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Park Place Motorcars Fort Worth Donates New Mercedes-Benz to Charity Raffle

Park Place Motorcars Fort Worth Donates Mercedes-Benz for the 65th Annual Jewel Charity Ball

Thinking outside the (jewel) box in 1953, Nenetta Burton Carter and Bille Brandsford Clark sought to raise funds to meet the needs of children whose families could not afford their medical care. A committee of 15 women planned the first Jewel Charity Ball, which resulted in a $9,000 donation to Fort Worth Children’s hospital. 

On December 15, 2018, the 65th Annual Jewel Charity Ball will be held at the Fort Worth Convention Center. With over 625 members, Jewel Charity has raised over $71 million dollars to ensure that all children at Cook Children’s Hospital are provided the health care they need. 

This year’s event will feature a silent auction and raffle prizes for everything from fine jewelry and trips abroad to the winner’s choice of a Mercedes Benz GLE or E300, donated by Park Place Motorcars Fort Worth. 

“We are proud to be a sponsor of the Jewel Charity Ball,” said George Johnson, general manager of Park Place Motorcars Fort Worth. “Nothing is more important than the health and well-being of the children in our community.”

Park Place Motorcars Fort Worth is located at 5601 Bryant Irving Road, just off the Chisholm Trail Parkway in southwest Fort Worth. 

Ken Schnitzer founded Park Place Dealerships in 1987 with a single Mercedes-Benz dealership on Oak Lawn. Today, Park Place employs more than 2,000 people and operates 17 full-service dealerships representing luxury brands including Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Jaguar, Lotus, Land Rover, Rolls-Royce, McLaren, Bentley and Maserati. For more info, visit parkplace.com

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When Fancy Cars and Fall Football Collide: Park Place’s Focus on Education On and Off the Field

Park Place has four, core pillars of community giving, with education and a passion for children’s advocacy, at the forefront of our involvement this past fall.  It’s no secret that Fall in Texas equals football season, and we are so excited to not only support one of Texas’ favorite past times but to also show our support for the local teams, like the Boswell Pioneers or Southlake-Carroll Dragons, as a part of our community giving efforts.

Boswell Football

This past season, we had the privilege of supporting the Boswell High School Football Team (see the 2019 team photo below) with not only cheers and encouragement as our Park Place Mercedes-Benz Fort Worth members attended the games, but through a donation to the Boswell Football Scholarship Fund.

This fund supports their local athletes with scholarship opportunities at the close of the school year for their future pursuits, and we are eager to hear what these kids accomplish thanks to their hard work, determination, and little extra help from their community. 

Boswell Pioneer Varsity Football

Southlake-Carroll Dragons

Similarly, Park Place is very involved in the Southlake-Carroll Community, with each of our four Grapevine dealerships showing up at home games at Dragons Stadium with plenty of team spirit and vehicles to enhance the game-day experience.

Southlake-Carroll Dragons Football Team, 2019

One well-known opportunity each year is our “Kick One of These [a field goal]” to “Win One Of These [a new car]”, donated by Matt Woolsey, General Manager of Park Place Jaguar Land Rover. 

The rules are simple (no practicing!) and the experience an absolute blast, as Park Place Members pack the stands alongside Dragon fans, eagerly watching the one lucky winner kick for a new luxury auto!

Kristen Hill at the Park Place field goal challenge, Friday, Nov. 9, 2018, in Southlake, Texas. (Michael Ainsworth)

We haven’t had someone successfully make a field goal yet, but who’s to say we won’t bring back that community opportunity next year?

On the Radio with Colleyville Heritage High School

Radio is an integral part of our fall sponsorships and one that helps add an element of excitement to local fall football games for Colleyville Heritage High School.  Live commentary on the radio enhances the fans experience, when they may not be able to make it to the field for a live viewing. It’s all about experience at Park Place, so this radio sponsorship was a natural extension of our fall community involvement for area schools and athletes. 

Participating in school athletics has the ability to impact students far past just an athletic acknowledgment, and Park Place strives to support these programs in an effort to support their academic successes and futures far past just a singular football season. We encourage you to join us next season in cheering on your local high school football teams in person or by tuning into local radio to catch the play by play of our young student-athletes in action. 

Learn more about our community efforts at Park Place by visiting ParkPlace.com

To submit a sponsorship request click here.

To submit a partnership request click here.

