DCH Newsletter Spring 2013

Spring 2013
Employee Newsletter
Winner of the
“Name the Newsletter”
Contest
We wanted to thank the many people who submitted
names for the newsletter. There were several good ideas
but one said it all. As you can see by the banner atop
this first page, your employee newsletter is now called
“DCH Proud out Loud”. As we see it, this newsletter is a
celebration of us all at DCH. The winner of this submission
is Dana Rodriguez, Variable Operations Trainer - Eastern
Region. We want to congratulate Dana for her entry.
The DCH Employee
Emergency Relief Fund
The DCH Employee Emergency Relief Fund was created
in the aftermath of Super Storm Sandy that devastated
parts of the New Jersey-New York area and gravely
affected the lives of DCH Auto Group team members.
DCH Chairman Shau-wai Lam and the DCH Executive
Board decided to provide assistance to those in need
based on the outcome of the storm.
The Employee Emergency Relief Fund provides financial
assistance to eligible employees of DCH Auto Group or its
affiliates and their dependents who have been the victims of
a natural disaster such as a hurricane, flood, fire, earthquake
and other emergency events, particularly when it leads to
loss of income, loss of home, or death.
To be eligible for a relief grant from the Fund, regular
full time or regular part time employees must make an
annual IRS tax-deductible contribution to the fund of at
least twenty dollars ($20) to receive a Relief Grant from
The Foundation. This is done through a payroll deduction.
The deadline for participation in 2013 is June 30th.
Information about the program is located on the Compli
system at: Compli/Policies/Charitable Foundation SPD. If you
have additional questions, please contact Gene Hallenbeck,
Vice President of Human Resources at (732) 952-0220.
This is YOUR Newsletter!
Submit your ideas for articles, features,
pictures etc. to your Manager who will
forward to Human Resources. Let’s be
Proud Out Loud together!
Pictured left to right: Cathy Strauss, Freehold Nissan; Beth O’Connell,
Freehold Toyota; Mary Ann Lamourt, HR; Lisa Ocasio, Brunswick Toyota;
Dana Rodriguez & Susan Scarola, Corporate; Carrie Ferrantino, HR; Laura
Rivadeneira, Paramus Honda
Professional Women’s
Association
DCH recognizes that diversity in our workforce makes us
stronger and more successful. Our mission is to advance
and empower women in the DCH organization to grow
their careers within the DCH Family. The vision of DCH’s
Female Talent Management Strategy is to help create
and sustain a diverse DCH organization where women
feel optimized and empowered.
Working with a Core Team of volunteers to organize
the group of over 35 women representing all of the East
Region dealerships, they have formed workgroups and
are diving into the research and planning phase of the
project. We believe the results of this initiative will be
ground breaking for DCH and for women in the Auto
Dealership industry. Once the group is firmly established
in the East they will begin seeking membership in the
West Region.
We launched this initiative late last summer, through
a survey of all women in the DCH Auto Group Family.
Overwhelmingly, respondents indicated an interest in a
women’s network at DCH and in supporting DCH Auto
Group in achieving its goals.
The DCH Professional Women’s Association is a key focus
area for the Company. It is considered important to DCH’s
strategy and therefore critical to DCH Auto Group’s
success. We thank you in advance for your support of
DCH Professional Women’s Association (PWA).
The first event that the PWA supported outside of DCH
was The Women’s Fund of NJ-Power of the Purse event
held at BMW of Bloomfield on March 7. Several members
of the Core Team attended the event to network, get the
word out about the PWA and hand out the DCH bags.
DCH Proud Out Loud
With the first quarter of the year behind us, I wanted
to let all of you know how proud I am of DCH team
members. I am definitely “DCH Proud Out Loud” when it
comes to the way we conduct our business and achieve
results.
There are many things to recognize and celebrate. We
continue to receive awards and accolades inside and
outside our industry. When people look at DCH, they
see an organization that cares about the customer, the
employee and the community.
This year we launched two very important programs in
DCH. In the east coast we are piloting the Professional
Women’s Association and across the country, DCH began
the Employee Emergency Relief Fund. I am very proud of
these efforts and you can read about them in this issue
of the newsletter.
