$50,000 Cash Left Behind in a Mercedes-Benz

Service technician Juan Ibarra was working on a Mercedes-Benz SL550, that Park Place Motorcars Fort Worth received as a trade-in, when he discovered a bag in the trunk. When he opened the bag he saw stacks of $100 bills.
I jumped back like I’d seen a snake,” said Ibarra. “My first thought was, ‘is this dirty money?’ I immediately took it to my service director. Nobody wanted to touch it. We didn’t even count it.

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Juan has always been a real ‘go-to’ guy,” said George Johnson, General Manager at Park Place Motorcars Fort Worth. “He’s a man of the highest integrity. I’m very proud of him.”

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Juan Ibarra with Park Place Motorcars FW General Manager- George Johnson

It never even crossed my mind to take any of the money,” said Ibarra. “We just wanted to find out who the money belonged to and get it back to them.”

It took about a week before the owner was tracked down. Turns out he was a bail bondsman and the cash didn’t exactly belong to him either. The money was given to him for a bond. Needless to say, he was very relieved to get it back.

After counting the money, he confirmed that all $50,000 was accounted for and was thankful someone honest had found it.   “About a month later the guy came back with a nice card and some money in it,” said Ibarra. “The card was enough for me. He was very grateful.”

McIlveen Brings International Flair and Caring Heart to Auto Industry

Mariza McIlveen of Grand Prairie didn’t imagine a career in the automotive industry for herself. She started out in the hospitality industry working for luxury hotels. But she quickly found her passion was for helping people grow in their careers. “I was born and raised in Sri Lanka,” said McIlveen. “I went to high school in Singapore and college in Hawaii. I got into the hospitality field because my Dad was a pilot for Singapore Airlines, and he always pictured his little girl in the hotel business. I worked hotel operations for the first part of my career, and discovered that I enjoyed helping people grow. I would hire front desk agents and mentor them. Watching a few move on to do big things in their career, I decided I wanted to be in Human Resources. It gives me great pleasure to give people the chance to get into a great company and grow.”

during an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas on September 27, 2015. (AP Photo/ Michael Ainsworth)

McIlveen started at Park Place Dealerships in 2014, and was recently named Human Resources Manager for the new Park Place Motorcars Arlington, which opened November 2, 2015. “I am a certified HR professional,” continued McIlveen. “My goal each day is to make sure that I have taken care of our members’ (employees) needs, and that I am available to lend a hand or ear. My goal is to create a fun work environment for the new dealership… to help it grow and be recognized for its ‘can do’ attitude.”

When asked what advice she would share with women considering a career in the automotive industry, McIlveen replied, “Everyone at Park Place is very respectful and I have never felt out of place. They’ve been eager to share their knowledge with me. We even have one of the first female Mercedes-Benz parts managers in Texas, and one of a very few in the country. Park Place offers ongoing training for our members to advance.”

Empowering women to succeed in the automotive industry is just one of many intriguing stories you’ll find among the “experts in excellence” at Park Place Motorcars Arlington.

Park Place Lexus Grapevine Takes Service to New Heights

The all-new 2016 Lexus RX 350, sits in an equally brand new, state-of-the-art showroom at Park Place Lexus Grapevine. The newly renovated dealership is getting ready to reveal more exciting renovations this week.

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Our new, expansive service drive is now open!

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The new service drive has 4 lanes to better accommodate our clients, and if you’re stopping-in for a car wash, be sure to pull into the exclusive “Car Wash” lane furthest to the right.

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After you drop off your vehicle, enjoy the newly renovated client lounge with Admiral Club- which includes a kids play room and a TV. Grab a snack, or enjoy a cappuccino from our state-of-the-art coffee machine- that we bet rivals some coffee shops in town.

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While you enjoy the Lexus lounge, your Lexus is also in for a luxurious experience in our brand new, top of the line car wash.

Have errands to run, but your car needs service? Great news! We just expanded our fleet of loan cars, so you won’t miss a beat while our Certified Lexus Technicians work on your car.

Add Park Place Lexus Grapevine to your list of things to experience. We’re excited about our latest renovations, and additions. We invite you to come experience it for yourself.