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The Season of Giving: Park Place Delivers Donated $55k Sprinter To Momentous Institute

Park Place Dealerships Donates $55k Sprinter Van To Salesman Ship Club’s Momentous Institute

As we enter a season of gratitude and giving, it’s crucial we take a step back to reflect on the why behind last month’s October 13th event. Rain couldn’t keep the crowds away from the 2nd Annual Park Place Luxury & Supercar Showcase last month, where luxury manufacturers, local retailers, restaurants, and collectors came together to host almost 3,000 attendees for a day of fashion, food, and, of course, show-stopping vehicles.

The event benefitted the Momentous Institute, owned and operated by the Salesmanship Club of Dallas since 1920. Each year, the organization serves more than 6,000 children and family members through its nationally acclaimed Momentous School and innovative Therapeutic Services. Ken Schnitzer presented Patton Chapman, Salesmanship Club president, with the keys to a $55,000 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van, on stage during the awards ceremony, to help the organization with its transportation needs for the kids.

during the Park Place Luxury & Supercar Showcase in Irving, Tx, on October 13, 2018. (Michael Ainsworth)

The following week, Corey Bedford, Fleet Sales Manager at Park Place Motorcars Grapevine, delivered the shiny, new 2018 Sprinter Passenger van to Momentous Institute- red carpet style. Momentous Institute, owned and operated by Salesmanship Club of Dallas since 1920, has been committed to building and repairing social-emotional health for all children so they can achieve their full potential. It was our privilege to host the community to benefit such a worthy cause for the second year in a row.

 

 

Stay tuned for more on information on next year’s 2019 Park Place Luxury & Supercar Showcase by tuning into our blog (news.parkplace.com) and our social media channels (@parkplacetexas).

 

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Bekim’s Sweet First Birthday at Porsche Grapevine

The Park Place Luxury & Supercar Showcase Mini-Macan Winners Receive Luxury Delivery Experience at Porsche Grapevine.

Guests of the 2nd Annual Park Place Luxury & Supercar Showcase had the opportunity to win a miniature battery-powered car all for themselves (or at least for their aficionados in the making).  Entering was simple (post a photo of the little ones enjoying the Kiddie Concours), and it was clear that guests were well aware of the stakes- snapping photos left and right for the opportunity to win hearts on social media and hopefully, a brand new Mini Porsche Macan.

That was at least the story for Xavier and Janet, and their almost one-year-old, Bekim, who has quite the head start in sharing in his parents’ love of exotic cars:

“We found out about the [Mini Macan] contest through the Park Place Instagram page. This seemed like a very unique and inclusive contest for our little one so, we decided to make it a point to visit, while at the showcase.”

When asked if the weather forecast almost deterred them from coming, Xavier and Janet shared that they just planned their day to arrive at the tail-end of the last round of forecasted showers so they could enjoy the outdoor experience, noting that “This is one of those events that you have to experience firsthand, vs trying to explain with pictures. Under the same weather circumstances, we would absolutely go again.”

By random drawing, Bekim’s entry (see below) in the Mercedes-Benz G Wagon won the ultimate prize just in time for his very first birthday. 

Given the special circumstances, our Porsche Grapevine team didn’t hesitate to invite Bekim, his older brother Elijah, and his parents, to the dealership for a luxury delivery experience sure to create lasting family memories.

Poised next to a couple other life-size Porsche’s ready to meet their owners, Denette Norlie, Service Director, set up the Mini Macan with a few extra surprises for the two boys.  After all, Park Place is their place too.

“Our experience at the Porsche dealership was absolutely wonderful! The amount of people that took the time out of their workday to help make this a special day for Bekim and to include his older brother, Elijah, is truly amazing! It really meant a lot to us all.” 

Not every one year old can say they receive a Porsche Macan for their 1st birthday, but we certainly hope the memories created last long after Bekim outgrows his first car.

“The Mini Macan might be a little tough to top for a 1st car. For Bekim’s 16th birthday, we aren’t quite sure what his first car will be. However, things will probably come full circle and his first actual car WILL be from Park Place.” – Xavier, Bekim’s Dad.
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Park Place Lexus Grapevine Kicks Off GRACE Christmas Cottage Toy Drive

Holiday Event Included Unwrapping New Lexus ES Luxury Sedan

 Park Place Lexus, the official “Drive For Toys” sponsor of the GRACE (Grapevine Relief And Community Exchange) Christmas Cottage, hosted the kick-off party for the 2018 toy drive collection. 

