OUR PARTS STAFF & MANAGEMENT
Over 35 years of maintaining and customizing THE ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINE! |
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I paid my way through college working on motorcycles. After graduation I became interested in racing, got my professional license, and pursued that passion for five years until a bad accident prompted me to rethink my career options.
I rented an old gas station and started fixing motorcycles, BMWs, and all kinds of things. It was at this point – in the mid-seventies – that I began to buy parts from Otto’s, building a relationship that has deepened over time. I sold that business and moved into parts, ultimately operating two stores. But a changing marketplace led me to sell once again.
In January 1989 I came to work here. As parts manager, I set the tone and craft the performance levels to meet or exceed BMW’s standards. The net result for the consumer is that we have what they want, when they need it. I also oversee environmental issues and am the dealership’s health and safety officer. It’s my job to make sure we comply with all appropriate regulations to protect our staff, our customers, and our community. Because this has always been a family business, I think we all take extra pride in our performance. My whole philosophy is that I like to do things the right way – to always give 110%.
As you can tell from my background, I’m very interested in mechanical things and love to work with my hands. I have a sixteen-acre farm with seven buildings and lots of equipment that keep me occupied. Beyond that, I love to read and I spend a lot of time in the library. With the kids in college, my wife and I are looking forward to traveling more and pursuing other interests. One of those is a new black Harley Sportster. Some things never change. | | |
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| Parts Wholesale Advisor |
| Francis (Tripp) Ginther |
Phone: 610-399-4173
Fax: 610-399-4147
tginther@ottosbmw.com | |
Most people call me Tripp, a shorthand version of Francis Ginther the third. I started out in this business back in 1991 as a counterman selling aftermarket parts for a wholesaler. From there I took a job researching and cataloging OEM parts information for aftermarket manufacturers. I was actually contemplating getting out of the automotive business when I heard about an opening here.
My day consists largely of fielding calls, faxes, and walk-ins from independent repair and body shops. I talk to people at BMW on a daily basis about product updates, technical information, and other issues.
There’s a lot of communication between us and the factory – and that’s something that separates BMW from other manufacturers.
I grew up in a family that was always involved in automotive-related pursuits. I consider myself third generation. My grandfather sold heavy-duty truck parts back in the early 1920s. My father road-raced a Lola Osca Mark I in the 1950s, and in fact, is in the process of restoring that car today. And I used to have a BMW M3 and a 1969 GTO, both with engines I modified in extreme ways to get truly impressive horsepower. I’m married now with a small child, so those days of fooling with cars are over for the time being. | | |
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I’ve known about Otto’s since I was fifteen. I used to drive by the dealership on my way to Betty’s, our family’s very successful restaurant just south of here on Route 202. I left there in 1991 to start my own business selling promotional products and corporate gifts. I was pretty successful: in the mid-nineties, my company won the Wharton Business School “Philly 100” award two years in a row.
Then I got married, sold my business, had kids, and as often happens, decided I wanted to get back into the workforce. I thought I’d apply for a job here – not even knowing they had a boutique. When I learned they had an opening for this position, I suggested that I would be really well-suited for it – and I think I am.
By any definition, this is not an ordinary shop. The quality of our stock is excellent. Much of it is Gear for Sport, a brand widely-admired for its very high quality. We have merchandise to suit those who are really proud of their cars and want others to know it, as well as for those who prefer making a more subtle statement.
Our goal is to maintain a real freshness in what we carry, making sure we have new items in here on a monthly basis. And if there’s anything anyone wants that we don’t have, we will order it and have it here in a few days.
Outside of my time here, I’m very involved with my children’s activities, such as baseball, horseback riding, and marching band. I like the beach and I like to ski. I also enjoy collecting copper jewelry – mostly pins – from the 1950s. | | |
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I graduated from Villanova University as a political science major, and considered continuing my education in either law or public policy. Although I had some attractive options, I decided to get out into the world and start my career. Looking for opportunities in sales and management, I took a job with a franchised company that sold foreign aftermarket auto parts. I worked there twenty-five years and ended up managing their largest operation. It was only when the company fell on hard times that I left.
It was my longtime acquaintance with Ed Danser, our Parts Manager, that led me here to Otto's - and it was the right move. I think my temperament and years of accumulated product knowledge make this a real fit. I like being around people, and try to be friendly, helpful, and hard-working. The atmosphere is excellent, and we all do what we can to maintain a pleasant working environment.
I used to be very involved in local politics. I served on the Chester County Planning Commission for twelve years, was a committeeman for over twenty years, and managed successful political campaigns for three of the most recent sitting county commissioners. In fact, if I had not moved to Delaware and decided to get out of politics, I think there's a good chance I would have been the next nominee for that post.
I enjoy working on my home, and spend time gardening and landscaping. I was a golfer, but just don't find I have the time anymore. I still enjoy talking sports and politics here in the department..
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I guess you could say I fell into this position. I had been a landscape designer for a couple of local firms, and was about to start my own landscaping business when, while on the job, I broke my leg pretty badly. I was strongly advised to find a new line of work that would be a bit easier on my body. After interviewing with a major capital investment company, I realized I really couldn’t see myself doing the 9-to-5 “suit thing” and decided to apply for a position here. Though I had no experience in this field, the move was easier than one might have imagined.