George Liang, President
As I look ahead for the second quarter, I see tremendous
opportunity in the different sectors of our business.
With our business positioned to grow and core talent on
board, we are excited about realizing those opportunities
in the months ahead.
Your managers have been receiving training on new
processes. We are counting on them to guide and help
you to be successful in your daily work efforts. It is my
sincere belief that by having a coaching culture in DCH,
we will become the dealer of choice and the employer
of choice!
I wish you much success this quarter and look forward
to sharing more success stories with you in the next
newsletter.
George Liang
DCH Awards and Notable Achievements
A. Manufacturer’s Awards:
1. Acura Precision Team Award: DCH Tustin Acura
(10 in total and 9 consecutively), and DCH Montclair
Acura (5 times.)
2. Honda President’s Award: DCH Academy Honda
(8 times.)
3. Toyota President’s Award: DCH Freehold Toyota
(15 times), DCH Brunswick Toyota (5 times), DCH
Wappingers Falls Toyota (4 times) and DCH Toyota of
Oxnard (9 times)
4. Audi Magna Society Elite Award (only 11 winners in the
country): DCH Millburn Audi (2 times)
5. Audi Magna Society Award: DCH Audi Oxnard (2 times)
6. Elite of Lexus Award: DCH Lexus of Oxnard (11 times)
and DCH Lexus of Santa Barbara (first year)
B. DealerRater Dealers of the year in the states our dealerships represent:
1. DCH Freehold Toyota
2. DCH Wappingers Falls Toyota
3. DCH Toyota of Simi Valley
4. DCH Academy Honda
5. DCH Audi Oxnard
C. Edmunds.com Premier Dealer Award:
1. DCH Academy Honda
2. DCH Torrance Toyota
D. Automotive News Top 100 Best Dealers to Work For:
1. DCH Tustin Acura
2. DCH Millburn Audi
Pictured Left to Right: Helen Leung, Shau-wai Lam, Brian Lam, George Liang
Welcome Helen Leung to the 40 Year Club
Celebrating 40 Years with DCH, Helen joins Shau-Wai Lam (46),
T.Y. Lai (43), and K.C. Hui (45)
Helen Leung came to work for DCH in
April of 1973. Helen started working for our
corporate office on 34th Street & Madison
Avenue in New York, in the accounting
office. In 1984, after 11 years working in
corporate, Helen moved to the accounting
office in DCH Paramus Honda, where she has
been a bookkeeper. Helen keeps a positive
attitude and enjoys working for the DCH
family. Helen’s hard work and dedication has
not gone unnoticed. Helen enjoys her own
parking spot at DCH Paramus Honda, a very
rare and coveted piece of property!! DCH
management and team members appreciate
Helen’s service and would like to take this
opportunity to congratulate Helen Leung for
40 years of service and dedication with DCH
Auto Group!
Helen comments, “Working for DCH for 40
years has been a very big honor.”
!
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DCH Toyota of
Simi Valley
Employee Awards &
Certifications:
We celebrate the Employee of the Year ; last year it
was: Samantha Bender – Warranty Administrator and
Christine Bender - Service Assistant
DCH Toyota of Simi Valley has been involved in many
community based activities over past months. Some of
them are listed below:
Not One More (Car Show), Simi Valley Boy Scout Troop
698, Moorpark College Athletics, Simi Valley High School
(Basketball, Football), Royal High School (SADD, Marching
Band, Basketball), Simi Valley Education Fund, Valley
Middle School, Right Road Kids (Atherwood Elementary
School; Justin Elementary School), Troop Turkey Drive,
Simi Valley Good Samaritan Center, Toys for Tots, Hillside
Middle School (SADD), Breast Cancer Bake Sale.
Christine Bender
Samantha Bender
Dawn Robertson, Michael Dowl, Nick Dunlea, Cynthia Frank,
Samantha Bender, Dahlia Gonzalez
Samantha Bender (left) and
Michael Dowl (far right)
Wappingers Falls Toyota won the 2013 NY Toyota Dealer of the year from DealerRater.com for the 2nd year in a row. We’re Number 1!!
