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Park Place Dealerships Collects Gloves and Bats for Texas Rangers MLB Youth Academy

In the spirit of teamwork, Park Place Dealerships members collected more than 100 baseball bats and gloves to donate to the Texas Rangers MLB Youth Academy. Located in West Dallas, the Academy serves the community year-round by providing baseball and softball instruction, league play, travel, and tournament opportunities, along with providing academic, social and emotional support to under-served kids ages 8 – 18.

“Each year, more than 20,000 young people participate in the Texas Rangers Youth Academy programming,” said Justin Henry, Director of Development for the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation. “The gifts Park Place members made touch the lives of the children and help us to engage the community in a meaningful and powerful way.”

Park Place Dealerships invited their team members, families, significant others and friends from across Dallas/Fort Worth to Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers, for the annual Park Place Member Celebration Sunday, April 16th.

“It was a treat to see so many of our members laughing and playing together,” said Tony Carimi. Park Place Managing Director. “Gathering away from work for relaxation and fun is an integral part of building and maintaining our culture. Our members truly care about each other, and this was an opportunity to share the day with spouses, friends, significant others and children alongside our work family.”

Outdoor games and giant inflatables were spread across the outfield where guests could laugh, jump and play together. They also had the opportunity to run the bases around the infield. Inside the Lexus Lounge, guests enjoyed casino games and a Park Place trivia game. Texas Rangers staff gave behind-the-scenes tours of the stadium.

Guests also enjoyed a buffet of traditional baseball food and drinks, including hamburgers, hot dogs, popcorn, cotton candy and ice cream.

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.

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Park Place Marketing Director Shares Retail and Social Media Expertise with UTA Students

Park Place Dealerships Marketing Director Amber Garrison participated in the University of Texas at Arlington’s Business Week by sharing her expertise in retail marketing and social media to upper-level business majors. 

“It was an honor to speak with our future leaders and showcase some of our branding and marketing techniques with a classroom full of business students,” said Ms. Garrison. “I was able to engage with these students and their knowledge of social media and marketing and apply it to real world techniques that we utilize in our branding across various platforms.”

Park Place positions itself as “Experts in Excellence” by providing exceptional client service, building trust and understanding clients’ needs, and by creating extraordinary ownership experiences.

Ms. Garrison shared examples of how Park Place’s “Experts in Excellence” branding works in print ads, digital marketing, billboards, social media, website, experiential marketing, community relations, and even internal communications.

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. 

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Southlake Native Matt Woolsey Celebrates 25 Years at Park Place Dealerships

Jaguar Land Rover GM Grew Up and Raised Family in Southlake

According to a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report released last September, the median employee tenure for men was 4.3 years and 3.8 years for women, relatively unchanged from 2020. Park Place Dealerships’ median tenure is nearly double the national average with 8 years for men and 6 years for women. Matt Woolsey, General Manager at Park Place Jaguar Land Rover DFW, recently celebrated 25 years at Park Place Dealerships.

“When I first started at Park Place, we were just beginning to use this thing called the internet,” Woolsey says with a chuckle. “Today, we have all the tools necessary to provide our Members (Park Place employees) with everything they need to do their jobs. What I love most about Park Place is the commitment to help our members learn and grow, and ultimately to ensure the client has the best experience.”

Woolsey moved to Southlake in 1980 with his parents and sister Kristina. “There were less than 1,000 people here. After graduating from Carroll High, I went to Austin and studied Business Economics at the University of Texas. Hook ‘em! I met my wife Anne there. I graduated in 1997 and got in the car business in ‘98.”

Woolsey started as a sales consultant at Park Place Motorcars in Bedford. He worked his way up to General Manager at the Mercedes-Benz store and has served as GM at Lexus Grapevine; Jaguar Land Rover North Austin; Jaguar Land Rover Porsche Volvo of Greenville, South Carolina; and Jaguar Land Rover DFW, where he currently works.

“Matt’s passion for our members makes him a leader that others are eager to follow,” said Tony Carimi, Park Place Dealerships’ Managing Director. “His relentless drive for excellence has helped him meet our clients’ needs and mentor hundreds of members. Over the years, he has assisted families with multiple generations of drivers.”

