For many in North County, the Weseloh name is synonymous with automobiles.
It's no surprise, being that the family-owned company recently celebrated its 75th year of selling Chevy cars through numerous auto dealerships in San Diego County.
Such longevity is no easy feat and the company continues to thrive. Now operating as Weseloh Chevrolet Kia in Carlsbad, Weseloh has expanded to sell several other makes of cars in San Juan Capistrano.
The family, which is now into its fourth generation in the business, lost its patriarch, Ben Weseloh, on Christmas Day. He was 87.
Through nearly six decades, Ben Weseloh, who first became a Chevrolet dealer in 1950, established the Weseloh name in the region, expanding on the roots established by his father, Charles Bernard Weseloh, who turned his Ramona gas station into a subfranchise and, in 1936, a full Chevrolet dealer franchise. He later added a dealership in Escondido.
Weseloh opened in Oceanside in 1940. That location moved to Car Country Carlsbad on Labor Day 1976. Ben Weseloh led the company since 1955.
Since the beginning, Weseloh has operated on the "Golden Rule" philosophy, said Mike Weseloh, son of Ben and the current manager at Weseloh Chevrolet Kia.
"Dad preached it and he loved it," the third-generation automobile dealer said. "Naturally, that's how we want to treat our customers and our employees, but my dad would extend it beyond that to include everyone we would come in contact with as a company. That's the way he wanted us to do business, so that's our philosophy."
Mike added that the company continues to work hard to keep its well-earned reputation.
"We want our customers to be happy with the way we do business," Mike added. "It's not easy, but we work hard at it because that reputation, earned by working hard to keep our customers happy, is what has kept us in business for a long time."
Things appear to be on the right track.
Mike Weseloh has been nominated for the 2012 TIME Dealer of the Year Award. He'll be at the 95th Annual National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Convention and Exposition in Las Vegas on Feb. 4. It's a rare honor, one bestowed on only 50 dealers out of 17,000 nationwide. In 1990, Ben Weseloh was one of 60 dealers chosen to receive the award, which, according to his obituary, was the automotive award he was most proud of.
Now, on to the KUDOS.
KUDOS to all the finalists of the 2012 Annual Business Awards. The Chamber's annual gala and dinner, which has "The Sky is Limitless" as its theme, will be held Feb. 17 at the La Costa Resort and Spa. Tickets are available at www.carlsbad.org.
KUDOS to Steve Barr and Mayur Pavagadhi, owners of the Paon Restaurant & Wine Bar for opening up another great restaurant in Carlsbad Village. This time it's Catch Carlsbad (660 Carlsbad Village Drive) which offers sustainable seafood and excellent sushi. Visit them online at www.catchcarlsbad.com.
KUDOS to Souplantation Express for celebrating the first anniversary of its Souplantation Express quick-serve restaurant in the Bressi Ranch Village Center, 2681 Gateway Road.
KUDOS to the Encinitas Sylvan Learning Center for being recognized by its parent company as one of the Top 10 centers in Student Academic Growth. The local center scored in the top 10 of all Sylvan Learning centers, which include more than 880 in North America. Encinitas Sylvan Center serves more than 6,000 students locally.
KUDOS to Thom Underwood, a graduate gemologist of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), who received the Accredited Gemologists Association's 2012 Antonio C. Bonanno Award for his contributions to the international gem and jewelry industry. The award encourages ongoing research, education, and public outreach in the gemological field. Underwood will be honored on Feb. 1. Further KUDOS go to Underwood, who will donate his $2,000 winnings to the southeast San Diego-based Elementary Institute of Science (EIS), an organization that provides afterschool and summer programs focused on science to children in the community. His contribution will fund the transportation of 80 EIS students to GIA's Carlsbad world headquarters to participate in the GIA Junior Gemologist Program.
Send suggestions for kudos to Carlsbad Business Journal Editor Jos? A. L?pez at [email protected].
It's no surprise, being that the family-owned company recently celebrated its 75th year of selling Chevy cars through numerous auto dealerships in San Diego County.
Such longevity is no easy feat and the company continues to thrive. Now operating as Weseloh Chevrolet Kia in Carlsbad, Weseloh has expanded to sell several other makes of cars in San Juan Capistrano.
The family, which is now into its fourth generation in the business, lost its patriarch, Ben Weseloh, on Christmas Day. He was 87.
Through nearly six decades, Ben Weseloh, who first became a Chevrolet dealer in 1950, established the Weseloh name in the region, expanding on the roots established by his father, Charles Bernard Weseloh, who turned his Ramona gas station into a subfranchise and, in 1936, a full Chevrolet dealer franchise. He later added a dealership in Escondido.
Weseloh opened in Oceanside in 1940. That location moved to Car Country Carlsbad on Labor Day 1976. Ben Weseloh led the company since 1955.
Since the beginning, Weseloh has operated on the "Golden Rule" philosophy, said Mike Weseloh, son of Ben and the current manager at Weseloh Chevrolet Kia.
"Dad preached it and he loved it," the third-generation automobile dealer said. "Naturally, that's how we want to treat our customers and our employees, but my dad would extend it beyond that to include everyone we would come in contact with as a company. That's the way he wanted us to do business, so that's our philosophy."
Mike added that the company continues to work hard to keep its well-earned reputation.
"We want our customers to be happy with the way we do business," Mike added. "It's not easy, but we work hard at it because that reputation, earned by working hard to keep our customers happy, is what has kept us in business for a long time."
Things appear to be on the right track.
Mike Weseloh has been nominated for the 2012 TIME Dealer of the Year Award. He'll be at the 95th Annual National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Convention and Exposition in Las Vegas on Feb. 4. It's a rare honor, one bestowed on only 50 dealers out of 17,000 nationwide. In 1990, Ben Weseloh was one of 60 dealers chosen to receive the award, which, according to his obituary, was the automotive award he was most proud of.
Now, on to the KUDOS.
KUDOS to all the finalists of the 2012 Annual Business Awards. The Chamber's annual gala and dinner, which has "The Sky is Limitless" as its theme, will be held Feb. 17 at the La Costa Resort and Spa. Tickets are available at www.carlsbad.org.
KUDOS to Steve Barr and Mayur Pavagadhi, owners of the Paon Restaurant & Wine Bar for opening up another great restaurant in Carlsbad Village. This time it's Catch Carlsbad (660 Carlsbad Village Drive) which offers sustainable seafood and excellent sushi. Visit them online at www.catchcarlsbad.com.
KUDOS to Souplantation Express for celebrating the first anniversary of its Souplantation Express quick-serve restaurant in the Bressi Ranch Village Center, 2681 Gateway Road.
KUDOS to the Encinitas Sylvan Learning Center for being recognized by its parent company as one of the Top 10 centers in Student Academic Growth. The local center scored in the top 10 of all Sylvan Learning centers, which include more than 880 in North America. Encinitas Sylvan Center serves more than 6,000 students locally.
KUDOS to Thom Underwood, a graduate gemologist of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), who received the Accredited Gemologists Association's 2012 Antonio C. Bonanno Award for his contributions to the international gem and jewelry industry. The award encourages ongoing research, education, and public outreach in the gemological field. Underwood will be honored on Feb. 1. Further KUDOS go to Underwood, who will donate his $2,000 winnings to the southeast San Diego-based Elementary Institute of Science (EIS), an organization that provides afterschool and summer programs focused on science to children in the community. His contribution will fund the transportation of 80 EIS students to GIA's Carlsbad world headquarters to participate in the GIA Junior Gemologist Program.
Send suggestions for kudos to Carlsbad Business Journal Editor Jos? A. L?pez at [email protected].