworkers too!

“My step-dad and younger brother both work here,” he beams. “Dad’s a team lead and Joseph is in the parts department. “Practically every day when we get back from lunch, we hang out. It’s great.”

Tittle graduated Colleyville Heritage High School (Go Panthers) and spent a few semesters at Fort Lewis College (Go Skyhawks) amid the magnificence of Durango, Colorado. He came back home and immediately entered the automotive industry, serving in a variety of roles at several dealerships before signing on to join the parts department at Park Place Lexus Grapevine in 2004. He worked his way up from the warehouse to back-counter, then front counter, then Assistant Service Manager, and then began his current role as Service Manager seven years ago. It’s a high-velocity role and he relishes every second of it.

“I’m one of two service managers here and on average, we see about 150 vehicles a day,” he says. “Basically, my job is to make sure each of those clients is well taken care of, and to help move the vehicles through the shop. It never stops, really, and that’s what makes this job so much fun.”

The role occasionally offers other “amusements,” such as rescuing hidden kittens and other assorted wildlife. But the topper has to be when a tech opened a hood to examine what was initially suspected to be rodent damage.

“Normally, our shop functions like a well-oiled machine,” he says now, chuckling at the memory. “But we spent about 30 minutes trying to fish out a five-foot-long snake, and it seemed like the whole shop was freaking out a little. It was probably the most intense half-hour we’ve all ever spent at work.”

The snake was rescued, uninjured, and taken to a local creek to join his friends, much to the relief of the service team and, presumably, the snake.

Other moments, however, are much more serious, such as the time when Tittle and several co-workers were driving to Austin and by sheer coincidence, witnessed a severe collision involving a Park Place Lexus client.

Lexususa shared the story on their isntagram in November of 2019:

How do you make a customer feel like a guest? Lexus owner Joyce Lee was involved in a head-on collision on I-35 in Fort Worth, TX that totaled her Lexus. Greg Duerr, Rod Moreno and Travis Tittle of Park Place Lexus were nearby and helped Joyce to safety inside their own vehicle. They then aided as witnesses to the accident. As Joyce put it in her letter to the dealership, “These outstanding men took Park Place’s above-and-beyond reputation to a higher level, in that they stopped to help render aid to me after my head-on collision.” The hospitality and empathy of Lexus dealers and their employees extends beyond the dealership.

“That was really frightening,” says Tittle. “I’m just glad we were there and could help.”

He says the episode speaks to the Park Place culture as a place of camaraderie unlike anywhere else.

“We all get along extraordinarily well,” he says. “In fact, we hang out with each other after work. And in my case, since I’ve been here so long, our kids are also hanging out with each other, too. That’s very rewarding.”

In his spare time, you can find him and his wife, Vanessa, chasing after their two extremely active kids – three-and-a-half-year-old Trenton and one-and-a-half-year-old Tessa, at their Colleyville home. “I met Vanessa in middle school and I guess you could say it was love at first sight,” he confesses.

He also enjoys pursuing mostly outdoor activities – golf, hiking, sports of all kinds. “I grew up playing a lot of soccer and hockey, so if it’s physical, yeah, I’m trying to do it.”

He acknowledges that in terms of his direct, all-business demeanor, he might initially come off as a little brusque. “But really, I’m nicer than I initially seem to be,” he laughs. “When people first meet me, they think I’m sort of mean. But once they work with me for ten years or so, I’ll lighten up … a little bit!”