AMSOIL ACTION NEWS / AUGUST 2010
In the September 2007 issue of the Action News magazine I used this column to congratulate a Dealer for an achievement that had never been realized before. Michigan Dealer Dave Mann had become the first 6-Star Regency Platinum Direct Jobber in AMSOIL history. Today, congratulations are in order again. Dave has now become our first 7-Star Regency Platinum Direct Jobber.
For those who are unfamiliar with Dave’s background, he graduated from Western Michigan University in 1988 with a degree in automotive and mechanical engineering. Upon graduation, he accepted a job at Ford Motor Company as an engineer specializing primarily in powertrain and chassis systems. While at Ford, Dave became involved with Roush Racing, where he ultimately became familiar with AMSOIL products. Lubrication, according to Dave, became his passion..
After using AMSOIL products for several years, Dave became a Dealer in 1999. He was still working long hours at Ford, but managed to find enough time to get his AMSOIL business off the ground. It wasn’t easy at first, Dave admits, and his commission checks were slow to grow.
Dave persisted and in 2003 quit his job at Ford and launched himself full-time into his AMSOIL business. His initial focus, which he maintains today, was on the Internet. It allowed him to capitalize on his extensive automotive and powersports background. He began connecting with individuals who shared similar interests. Dave never looked back.
As impressive as Dave’s AMSOIL career has been, however, he will be the first to admit that it hasn’t come easy. Hard work, Dave will attest, has been the foundation of his success.
Dave Mann’s position as our lone 7-Star Regency Platinum Direct Jobber won’t last long, however. In next month’s issue of the Action News, Direct Jobbers Bill and Donna Durand from Superior, Wisconsin will join Dave on the extremely short list of 7-Star Directs.
I first met Bill in 1974 while I was still serving as the squadron commander at the Duluth, Minnesota Air Base. Bill was a major, about to finish off 20 years of service. Because of his aviation experience, he was familiar with synthetic lubrication and took immediate interest in the opportunity to become an AMSOIL Dealer. He was so anxious, in fact, that he wanted to retire from the military and dive full-time into his Dealership. I suggested quite firmly that he finish his 20 years and earn his military pension. There would be plenty of time, I told him, to grow his business with AMSOIL. Bill finished out his 20 years, earned his pension and became full-time AMSOIL in 1976. He and Donna took off from there, and to this day I can’t break him of the habit of calling me “Colonel.”
Congratulations are also in order for Regency Platinum Direct Jobbers David and Carol Bell. The Texas couple has achieved the 5-star level, joining only Minnesota Direct Jobbers Ray and Arlene Schmit at that plateau.
Both David and Carol enjoyed successful careers prior to becoming AMSOIL Dealers. For 25 years David worked for an engineering and construction company out of Houston that built gasoline and petrochemical facilities. He worked himself up through the ranks and ultimately earned the title of Design Coordinator- Material Control.
Carol was a high school Latin teacher for 24 years. She maintains that her teaching career prepared her for her AMSOIL career, in that she spent a great deal of time “selling” Latin to her students. Carol was instrumental in building large Latin programs from virtually the ground up in both Tyler and Austin, Texas.
Prior to selecting AMSOIL, David and Carol randomly called Dealers throughout the country to determine the company’s “integrity and business practices.” They liked what they heard and were ultimately drawn to AMSOIL by our Commercial and Retail-on-the-Shelf Programs. David and Carol became Dealers in 1988.
While I certainly suspect that the Direct Jobbers we have included here will move on to even greater success, I suspect also that we have not yet scratched the surface. Congratulations Dave Mann, Bill and Donna Durand, and David and Carol Bell. And congratulations in advance to the many Dealers who will one day guide their businesses to similar levels of achievement. There is no reason why each and every AMSOIL Dealer can’t make that happen.