While everyone wants to be liked, Woolsey says it’s imperative he continues to earn his employees’ respect. “When I walk through the store, people see “the GM” walking by. Not the person. It’s just human nature to see the title, and not necessarily the person for who they are. I told one of my directors just last week: it is so much more important to be respected than to be liked. As leaders we have a responsibility to provide for our members and to make sure they can provide for their families. Having our members see our dedication and commitment to excellence will ultimately lead to respect. I’d love for all our team members to like me. I’m human, too!  But I’d rather have their respect.”

He and his wife Anne raised their sons Austin (23) and Bennett (20) in Southlake. “They graduated from the same high school as me. Austin graduated from Carroll in 2017. He was the band president. He graduated from UNT with a major in Jazz studies. He married his college sweetheart, and they live in Austin. Bennett graduated in 2021. He’s in Nashville pursuing his dream of being a singer/songwriter.”

Woolsey’s advice to young people just starting their careers: “Stay the course. The grass isn’t greener on the other side of the fence. It’s greener where you water it. Keep working hard and great things will happen for you.”

Park Place Dealerships was founded in 1987 and employs more than 1,400 members. Park Place Dealership operates three collision centers, an auto auction, and nine full-service dealerships representing luxury brands including Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover, Acura, and Sprinter Vans. Park Place was acquired in 2020 by Asbury Automotive Group, Inc., a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Duluth, GA. Asbury is one of the largest automotive retailers in the U.S. For more information, visit parkplace.com.

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SPCA of Texas Opens Sensory Garden for Shelter Dogs at Animal Care Center in Dallas

Park Place Dealerships Members Built Sensory Garden to Provide Physical and Mental Challenges for Animals

Members from several local Park Place Dealerships recently volunteered to build a Sensory Garden at the SPCA’s Animal Care Center in Dallas to provide shelter dogs an environment to use their natural senses to relieve stress, and in some cases, to aid in rehabilitation.

“Enrichment is what we use to improve our dog’s quality of life by providing them things in their environment that stimulate them mentally and physically,” said Dr. Valarie Tynes, SPCA of Texas Shelter Veterinary Behaviorist. “Ultimately, when you provide environmental enrichment, you are attempting to give an animal the ability to utilize as many of its natural behaviors as you possibly can. Olfactory enrichment is good at doing that, simply because dogs love using their nose to investigate their world.”

The Sensory Garden’s different textures, scents and materials stimulate a dog’s brain, activate their natural canine instincts, and build their confidence.

“We had some dogs coming in who were high-arousal and high energy like Django, a German Shepherd,” said Rebecca Woodward, SPCA of Texas Behavior Program Manager. “He had some kennel stress, so we started agility training using the Sensory Garden. It completely de-compressed him. Django became a different dog and was adopted right away. We developed a program we call the ‘Django Treatment’ in the Sensory Garden. Some dogs just want to do Zoomies (running around at top speed to burn off energy) so we use the Garden in many ways. But it’s already been extremely useful in our Behavior Program.”

In addition to Park Place providing the supplies for the Sensory Garden, the company’s generous VTO (Volunteer Time Off) program allowed Park Place Members paid time off to donate their time and energy to build the Sensory Garden.

“When we look to give back to North Texas communities where we live and serve, there’s no better advocate for our four-legged friends than the SPCA,” said Park Place Managing Director Tony Carimi. “To start with a pile of boards and some tires and see this end result is very exciting! It’s easy to write a check, and that’s very beneficial, too. But our Members also enjoy giving their time and talents to such a worthy cause.”

The SPCA of Texas plans to rotate dogs in and out of the Sensory Garden three times per day.

Park Place Dealerships has supported the SPCA of Texas financially for many years, but when polled about which causes Park Place Members wanted to personally volunteer their time for, SPCA of Texas ranked very high.

About SPCA of Texas

SPCA of Texas is the leading animal welfare organization in North Texas. Founded in 1938, the non-profit operates two shelters, two spay/neuter clinics, two mobile spay/neuter and wellness vehicles, one mobile adoptions vehicle and an animal rescue center, all located in Dallas and Ellis Counties, and maintains a team of animal cruelty investigators who respond to thousands of calls in North Texas counties. The organization does not euthanize animals for time or space. Moreover, the SPCA of Texas serves as an active resource center for an array of services that bring people and animals together to enrich each other’s lives.

The SPCA of Texas is not affiliated with any other entity and does not receive general operating funds from the City of Dallas, State of Texas, federal government or any other national humane organization. SPCA of Texas is dedicated to providing every animal exceptional care and a loving home. To learn more about the SPCA of Texas, visit spca.org.