DCH Wappingers Falls Toyota
Our Presidents’ Day was spent with local K-107FM DJ
Wolfman, as we raffled off a 2-year lease on a 2013
Camry. The winner, Rhesa Lewis-Pousada is very happy.
At DCH Wappingers Falls Toyota Employee of The Month
receives a gift card and the coveted best parking spot.
Winners of this quarter were Naeem Randall, Dina Gaillard
and Greg Rizzuto.
Naeem Randall
Greg Rizzuto
Dina Gaillard
K 107’s Woodman, Rhesa Lewis-Pousada, Michael Limata, Daryl Callahan
Construction continues on our new building
DCH Offers Defensive
Driving Course for
Parents and Teens
Early in March, the DCH Teen Safe Driving Foundation
held its first defensive driving course – DCH-Impact
Defensive Driving – on the campus of DCH dealers in
Temecula, CA.
The curriculum for the DCH-Impact Defensive Driving
Course was developed through a partnership between
the DCH Teen Safe Driving Foundation and Impact Teen
Drivers, a California-based teen safe driving education
and advocacy group, and is designed for teens and
parents alike.
Teens learn the difference between driving and defensive
driving, how to identify dangerous driving situations, and
identify the common vehicle maintenance issues that
have an adverse effect on safety.
Parents learn the importance of good communication
between them and their teens about driving, how to
establish rules with their teen about driving, and facts
about Graduated Driver License laws.
The course requires the participation of a parent or
guardian, so that parents can continue to act as role
models and teachers at home.
The next DCH-Impact Defensive Driving course was
held on May 11 at DCH Tustin Acura, during Global Youth
Traffic Safety Month.
Toyota of Oxnard
At Oxnard’s Marina West Elementary School, Tim
Laubacher, Financial Services director at DCH Toyota of
Oxnard, had the chance to be part of the “Principal for
a Day” program and witness firsthand the procedures
teachers are using to keep their students safe.
Tim was one of 19 business and community leaders
invited to shadow an Oxnard school’s top administrator.
The Principal for a Day program was started by Oxnard
School District Superintendent Jeff Chancer last year.
Marina West Principal Anna Thomas said she welcomes
the chance to show people what happens in schools.
During a question-and-answer period with the students,
Tim was asked about his experiences as a student at
Fremont Intermediate School.
DCH and Global Youth
Traffic Safety Month
May is Global Youth Traffic Safety Month when attention
across the globe is focused on the dangers teens face
behind the wheel of a car. DCH dealerships will be joining
other youth safety groups and organizations to highlight
issues of teen auto safety.
For the month of May each DCH dealership will display a
large gray ribbon, the logo and symbol for Global Youth
Traffic Safety Month, on showroom and service facility
windows. The displays will prominently show that DCH
cares and supports efforts to reduce the number of teen
car-related tragedies.
DCH Dealerships, partnered with local High School SADD
(Students Against Destructive Decisions) Chapters, will
hold events to bring awareness to this cause and DCH’s
work within the community. These events will range
from safe driving demonstrations to fundraisers for
SADD chapters, to parent-teen defensive driving courses.
Brain Injury Alliance
Honors Roy Bavaro &
DCH Teen Safe Driving
Foundation
Roy Bavaro, Director
of Corporate
Marketing and
Executive Director
of the DCH Teen
Safe Driving
Foundation, accepts
the Brain Injury
Alliance of New
Jersey 2013 Gala
Honor. The award
honors individuals
who have made
significant
contributions to
advancing the
quality of life in New
Jersey. The Brian
Injury Alliance of
New Jersey honored
the DCH Teen Safe
Roy Bavaro
Driving Foundation
and Roy for the Foundation’s work with teens and young
drivers.
Employee Recognition:
DCH Freehold Toyota
Technicians Named
Regional Quality
Champions
The Toyota Quality Champions are a small number
of Master or Diagnostic Technicians nationally who
currently submit a significant number of high quality
Dealer Product Reports on a regular basis. These
Technicians are “Toyota advocates”, people who
Susan Scarola selected
as an honoree by CIANJ
The Commerce and Industry Assoc. of NJ (CIANJ)
Chairman Tracy Straka hosted a reception to honor
“Women of Influence”, a special tribute to a select group
of New Jersey’s women business leaders. This elite
group was recognized at an evening event, including an
awards ceremony on May 6. Special Guest, Lt. Governor
Kim Guadagno was in attendance to salute Women
of Influence including DCH Vice Chairman, Susan Scarola.