The GRACE Christmas Cottage provides gifts for local children in a store-like setting and is open for a full two weeks prior to Christmas.

As guests arrived, they filled the back of several Lexus SUVs with Christmas toys.

“We’ve partnered with GRACE for many years now,” said Gary Venner, Park Place Lexus Grapevine General Manager. “We are blessed to help local families through our support of the GRACE Christmas Cottage. We want to make sure every child in our community has the best possible Christmas. The GRACE Toy Drive makes it easy to participate.”

The community is invited to drop off a new, unwrapped toy for the GRACE Christmas Cottage through December 15th at Park Place Lexus Grapevine, located at 901 Highway 114 East. Or drop them off at GRACE Christmas Cottage, 3100 Timberline in Grapevine. You can also make a monetary donation to the GRACE Christmas Holiday Fund at gracegrapevine.org.

during the GRACE Toy Drive at Park Place Lexus, Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Grapevine, Texas. (Michael Ainsworth)

During the event, guests enjoyed eclectic bites from DRG Concepts, including Mediterranean fare, chicken tacos with cilantro rice by Wild Salsa, and chopped beef short ribs with horseradish and onion strings courtesy of Chop House Burgers.

during the GRACE Toy Drive at Park Place Lexus, Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Grapevine, Texas. (Michael Ainsworth)

Seasonal cocktails were provided by Hendricks Gin and Reyka Vodka, with celebratory sips by Dark Horse Wine and Peroni Beer. Guests danced to popular tunes by the Adrian Garcia Band, then capped the night with innovative coffee creations by Nightowl Coffee Cart, including a delicious Peppermint Latte with a sprig of mint and crumbled mint cookies on top.

Pat and Janet McCoy of Colleyville dance during the GRACE Toy Drive at Park Place Lexus, Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Grapevine, Texas. (Michael Ainsworth)
Alan Tracy and Karen Roberts of Colleyville dance during the GRACE Toy Drive at Park Place Lexus, Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Grapevine, Texas. (Michael Ainsworth)

The GRACE Christmas Cottage provides new, unwrapped gifts to families facing financial hardship due to limited income or recent emergency.  Each qualified family is given a voucher with a value based on the number of children in the family, allowing the parents to “purchase” donated toys, home goods and appliances in a private, store-like setting. This unique approach allows families to budget their resources and select unique presents while preserving the family’s dignity. More than 2,700 individuals and families are served at Christmas Cottage each holiday season.

Guests also got to see the new 2019 Lexus ES luxury sedan, featuring bold new styling inside and out, astonishing power and state-of-the-art safety and entertainment technology.

Ken Schnitzer founded Park Place Dealerships in 1987 with a single Mercedes-Benz dealership on Oak Lawn. Today, Park Place Dealerships employs more than 2,000 people and operates 18 full-service dealerships representing luxury brands including Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Jaguar, Lotus, Land Rover, Rolls-Royce, McLaren, Bentley and Maserati. For more info, visit parkplace.com

 

 

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The Gaylord Texan’s 2018 ICE! Experience Is Open Through January 1, 2018

Lexus is proud to sponsor the 2018 Gaylord Texan’s ICE! Experience, open November 9th through January 1, 2019. Experience your favorite scenes from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer brought to life in our walk-through winter wonderland.  Click the banner below or scroll for more information on the Lexus Exclusive Discount

This year’s display includes:

  • 2 million pounds of ice sculptures hand-carved by 35 artisans from Harbin, China
  • 6 ice slides
  • colorful ice sculptures depicting the story of Rudolph
  • Crystal clear ice sculpture scene of the Nativity

Best of all? Lexus is gifting all Lexus owners with exclusive discounts to last you the entire holiday season. See below for details:

Discounted Tickets for Lexus Owners:

Receive a Lexus Owners Discount for Adult, General Admission ICE! Tickets by using the code PARKPLACELEXUS at GaylordTexanTickets.com

Valet Parking

You’ll automatically receive a $10 discount on valet parking when driving your Lexus to ICE!. Please note that you MUST be driving your Lexus to the actual event to receive the discount.

Complimentary Self- Parking 

Enjoy complimentary self-parking in either the garage or Lot R when driving your Lexus to ICE! Simply take a ticket upon entry and present it along with your Lexus key to the box office cashier to get your ticket validated prior to departing. Again, you must be driving your Lexus to the actual event to receive the discount. 

