Page 16 - NV4TH2019

Page 12

Big winner

Parade supporter Connie Holzer honored by Ford, city, state

When those shiny pick-up trucks
pass by during the Northville 4th of
July Parade, one of the spectators
cheering the loudest is Connie Holzer
who each year donates the use of the
vehicles and staffing to the parade.
Holzer, the owner of Tom Holzer
Ford, was recently honored by Ford
Motor Co., Ford Motor Credit Corp.,
The City of Farmington Hills and the
State of Michigan as one of the best
performing dealerships in the country.
Friends, co-workers, customers and
dignitaries crowded the showroom
recently week to help celebrate the
honors, two of which came as a sur-
prise to Holzer. While she was expect-
ing the Ford awards, the city honor and
state certificate took her by surprise-
which isn't an easy feat, her staff mem-
bers confirmed.
Holzer has been at the helm of the
dealership since the death of her hus-
band in 2006. His death after 51 years
of marriage came just as the economic
recession was looming and car sales
plummeting. Holzer was faced with
some significant challenges and very
difficult decisions. She had worked in
the business as she was able, having
six children before the age of 24, and
had seen firsthand the demanding
schedule a successful dealership
requires of an owner.
“After Tom's death, I came to the Connie Holzer shows off a few of the awards presented to her by Ford Motor,
dealership and my son, Buzzy, who was Ford Motor Credit, the City of Farmington Hills and the State of Michigan.
the general manager, told me that if I “I told them if you believe in me, largest dealership in Metro Detroit,
was going to sell the business, I needed we'll make it together,” she said. “If not, and the 12th largest in the country and
to have a meeting with the staff and tell we'll go broke together. This dealer- is one of the top 100 volume sales pro-
them that myself. Nobody else was ship, the awards, this is the product of ducers in the country, Ford officials
going to do it,” she said during the them. This team of mine, they do it, not said.
award presentations last month. She me,” she said. “I have the best team in “The top 100 dealerships delivered
said she went home and thought about the country.” top volume,” said Mike Murphy,
the situation, made sure she could Holzer said she was overwhelmed regional manager with Ford Motor Co.
mortgage her home to help fund the with the presentation of the most pres- who presented one of the several
business and went back to talk to the tigious and coveted awards Ford pres- awards to Holzer. “They are good-but
employees. ents. Tom Holzer Ford is the fifth great ones perform magic and magic