For more information about a new or pre-owned Lexus, please contact:

Charles Owen, New Car Sales Director at (817) 416-3130; cowen3@10.2.54.33

Juan Puentes, Pre-Owned Sales Director at (817) 416-3308; JPuentes@10.2.54.33

Park Place Tailgating Fun With Southlake-Carroll Dragons

Park Place Lexus and Motorcars Grapevine have been a proud sponsor of the Southlake-Carroll Dragons for 5-years. Carroll High School and the Dragons Football are near and dear to alum Matt Woolsey, Park Place Lexus Grapevine General Manager. We love tailgating with the amazing Dragons fans, and they get in on the fun as well.

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From weekly tailgating party giveaways to theme spirit nights, Park Place has our clients covered in true Southlake-Carroll fashion. From t-shirts to green flashing rings, the Dragon spirit is hard to miss.

Mike Roberts Southlake Carroll winner
Mike Roberts- largest tailgate party winner November 6, 2015

Amy McBride
Amy McBride- largest tailgate party winner November 13, 2015

Fun contests and scratch off tickets provide fun prizes from a free car wash to weekend use of a fun new Lexus or Mercedes-Benz.

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The Dirty Car Contest is always a hit and allows us to engage with the fans. While everyone’s tailgating, we drive around and find the dirtiest vehicle. It is then featured on the big screen during half-time and the owner walks away with a complimentary detail from Park Place Lexus and Motorcars Grapevine.

Don’t miss us at the next Southlake-Carroll game, you could win fun prizes! Happy tailgating, and Go Dragons!

For more information about a new or pre-owned Lexus or Mercedes-Benz, please contact:

Park Place Lexus Grapevine:

Charles Owen, New Car Sales Director at, (817) 416-3130; cowen3@10.2.54.33

Juan Puentes, Pre-Owned Sales Director at, (817) 416-3308; JPuentes@10.2.54.33

 

Park Place Motorcars Grapevine:

Matthew McPherson, New Car Sales Director at, (817) 310-7361; MMcPherson@10.2.54.33

Joseph Turner, Lead Pre-Owned Sales Manager at, (817) 310-7362; JTurner@10.2.54.33

Volvo Breaks Ground on Its First U.S. Plant

Volvo Cars of North America President and CEO Lex Kerssemakers, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and other key public officials officially broke ground on Volvo Cars’ first American factory in Berkeley County, South Carolina. “The groundbreaking proves that Volvo Cars follows promises with action,” said Lex Kerssemakers, “Volvo is moving quickly to expand its presence in the United States with new cars, new engines and now, a new factory.”

Factory Groundbreaking

The South Carolina factory will be the global production home of the all new S60 Sedan. Up to 100,000 cars will roll off the South Carolina plant’s assembly line each year, with the first US-built Volvos expected to hit the showrooms in late 2018.

Lex Kerssemakers, Factory Groundbreaking

Volvo saw strong demand for the all-new XC90 7-Seat SUV, which was released this summer, and the XC60 5-Seat SUV, which continues to delight drivers.

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Volvo Cars estimates that the factory will employ up to 2,000 people over the next decade and up to 4,000 people in the longer term. The plant would contribute approximately $4.8 billion in total economic output on an annual basis.

For more information about the Volvo XC90 or to schedule a test drive, please contact:

Donny Lambrecht at Park Place Volvo, (214) 956-5516, DLambrecht@10.2.54.33

Volvo Raising Money and Awareness for Pediatric Cancer Research One Car Sale at a Time

Volvo is on a mission to raise a million dollars to support Alex’s Lemonade Stand, fulfilling a promise the automaker made to 8-year-old Alex Scott over 10 years ago.
In 2004, Alex was battling cancer but that didn’t deter her vision of helping find a cure. Her goal was to raise $1-Million, one cup of lemonade at a time. Alex caught Volvo’s attention when she receive and inaugural Volvo for Life award nomination. The award honors hometown heroes doing extraordinary things in their communities. At this time, Alex’s Lemonade Stand raised $45,000 for pediatric cancer-related research.