 

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Park Place Celebrates 21 Years at the Cattle Baron’s Ball with New Vehicle Donated to Raffle

Park Place Dealerships and the Cattle Baron’s Ball have a now 21-year relationship that has resulted in yet another successful event at Gilley’s Dallas, all for the pursuit of a cure for cancer.  The Cattle Baron’s Ball is one of the largest one night fundraisers, and Park Place is proud to provide support through what we know best- and that is luxury cars.

For our 21st year, Park Place donated the choice of a brand new 2018 Volvo XC40, Mercedes-Benz GLC 300, Porsche Macan, or Range Rover Velar, to the winner of the raffle.

As a core tenant of Park Place’s mission, giving back and community involvement is never overlooked but rather, constantly adapting and changing so that we can make a greater impact year after year.  As leaders in the automotive industry, Park Place has been honored with the opportunity to give to the Cattle Baron’s Ball to benefit the American Cancer society, leaders in cancer research, for 21 years now.

Since 1974, Cattle Baron’s Ball has raised over $77 million for cancer research- which they cite happens mostly here in DFW. True to “Everything’s Bigger in Texas” mantra, the Cattle Baron’s Ball has proven year after year, that they in partnership with the community, are the world’s largest sing-night fundraiser for the American Cancer Society.

Cattle Baron’s has provided more than 30,000 services to cancer patients in North Texas, rides to and from treatments, and wigs free of charge. The American Cancer Society is the beneficiary of the event whose mission is to save lives, celebrate lives, and lead the fight for a world without cancer.  

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The 2nd Annual Park Place Luxury & Supercar Showcase Shone Brightly Even in the Rain

Park Place Dealerships donates $55k Sprinter
to Salesmanship Club’s Momentous Institute

Rain or shine. Many outdoor events casually use the term, but few shine in the midst of challenges like the 2nd annual Park Place Luxury & Supercar Showcase did on October 13th at the Four Seasons Resort & Club Dallas at Las Colinas.

“It was an exciting day in a lot of ways,” said Ken Schnitzer, Park Place Dealerships founder and chairman. “The rain didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of guests and we were able to execute the Park Place Luxury & Supercar Showcase for the nearly 3,000 people who attended. Many of the private collectors brought their rare and pristine cars out to display them in the Collector’s Concours. The Porsche Club – Maverick Region came together to create an amazing Heritage Display to celebrate Porsche’s 70th anniversary. And we were able to support a wonderful charitable partner in a big way.”

The event benefitted the Momentous Institute, owned and operated by the Salesmanship Club of Dallas since 1920. Each year, the organization serves more than 6,000 children and family members through its nationally acclaimed Momentous School and innovative Therapeutic Services. Schnitzer presented Patton Chapman, Salesmanship Club president, with the keys to a $55,000 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van to help the organization with its transportation needs for the kids.

Throughout the day, guests saw more than $100 million worth of rare and unique vehicles from manufacturers, collectors and car clubs, including the first public display of the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, the iconic marque’s first ever SUV. Guests also enjoyed live entertainment, incredible food and beverages, as well as a Highland Park Village fashion show produced by Jan Strimple.

Parents even watched their kids play in the rain, driving miniature electric versions of Porsche, McLaren, Volvo, Bentley, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus vehicles on the pavestone path. Guests also had the opportunity to meet 16-year-old racecar driver Kinzie “Kiki” Wilson. Featured in her red, racing shirt on the right of her Corvette, the Mansfield Legacy High School Junior is also the Varsity Cheer Captain while maintaining a 3.95 GPA.

Dallas’ Mad Hatter Shane Walker helped judge the Haute Hat Contest. The Lady’s Haute Hat winner was Anna Neiman (below) with a stylish Rolls-Royce-inspired hat that included working lights.

             

As the day drew to a close, the top three award winners from the Collector’s Concours were presented with the “Spirit of Park Place,” a hand-crafted sculpture by Dallas artist Brad Oldham.

  • Best of Show went to Randy Johnson for his 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB 6C.
  • Chairman’s Choice Award – Fred Cornwall – 1933 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental, originally hand-built for Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton as an engagement gift for her fiancé Georgian Prince Alexis Mdivani.
  • Salesmanship Club Award – John Kobell – 1980 BMW M1.