About Park Place Dealerships

Park Place Dealerships was founded in 1987 and employs more than 1,400 members. Park Place Dealership operates three collision centers, an auto auction, and nine full-service dealerships representing luxury brands including Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover, Acura, and Sprinter Vans. Park Place was acquired in 2020 by Asbury Automotive Group, Inc., a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Duluth, GA. Asbury is one of the largest automotive retailers in the U.S. For more information, visit parkplace.com.

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Nolan Bedford is TCU Purple Through and Through

TCU Alum and Super Fan Experienced CFP Championship with Son

A TCU alum and former football player, Bedford invited Park Place client DJ de Jesus, president of the Fort Worth – Mercedes-Benz Club of America. Bedford also invited his 20-year-old son Reece Bedford, a U.S. Marine stationed at Miramar Air Station in San Diego.

“I flew to San Diego to meet up with Reece and we drove up to LA together to go to the game,” said Bedford. “My son has grown up as a fan of TCU. We went to Nebraska to watch TCU in the College World Series back in 2016. The last TCU Bowl game we attended together was the Alamo Bowl in 2017 when they defeated Stanford. I was extremely excited to go to California to support my Frogs, but even more excited to have time to spend with my son. We have always bonded over our love for TCU and I’m sure we always will. Go Frogs!”

Bedford was born in Fort Worth, then moved all around Texas before ending up back in Fort Worth. He played football at L.D. Bell High School in Bedford, Texas, where he graduated in 1995. He was a quarterback at Bell and moved to wide receiver at TCU, where he walked on to play for the Frogs in 1997 – 98.

“My roommate at TCU also graduated from Bell,” he explained. “Eric Anderson was strong safety and one of the best players on the TCU team. It was our senior year and Eric was projected to be selected in the NFL draft after our season. One day in practice he was rushing the quarterback when he jumped up to deflect a pass. The running back blocked him, flipping him over, and Eric landed on his head. They took him to the hospital for x-rays, put him in a neck brace, and sent him home. I was with him at our apartment when he received the call from the doctor. I will never forget the look in his eyes when they said he would never play football again. He had surgery and had to wear a halo for the next six months. He didn’t have any local family, so I helped care for him.”

While the Georgia and TCU National Championship game didn’t exactly turn out the way TCU fans had hoped, Bedford enjoyed the trip and the game very much.

“I was very proud to see the turnout of TCU fans at the game,” he said. “There was just as much purple in the stands as there was red, if not more! It was exciting to see the support TCU fans brought and how loud they were to support our team.”

“In addition to Reece, I have a daughter Kenidi who is 19, and a two-month-old daughter Charlotte Sophia. Being a father has been so great that I decided to give it another run with my wife Lucina.”

Nolan joined Park Place Dealerships in 2008. He became New Car Sales Director at Motorcars Fort Worth in 2019. Park Place Motorcars Fort Worth is located at 5601 Bryant Irvin Road, just south of I-20.

Nolan and Eric are still best friends. “Eric was actually just here at the dealership getting his Mercedes-Benz CLS serviced earlier this week.”


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.

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Jaguar DFW Parts Specialist Earns Jaguar’s Marque of Distinction Award

Jim Park – Parts Specialist | JLR DFW

Park Place Jaguar DFW Parts Specialist Jim Park won the Marque of Distinction for Parts Professional of the Year for all Jaguar dealers nationwide. Jaguar Land Rover North America recently announced 14 Marque of Distinction winners for 2022. The Marque of Distinction is the highest individual honor within the Journey to Excellence program, JLRNA’s reward and recognition program for individuals. 

“It is a great honor for Jim to be named the top parts professional out of nearly 200 Jaguar dealerships across the country,” said Park Place Jaguar-Land Rover DFW General Manager Matt Woolsey. “Jim is a valued member of our team.”

The Marque of Distinction winners were announced by Joe Eberhardt, Paul Cooke and Tori Morandi at the Unico Resort, Riviera Maya, Mexico. 

According to Paul Cooke, Jaguar Land Rover Training, Development and Recognition Director, “Programs such as this allow us to recognize individuals who demonstrate excellence in their role. This year’s winners represent individuals who demonstrate success in their everyday role, training achievement, customer feedback, as well as high achievement in both online and in-person assessments.”

