Pankow’s Automotive Students Visit Dick Huvaere’s Dealership

Thirty automotive technology and automotive collision and refinishing students from the Frederick V. Pankow Center took a field trip to Dick Huvaere’s Richmond Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep dealership Oct. 16 to get an inside look at career opportunities at a dealership.
 According to Paulette Singer, business development center manager, October is Automobile Career Month, so the dealership planned a full morning for the Pankow students.  First, the students met Vice President and General Manager Jim Simpson, who shared his formula for success as he worked his way to the top after starting as a porter 42 years ago.  The service manager, parts manager, and new car sales manager all encouraged students to continue their education beyond high school in order to be more marketable and earn more money.  

To drive the point home, former Pankow student and L’Anse Creuse Public Schools’ graduate Nick Maluchnik, now a body shop assistant as Dick Huvaere’s, shared his story about how his interest in automobiles grew because of the enthusiasm of his auto body teacher, Mr. Richard Stumpf.  It was Stumpf who encouraged Maluchnik to continue his education at Ferris State University, which Maluchnik graduated from. 

“When I went to Ferris, I was miles ahead of everyone else, said Maluchnik of his training at Pankow.  We [Nick and another Pankow student] had a good jump on everyone else.

The service manager stated that the single most important part of automobile repair for the 11th- and 12th-grade students to concentrate on is electronics because almost the entire vehicle is controlled by electronics.   Pankow students receive electronics training in the automotive technology program.

Students toured the dealership’s service department and auto body shop seeing first-hand how a successful dealership operates.   Dick Huvaere’s Richmond Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep dealership is number three in the country in new car sales averaging over 400 vehicles sold each month.