Other award winners included:

American Classics

1st –  1959 Chevrolet Corvette – Rocky Rainbolt

2nd – 1932 REO Royale Rumble Seat Coupe – Rob Anderson

3rd – 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe – Rob Anderson

American Modern:

1st in Class – 2009 Dodge Viper – Alan Wilson

British Classic

1st – 1959 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud Limo – James Stewart

2nd – 1966 Jaguar E-Type OTS – Clark Kirby
3rd – 1960 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II – Michael Davis

British Modern

1st – 2012 McLaren MP4-12C – Warren Huddleston
2nd – 2012 McLaren 12C – Patrick Chiu
3rd – 2014 Rolls-Royce Wraith – Erick Johnson

Italian Classic

1st – 1964 Ferrari 330 GT 2 + 2 – Cory Richards

2nd – 1969 De Tomaso Mangusta – Jerry Quam
3rd – 1979 Maserati Merak SS – Betsy Crawford

Italian Modern

1st – 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C – William Hale

2nd – 2005 Ferrari 430 – Derrick Blanton
3rd – 2001 Qvale Mangusta – Anatoly Arutunoff

German Classic

1st – 1956 Mercedes-Benz 190SL Convertible – Whitney Stark

2nd – 1996 Porsche 993 Turbo – Raj Gill

German Modern:

1st in Class – 2015 Audi R8 – Brad Harslem

Supercar Classic:

1st in Class – 1993 Jaguar XJ220 – Barry Fromberg

Supercar Modern

1st – 2015 Porsche 918 Weissach Martini – John Savickas

2nd – 2013 Zagato Perana Z-One – Dave Copps

International:

1st in Class – 1972 Citroen SM – Gordon Sauer

Porsche GT:

1st – 2015 Porsche GT3 – Robert Caglia

2nd – 2016 Porsche GT3 RS – Michael Lee

 

Partners included the Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas, Allie Beth Allman & Associates – A Berkshire Hathaway Affiliate|Urban, Celebrity Cruises, Highland Park Village, Hill & Wilkinson, Irving CVB and Irving Chamber, Event Architecture, Bachendorf’s, Brad Oldham Sculpture, RideCentric, GL Seaman, Lockton, Hagerty Insurance, Perks & Provisions, Lilium Florals, Lisa R. Daniels, Digital 3 Printing, Fauxcades, Promo Resources, Sunnyland Outdoor Furniture, ExxonMobil, Cox Automotive, Dealer Industries, Garages of Texas, Ratcliff Financial Services, Maui Jims, Jack Black, The Vineyard at Florence, Steinway & Sons, D Magazine, and NBC 5.

Ken Schnitzer founded Park Place Dealerships in 1987 with a single Mercedes-Benz dealership on Oak Lawn. Today, Park Place Dealerships employs more than 2,000 people and operates 18 full-service dealerships representing luxury brands including Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Jaguar, Lotus, Land Rover, Rolls-Royce, McLaren, and Maserati. For more info, visit parkplace.com

 

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Safety First with National Child Passenger Safety Week

For parents, nothing comes before their child’s safety. Yet according to the Center for Disease Control, 59 percent of car seats are used incorrectly, limiting their ability to effectively protect.  It’s National Child Passenger Safety Week, and Park Place Volvo Cars is devoted to upholding our manufacturer’s vision for safety. Our team couldn’t be more proud to sell vehicles we know are some of the safest in the world, providing our clients with that extra ease of mind that they and their child passengers are safe on their journeys

Of particular note, the Volvo XC60 (one of our most popular family luxury compact SUVs) is one of the most awarded vehicles in Volvo’s history, including the prestigious the overall safest car in Euro NCAP 2017 Best in Class safety awards and the ‘World Car of the Year’ and ‘Best Luxury Compact SUV’ by Cars.com.

The awards speak volumes that with every new model that is released and all improvements or updates made to the new model years that Volvo Cars is well on their way to meeting their Vision 20/20: Our vision is that by 2020 no one should be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo car.”    

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), every 33 seconds, one child under the age of 13 is involved in a crash and many times deaths and injuries can be prevented by proper use of car seats, boosters, and seat belts. The effects of an improperly installed car seat are all too real, which is why you’ll typically find that if a dealership or service does not have a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, they will forgo reinstalling car seats and recommend a certified tech to do so after a service.