Park Place Jaguar-Land Rover is located on the south side of East State Highway 114 in Grapevine. The dealership has been the recipient of the Pride of Jaguar Retailer Excellence Award for the past three years in a row. Park Place Dealerships has been named among the “Top 100 Places to Work” by the Dallas Morning News for nine consecutive years. Park Place Dealerships also ranked in the top 10 for corporations in Dallas/Fort Worth and was named the best company for training.

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.

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Park Place Jaguar Land Rover Presents Grapevine AMBUCS with AmTrykes

Park Place Jaguar Land Rover DFW presented Grapevine AMBUCS with AmTrykes to the organization and several local children. Grapevine AMBUCS was one of 23 DFW non-profits to receive a total of $100,000 in the 2nd Annual Park Place Dealerships Season of Giving campaign. 

“We were thrilled to host Grapevine AMBUCS,” said Matt Woolsey, Park Place Jaguar Land Rover General Manager. “Children with disabilities often feel left out. The innovative AmTryke is a therapeutic tricycle that gives a child freedom of movement and builds their self-esteem. With the AmTryke, kids with disabilities can have freedom of movement just like family and friends.”

More than 400 charities applied for the 2022 Season of Giving grants, representing Park Place Cares’ four pillars. The local non-profits who received grants included:

Advocacy

·         Assistance League of Greater Collin County

·         Emily’s Smile Boxes

·         Alliance for Children

·         Seniors’ Pet Assistance Network (SPAN)

·         Amy’s Wish with Wings

·         Carson’s Crusaders Foundation

·         Operation Once in a Lifetime

·         Just Because, Inc.

·         C.A.S.T. for Kids Foundation

·         Christmas Wish Project of Tarrant County

·         Dallas Leadership Foundation

·         AUsome Moms

·         Dallas Hope Charities

Arts

·         Art House Dallas

·         Texas Girls’ Choir

Medical

·         Black Heart Association

·         Cancer Care Services

·         Wipe Out Kids’ Cancer

Education

·         It’s a Sensory World Inc.

·         City House

·         Tarrant County Samaritan Housing Inc.

·         Dallas Furniture Bank

Grapevine AMBUCS is dedicated to creating mobility and independence for individuals with disabilities through weekly meetings; performing community service projects; providing AmTryke therapeutic tricycles to people with disabilities; awarding scholarships to therapy and vocational students; and building wheelchair ramps. More information about Grapevine AMBUCS is available at https://grapevineambucs.wildapricot.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 eight full-service dealerships representing luxury brands including 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.

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Land Rover DFW Competes In The TReK 2022 Competition

Land Rover DFW Members Roxie Byars, Juan Ramirez, and Teddy Clements recently completed the Land Rover TReK 2022 adventure off-road competition. The DFW team finished fourth out of 10 teams in their division. In total there were 100 three-person teams: 90 teams from across the U.S. and 10 from Canada.

“This trip started in Mahwah, New Jersey at Land Rover Headquarters,” explained Juan Ramirez, JLR DFW Service Advisor. “Then we drove 4.5 hours to Manchester, Vermont, one of Land Rover’s four North American Experience centers. We competed in a number of tasks including a one mile run relay as a team and driving the Defender through different obstacles where we received points based on accuracy and timing. We camped overnight in freezing weather and had to cook our own dinner on a small gas stove they provided. The experience showed us how well the Defender performs under any circumstance.”

Comprised of qualifying trials and finals utilizing the all-new Defender 110, the competition is designed to test some of the best driving experts across the U.S. and Canada in off-road driving, navigation and team collaboration.

The teams competed in 100 identically customized 2023 Land Rover Defender 110 vehicles with factory-approved accessories including a Remote-Control Electric Winch, Raised Air Intake, Roof Rack, Air Compressor, Front Undershield and Exterior Side Gear Carrier. Additionally, accessories from Lucky8 included TReK Edition badging, recovery bag and equipment, Roofnest Tent, Pull-out Awning, ARB refrigerator, Solar Panel, and more.

The first Land Rover TReK was held in 1996, and the competition continued in North America through 2003. It returned in 2019 with preliminaries at The Biltmore in North Carolina, another of Land Rover’s North American Experience centers. 