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Alex took her vision nationwide, setting up fundraising efforts and virtual lemonade stands on-line for donations. Before she passed away in August of 2004 she had already raised over $700,000 on her own, and reached her million dollar goal, with support from Volvo.
At this time, Volvo employees at dealerships across the nation focused their sales goals…on lemonade, for Alex. Their efforts brought tremendous results, with hundreds of thousands of dollars raised to fulfill their promise to Alex.
Since then, Volvo, a founding sponsor of ALSF, has helped keep the inspiration and legacy of Alex alive, and help bring awareness to pediatric cancer. Today, the foundation she founded with Volvo’s help, has raised over $100 million dollars and funded over 500 research projects.
This holiday season,  Volvo is once again committed to donating one million dollars to Alex’s Lemonade Stand, one car sale at a time. With your help, every time we sell a car between now and January 4, 2016, Alex’s vision will reach another milestone with a contribution to her foundation.

During the Wonder of Winter sale event when you purchase or lease a new 2016 Volvo, help support Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation and get three payments on us. (excludes XC90 and Polestar Vehicles).

Volvo Wonder of Winter event

For more information about the Wonder of Winter specials or to schedule a test drive, please contact:

Donny Lambrecht at Park Place Volvo, (214) 956-5516, DLambrecht@10.2.54.33

Park Place Motorcars Arlington at Your Service

An exciting occasion for the Park Place family, as Park Place Motorcars Arlington– our 18th dealership in North Texas, opened its doors on Monday, November 2nd. Construction on the new, two-story dealership kicked off in summer 2014.

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Park Place Motorcars Arlington is a stunning, multi-million dollar state-of-the-art facility featuring two Mercedes-Benz showrooms designed to showcase 16 new vehicles.

Arlington Showroom

The 91,000-square-foot dealership has plenty of automobiles as well as amenities.
Don’t miss a beat when you take your vehicle in for service. The shop is equipped with 35 service bays and 10 make-ready bays, as well as several beautifully appointed client lounges complete with TVs, Wi-Fi, and several personal work stations; there’s even snacks, and a private playroom for the kids.

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Next year, Mercedes-Benz will introduce 10 new vehicles, including a new 4-door mid-sized SUV, several new diesel models, a plug-in hybrid C-Class, and a sleek new SLK roadster.

Come see us and experience Park Place Motorcars Arlington, located at 4201 Beltway Place off Interstate 20. We look forward to seeing you!

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For New Car Sales inquiries, please contact News Car Sales Director, Richard Wasson (RWasson@10.2.54.33).

For Pre-Owned Sales, please contact Pre-Owned Sales Director, Joel Moss (JMoss@10.2.54.33).

The Parts and Service Departments are open Monday – Friday 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

The Showroom is open 8:30 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday – Friday and 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday.

Meet the Man Behind the Wheel of Park Place Motorcars Arlington

A spontaneous decision during a visit to Park Place 15-years ago, led to a life-changing opportunity for Hesham Elgaghil, General Manager at Park Place Motorcars Arlington.  Inspired by the beautiful cars and the world-class people at the dealership, Hesham wanted to become a part of this amazing organization he only saw a glimpse of. He decided to apply for a job and let fate take its course. Park Place Dealerships took a chance on Hesham, although he didn’t have any experience in sales or in the car-business, his background spoke volumes on his behalf and Park Place believed in him.

during an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas on September 27, 2015. (AP Photo/ Michael Ainsworth)
Hesham grew up in Dallas- Fort Worth. A graduate of Richland High School, he went on to get his Bachelor’s Degree at Southwestern University, where he excelled in academics and basketball. After graduating from college, Hesham went to work in Health and Wellness before making the move to the automotive industry.

At Park Place, Hesham embraced his new job as a new car sales consultant so much that he was recognized as Sales Consultant of the Year shortly thereafter.

during an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas on September 27, 2015. (AP Photo/ Michael Ainsworth)

Less than 3 years later, he was promoted into management. The position provided him the opportunity to teach others how to build and solidify meaningful relationships. Hesham’s leadership and mentoring skills created the perfect environment for his team and contributed to his overall growth and success.