Growing up I had a passion for cars, dirt bikes, and motorcycles, and my father was also a big automotive enthusiast. As a young man he owned several vintage Jaguars and
Porsche, and used to compete in autocross and road races. So it’s definitely in the genes.
Even though I had never worked in Parts, I’ve discovered it has a number of things in common with a job I had right after college. I had moved out to Colorado to pursue my passion for snowboarding, and earned my living as a sous-chef. I learned that both here and in the kitchen you’ve got to move quickly and think on your feet. It’s very fast-paced, and requires keeping your work organized and your mind focused.
Shortly after getting married in March of '05, my wife and I bought our first house. So it looks like for awhile, my time away from Otto's will be spent working on the new home and the new marriage. My life has definitely moved to a different stage – and it feels great! | | |
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Music and cars have always been my central interests in life. I started playing baritone sax in the fourth grade, and by the time I got to high school, I was into jazz in a significant way. Our big band used to go to competitions at the Berklee College of Music in Boston every year, and those experiences intrigued me enough that I decided to enroll. It was pretty intense, so after a couple of years I took a semester off. As things turned out, I never went back. Instead I ended up buying a BMW, settling down, and getting a job – at Otto’s.
Of course I was a customer here before I was an employee. I bought my first BMW when I was seventeen – an ’83 320is – and I was hooked. Both the person who sold it to me and the mechanic he recommended told me about Otto’s, so I started coming here to get the harder-to-find parts I needed for my car. And it was that same mechanic several years later who alerted me to the job opening in the Parts Department.
I feel like I had an advantage when I came to Otto’s because my father, who’s an engineer and a multiple-BMW owner himself, always encouraged me to be a hands-on guy. We worked together on that first 3 Series I bought, which is really where I began to build my general knowledge of these cars.
I really enjoy it here. There’s always something more to learn with the newer models, and that keeps me on my toes. I also like the interactional part of the job, sharing stories with other BMW owners, and hearing their points of views. I think being able to relate to customers makes their experience here better – and my job more satisfying. | | |
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I was born and raised in Georgia, and like many kids down South, I was behind the wheel very early. I remember my dad allowing me to steer when I was around eight, and letting me drive to school at fourteen. That was pretty common where I grew up.
My earliest memory of working around cars was when I was in about second grade. After I got older, my dad and my brother Christopher, helped me work on a car that I still have today: a 1971 VW Beetle. And it was Dad who encouraged me to get my first job at a tire shop in the neighborhood where I worked twelve hours a day during the summer, and after school the rest of the year.
Once I moved up here, I decided to look for an automotive position that involved a little less manual labor, and a little more customer service - which is why when there was an opening in the Parts Department, I jumped on it. It's been great working at Otto's, and having the opportunity to drive all the various models. Seeing how well BMWs handle was a real eye-opener for me.
My three favorite things are cars, people, and music. I used to deejay at bars and nightclubs in the area, but other responsibilities have led me to cut back on that. For recreation I love playing with my dog and riding my Yamaha motorcycle. | |
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| Parts Receptionist &
Cashier |
| Kate Hoy |
Phone: 610-399-8070
Fax: 610-399-4601
khoy@ottosbmw.com
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I’d have to say there was a certain
amusing inevitability about my working at a BMW dealership. I can trace it back
to the day my father took me to the Philadelphia Auto Show and we found
ourselves in front of a gorgeous 325i convertible. There I was, a suddenly
smitten six-year-old, tugging her dad’s sleeve and saying with complete
confidence, “that’s going to be my car!”
The funny part of that story is that my father, the general manager and part
owner of a Volvo-Saab dealership, naturally saw my guileless declaration as
nothing short of treasonous. And to this day, he still teases me about it.
I worked with my dad for years, doing many of the same things at his dealership
that this job entails. As a consequence, most of my training here focused on
product information – the sorts of things that distinguish BMW from competitors,
like the comprehensive maintenance warranty. I love being able to say to
customers after their service visit, “You owe us nothing today – all we need is
your signature and you’re free to go.”
I also appreciate the fact that I’m often the first and last person our
customers see, which means I get the opportunity to make the best initial – and
final – impression on behalf of the dealership. I meet an average of 60 new
people every day, and I challenge myself to remember everyone’s name.
The only thing I love more than cars – and my family – is sports. I was always
athletic growing up, and was very involved in baseball, soccer, field hockey,
even figure skating. Actually, my true “dream job” would be writing for a local
paper and being assigned to cover the Phillies. I have an adorable nephew with
whom I spend a lot of time, much of it teaching him the basics points of
America’s pastime.
Even my dog loves sports. I have two very cute Jack Russell Terriers, and one of
them likes nothing better than playing tennis with me. I’ll serve the ball,
he’ll grab it, trot back around the net, and drop it at my feet.
Characteristically for the breed, he never seems to tire.
I’m also a huge movie buff and have something like 450 DVDs. I enjoy cooking,
and if I could get the time off, would travel extensively. Oh, and that BMW I
foresaw so many years ago? Let me just say there’s definitely a 1 Series in my
future – and I can’t wait! | | |
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