Jason Cohen of DCH
Brunswick Toyota,
quoted in Article for
CRM.com
Market Focus: Automotive Dealers
Go Digital
Auto sellers respond to customers with
online options.
By Leonard Klie
Today’s car buying process begins long before a customer
sets foot in the showroom, making it increasingly
important for dealerships to have a strong online
presence and reputation.
Chris Juliano, David Okun
already believe in the Brand and care about it enough
to consistently devote their own time and effort into
making high quality DPR’s.
Chris Juliano and David Okun were chosen as regional
Quality Champions since they have been among the top
ten technicians in the region in submissions of quality
product reports last year and this year. The Toyota
Quality Champion is considered and “elite status” beyond
Master Diagnostic status of the Toyota Certification
Program. Chris and David have set themselves apart
from the majority of technicians have both met this
criteria. Their high quality Dealer Product Reports has
helped engineers worldwide to identify and correct
quality issues and improve the Toyota product and
enhance the customer experience. In recognition of this
Chris and David were invited to participate in the Toyota
Quality Champions Program. Congratulations to Chris
and David.
Recent research from J.D. Power & Associates found that
79 percent of consumers looking to buy or lease a new
car use the Internet in their purchasing decisions, and
visit an average of 1.4 dealerships before buying, down
from 4.5 in 2005.
This trend is requiring dealerships to rethink their sales
and marketing strategies.
“Our digital storefront is very important to us,” says
Jason Cohen, BDC Manager at DCH Brunswick Toyota.
“Customers visiting our Web site are more likely to buy
from us, so we are trying to draw as much traffic to our
site as possible.”
Other tools can automatically generate and send price
quotes to Web site visitors while they’re checking out
car models online. DCH Brunswick Toyota uses a whitelabeled Digital Salesperson solution.
At DCH Brunswick Toyota, Cohen says he maintains
accounts on all the major social sites, “not so much as a
lead generation tool but as a brand recognition tool.”
TASTY TIPS FOR
Eating Smart
at Work
TASTY
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This Employee Newsletter brought to you by
Your Human Resource Team:
Gene Hallenbeck, VP, Human Resources
Eastern Region
Carrie Ferrantino & Mary Ann Lamourt
Western Region
Mike Johnson & Al Rubio
DCH Auto Group
955 Route 9 N., South Amboy, NJ 08879
Designating a
beneficiary for your
DCH Retirement Plan
account
In the event of your death, your DCH Retirement Plan
account beneficiary designation determines who will
receive your vested account balance at the time of
your death. Many people mistakenly believe their Will
or other estate planning documents determine the
beneficiary of their company-sponsored retirement
programs, however the DCH Retirement Plan
beneficiary election that you have on file takes priority
over other legal documents.
Without a designated beneficiary, the Plan will
determine a beneficiary within the confines of ERISA
rules, and your vested account balance may not be
distributed in the manner you intended at the time of
your death.
A lack of a beneficiary may also delay your DCH ESOP
account from being liquidated since that plan uses
the same beneficiary you assigned to your 401(k)
account as well.
Estate settlements can be a lengthy process and you
may want your loved ones to have access to your
Retirement Plan accounts quicker you’re your holdings
can be reconciled. That is why it is so important to have
beneficiary information on file.
To view and/or update your Retirement Plan beneficiary
information:
Sign on to your account on the Wells Fargo
Retirement Plan Website: https://www.wellsfargo.
com/retirementplan/wrs/
Select the My Account tab at the top of the page,
then choose
My Profile Link, then
Manage Beneficiary links.
A screen will appear for you to add or update your
beneficiary information. You can also identify
whether the beneficiary is primary or contingent.
Special rules apply for not assigning a married
spouse as your beneficiary. Please contact Wells
Fargo Customer Support at 1-800-377-9188 for
forms and additional information.
You can enter more than one beneficiary by clicking
the Add Beneficiary button.
Click Save and exit out of your account.