Hesham’s dedication, hard-work, and exceptional leadership put Park Place Motorcars Dallas on top, ranking in the top 5 amongst Mercedes-Benz dealerships Nationwide year after year.

Today, Hesham has an even bigger role, a role that is the pinnacle of his career and a testament to his hard work and commitment. He is the General Manager of Park Place’s brand new Mercedes-Benz dealership in Arlington.

You never know where your success story will begin, but it always begins with taking a chance.

Mansfield Man Goes from Armored Cars to Luxury Vehicles

Transitioning from Staff Sergeant of an armored Cavalry brigade to a new car sales experience manager might seem like a leap, but not to Bryan Woodard of Mansfield. “If I learned one thing in the Army it was to be adaptable,” explained Woodard. Now a new car sales experience manager at Park Place Motorcars Arlington, Woodard has turned his attention to helping others. Woodard grew up in Arlington and graduated from Mansfield Summit High School in 2004. He enlisted in the U.S. Army as a Cavalry Scout in 2006 and deployed for a 15-month tour of Mosul, Iraq. His first assignment was in a scout platoon with I Troop 3/3 Armored Cavalry Regiment out of Fort Hood, Texas. Over the next nine years, Woodard would complete two more tours of duty in the Middle East, rise up the ranks to a Staff Sergeant (E-6), and teach marksmanship to Basic Trainees.

Each client’s situation is different. So I need to be flexible to help them figure out what will best fit their personal needs.”   Woodard has his work cut out for him. Mercedes-Benz is introducing 10 new vehicles in 2016: including a new 4-door mid-sized SUV, several new diesel models, a plug-in hybrid C-Class and a sleek new SLK roadster. “With all the different products and price ranges, there’s really no ‘typical’ Mercedes-Benz client,” said Woodard. “We see everyone from first-time car buyers to long-time clients buying cars for their kids or grandkids.”

Bryan Woodard

Opening November 2, Park Place Motorcars Arlington is the 18th dealership for Park Place and will be located on Interstate 20 and Beltway Place. The company recently launched a new program that simplifies the purchase experience for the client and will be available the first day the dealership opens.   “I’m very excited about Park Place’s new “One Touch experience,” said Woodard. “When a client comes to Park Place, the sales experience manager will help the client through the entire process; from the initial welcome and finding the right vehicle to meet their specific needs to making the numbers work, all the way through the contracts and driving out with their new car.  This is going to be a game changer for the automobile industry.

Woodard and his wife, Kalee, who also grew up in Arlington, were childhood friends. They married in 2010, and have a two-year-old daughter (Monroe) and another girl due in January.   Employing those who served our country and are now ready to serve the Mercedes-Benz community, is just one of many intriguing stories you’ll find among the “Experts in Excellence” at Park Place Motorcars Arlington.

Aurora VIP Tickets

AURORA: AN IMMERSIVE FREE PUBLIC ART EVENT OF LIGHT, VIDEO AND SOUND
For one long night, beginning at dusk on October 16, the downtown Dallas Arts District is transformed into an open-air, urban playground of contemporary art on an expansive scale. This free and public exhibition will showcase work by local and international artists, selected by a team of renowned curators. Visitors will experience their familiar urban environment as it is converted into an interactive canvas for some of the world’s most innovative contemporary art.

SPECIAL OFFER FOR AURORA VIP EXPERIENCE
Use promo code “ParkPlaceVIP” to purchase Aurora VIP tickets for only $79 (reg $150). Take your Aurora experience up a notch: purchase a VIP Experience package and you’ll have all-night access to three private lounges with open bars and appetizers by Wolfgang Puck Catering, plus private restrooms. And you’re invited to our after party featuring Com Truise and a special Tycho DJ Set in Strauss Square – Dallas’ favorite outdoor venue.

Call 214-880-0202 or purchase online and enter code “ParkPlaceVIP” to save $71 per ticket.

Handling fees are additional, not valid on previously purchased tickets or in combination with other offers. Subject to availability.