Jim O’Connor, Ford Motor Co.’s group vice president, North America marketing, sales and service, recently hosted the largest Ford Factory sale in history at Manheim Auto Auction in Manheim, Pa. The “homecoming” sale welcomed O’Connor back to the Northeast where he grew up.
The two-day sale drew more than 433 dealers from 21 states. O’Connor met with dealers on Oct. 16 before the 10 a.m. sale, in which 1,615 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury units were offered and sold in less than five hours. Another 700 vehicles were offered on Oct. 17.
“We were honored to host this sale, and we are proud of our relationship with Ford,” said Greg Gehman, general manager of Manheim Auto Auction. “Jim O’Connor has meant a great deal to this industry over the years, and it was very special for us to host this sale. Most important, the dealers in attendance had a great time and purchased a lot of great vehicles.”
Exclusively for franchise dealers, the sale offered prizes including handheld televisions, digital cameras, TV/ VCR combinations and grand-prize trip packages to Super Bowl XXXVIII in Houston, Texas.
“An event like this takes a lot of hard work and coordination,” said Linda Silverstein, Ford Motor Co. director, remarketing strategy. “We have a lot of people to thank, and we are very fortunate to have a great partner like Manheim. Greg Gehman and his team did an outstanding job. They hosted a first-class event. Everyone who attended enjoyed the fun football atmosphere, especially our Super Bowl package winners Pete Oties, Joseph Matysik, and Larry Giacchino.”
About Manheim
Manheim is a provider of automotive services to commercial sellers and automobile dealers. By offering multiple selling opportunities and services including reconditioning, certification, marshalling, title management, managed remarketing, repossession, end-of-lease-term management, retail inspection, vehicle transportation and dealer floor planning, Manheim says it impacts every stage of a used vehicle’s lifecycle.
Manheim is also a technology provider, supplying tools designed to help commercial sellers and dealers not only manage their businesses, but also realize the full value of their vehicles.
A wholly owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, Manheim is a global organization with 32,000 employees at its 124 worldwide locations.