This Saturday ends National Child Passenger Safety week with Car Seat Check Saturday, where Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians, will at the bare minimum check your car seat for free. The Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician will educate parents about choosing the right car seat for a child, installing a car seat correctly in their vehicle, and using the car seat acceptably every time. They can also discuss the importance of registering the car seat with its manufacturer, and what to expect if the seat is subject to a safety recall. 

Park Place Volvo works closely with many locations who have a Certified Technician available in the Dallas area and highly encourage that you make an appointment or show up to a location nearest you to have your car seats. checked.  For a list of locations to get your car seat checked Saturday (or any time) visit http://cert.safekids.org/get-car-seat-checked

“Car seats matter and having the right car seat installed and used correctly is critical, ” says Donny Lambrecht, general manager of Park Place Volvo.  In passenger cars, car seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71 percent for infants and by 54 percent for toddlers. Improving child safety in Volvo vehicles has long been a guiding principle with the manufacturer. Did you know that Volvo Cars played a key role in the development of rearward-facing child seats and introduced the world’s first booster cushion in 1978? Today, the company continues to innovate using technology and expertise to build the safest cars.

For more information on a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician near you, please visit: http://cert.safekids.org/get-car-seat-checked 

 

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Park Place Brings Real-World Experience into Lewisville ISD Classroom

Park Place Dealerships provides Lewisville ISD Automotive Technology program new equipment, tools, mentors and hands-on career opportunities

Automotive programs in high schools have come a long way in the past 30 years. Think back to dimly lit, unorganized, dirty shops where students were challenged by outdated technology and insufficient tools.

Thanks to a unique public-private partnership, Lewisville ISD has a team of teaching professionals who engage students daily and work with companies like Park Place Dealerships, an auto industry leader, to prepare students for real-world applications.  

“The community engagement with Park Place gives us access to current technology and information so we are teaching our students the most up to date material,” explained Doug Emery, Automotive Technology Instructor at Lewisville ISD’s Career Center East. “We want to make sure our students are familiar with the systems, technology and equipment that dealerships are using to ensure our students are successful in the marketplace.”

Park Place is continually looking to develop the highest quality technicians for its 17 full-service dealerships located across Dallas-Fort Worth, while Lewisville ISD is always seeking career opportunities for students. This innovative public-private partnership between Park Place and Lewisville ISD provides access to master technicians, general managers, human resources, talent acquisition, service managers, and leadership from the 2000-member company.

There are tangible benefits to the students. Park Place hired seven 2018 graduates of the program as technicians at its Jaguar/Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus dealerships in Grapevine.

“The program really helped me choose a path,” said Raul Martinez, one of the 2018 grads currently working at Park Place Jaguar/Land Rover Grapevine. “Before, I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do. I was sort of lost.  When we started working on cars I realized this was something I really enjoyed doing.”

Park Place also brings experts from different areas of the industry into the classroom as mentors.

“As we grow, we are continually looking for individuals that can be successful in our industry,” said Tony Carimi, vice-president of Operations for Park Place. “Our industry is quickly evolving so we want to expose students to the latest technology and advances in a real-world environment that focuses on personal attention and strong mentorships.”

Working with the teachers, Park Place is fully engaged with interviewing students, branding the shop with graphics of high-end manufacturers’ logos, connecting with parents and district representatives and speaking at events.

“Park Place technicians who have been in the field a long time have come into our classroom,” explained Travis Sutton, the LISD program’s other Automotive Technology Instructor. “They bring first-hand knowledge of what our students can expect, how things work and what they’ll experience in the shop. Park Place upper management comes into the classroom to tell our students they can have more than a job – they can have a career. It shows the students that what they’re learning on campus transfers directly out there.”

Park Place has a similar partnership with the John Dubiski Career High School in Grand Prairie ISD. Students are fully engaged with Park Place and a dozen students have been hired to full-time positions after graduation.

“We’re always looking to the future,” concluded Carimi. “The auto industry is evolving at a more rapid pace than ever before in its 100-plus-year history. With alternative energy sources, computerized systems and autonomous vehicles, the need for a highly educated and well-trained workforce is more important than ever. Park Place is determined to remain the leaders within our industry.”

Ken Schnitzer founded Park Place Dealerships in 1987 with a single Mercedes-Benz dealership on Oak Lawn. Today, Park Place Dealerships employs more than 2,000 people and represents luxury brands including Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Jaguar, Lotus, Land Rover, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Bugatti, McLaren, and Maserati. For more info, visit parkplace.com.