Located at 1300 East Highway 114, northwest of DFW Airport, Jaguar-Land Rover DFW is one of only 16 Land Rover retailers in the U.S. to earn the prestigious Pinnacle Retailer Excellence Award for exceptional sales, service and customer satisfaction.

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, 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.

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Chris Brunner Celebrates 30 Years with Park Place Dealerships

The automotive industry has evolved in the last 30 years and one local resident has seen incredible changes – from safety and design to elevating the client experience. Chris Brunner joined Park Place Dealerships in 1992 as an assistant sales manager and today, he manages one of the largest Lexus dealerships in the country.

Under Brunner’s leadership, Park Place Lexus Grapevine received a number one national ranking in customer satisfaction and has been recognized as an Elite of Lexus dealer 18 times. In 2005, the Park Place Lexus dealerships in Grapevine and Plano became the first automobile dealerships ever to win the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s highest Presidential honor for quality and organizational performance excellence. 

Brunner has been the General Manager at Park Place Lexus Plano since 2010.

“Chris is the epitome of leadership and customer service,” said Tony Carimi, Park Place Dealerships Managing Director. “He’s built an incredible team at Lexus Plano and is very committed to developing each Member into leaders in their own right.”

Greg Duerr, Lexus Plano Parts Director has worked with Brunner since 1995. “I don’t take that for granted, says Duerr. “Chris has a great sense for what clients expect, and he walks the talk of the Park Place Culture.”

Lexus Plano Finance Director Shiva Olumi recalls, “Chris has been a guide for the 21 years I’ve worked at Park Place. Regardless of the position you hold, he gets to know you and the things that are important to you. He has been the ultimate mentor to me. You see his influence in how pristine everything is when you walk in the Lexus dealership: the white orchids, the attention to detail, the laughter in the halls. He has created an energy and culture of family.” 

Katie Stutts, Brunner’s Administrative Assistant, says, “Chris is a great leader. He possesses a clear vision, is courageous, has integrity, and has a clear focus. Chris is a wonderful coach and always wants his members to succeed. He is a true leader, and we are honored to have him in our lives.” 

Brunner is very involved in supporting the Plano and North Texas communities, including working with Collin County Children’s Advocacy Center; SPCA of Collin County; My Possibilities; Samaritan Inn; Habitat for Humanity, and Plano, Allen and Prosper Teacher of the Year programs and Prize Patrols. When not at work, Chris enjoys spending time with his wife Amie and children Alexa and Camden.

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Porsche Challenge 2022 Restoration Unveiled

Park Place Porsche Dallas recently hosted the Maverick Region Porsche Club of America for a Coffee & Classics meet on a Saturday morning at the Lemmon Avenue dealership. The star attraction was the reveal of a Guards Red 1996 Porsche 911 (993) Carrera, which Porsche Dallas TechnicianSeantrel Sloan, 27, recently completed during a year-long restoration. 

“I’m honored our clients entrust me with their Classic Porsches,” said Sloan. “The skills and training I received from Park Place prepared me to do the quality of work I put into this amazing car.”

One of the biggest challenges of the restoration was sourcing parts for the nearly 30-year-old sports car. Park Place Porsche is entering the car in the 2022 Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge. The national competition requires all parts to be original manufacturer’s parts from Porsche.

During the 2021 Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge Sloan finished second in the nation with a 1990 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Targa he restored. Classic Porsche models from 40 dealerships around the U.S. competed in last year’s Challenge, including Porsche 356 models from as early as 1956, five generations of the 911, transaxle models like the 944, and 928, as well as modern classics such as the first-generation Boxster. Cars judged to be regional winners moved on to compete in the semifinals in each of the three U.S. Porsche sales areas. 

Sloan’s love of the Porsche brand began when he was just eight years old. “My grandfather bought me the “Need for Speed” video game dedicated to Porsches. I learned everything about every car in the game. And I fell in love with the brand…the heritage…the tradition. Every single car that I’ve touched in the shop, I’ve driven in the game. And now I’ve had the opportunity to drive those cars with my own hands and feet. To be a Porsche Classic Tech, and keep these cars on the road today, is an honor.”

Sloan grew up in Dallas, graduating in 2013 from Duncanville High School. He worked as a car washer/valet at Park Place while attending Universal Technical Institute (UTI) in Irving to receive his automotive technician certification, graduating in 2014. After serving two years in the U.S. Army, he returned to work at Porsche Dallas as a technician. He currently lives in Lancaster, Texas.