Kenworth Sales Company concluded its milestone 75th year in business in 2020 by being named the 2020 Kenworth Dealer of the Year Award for the United States and Canada during the OEM's recent virtual Dealer Meeting.
“The Kenworth Dealer of the Year award means a great deal to us, especially for 2020,” says Kyle Treadway, president and dealer principal, Kenworth Sales Company. “This special honor recognizes the extra work and dedication our employees are giving during very difficult times. Our people rose to the challenge and showed their very best in helping our customers succeed. This award puts the icing on the cake for us in 2020.”
Treadway acknowledged it was "bittersweet" to celebrate the company's milestone last year but be unable to celebrate with its team and customers. But he says the business and its employees have impressively persevered.
“Like other dealerships, we had incredible challenges due to the pandemic. Instead of pulling back and being conservative, we took the opposite approach – we were aggressive in growth," he says. "This allowed us to show confidence to our customers and our employees; that we had a plan. We also worked hard on communicating with our employees and customers, and for us, that was a real key. It put everyone more at ease during uncertain times."
“Kyle Treadway and his team personify what a Kenworth World’s Best dealer is all about. They work hard to stay ahead of the curve, continue to expand their operations and invest in their facilities to enhance support and maximize customer uptime,” says Kevin Baney, Kenworth general manager and Paccar vice president.
In 2020, Kenworth Sales Company retailed more than 1,500 new Kenworth trucks, and excelled in both heavy-duty (24 percent) and medium-duty (19 percent) market share combined for all its locations.
Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Kenworth Sales Company is Kenworth’s longest-tenured dealer. It has been a family-owned company since W. Jay Treadway, and his wife Veda, opened the dealership in 1945. Their son, Gene (Kyle’s dad), who was 17 at the time, sold parts for the dealership. Kenworth Sales Company has grown to operate 31 locations, employing more than 1,200 staff members.
“We’ve come quite a ways since my grandfather started the company,” says Treadway. “I’m very proud of our heritage and how we’ve fostered deep relationships with our customers. Back then, and still today, a handshake is the heart of the deal. While the times have changed, customer service remains a top priority. Over the years, Kenworth Sales Company has established, nurtured and maintained strong relationships with our customers, suppliers, employees and other stakeholders. We know the current sale is the precursor to the next deal.”
While 2020 is now in the rear-view mirror, Treadway is very bullish on 2021.
“We see a lot of ‘green shoots’ coming up in the marketplace,” he says. “We see the opportunity for a real turnaround in 2021, building off the fourth quarter of last year. We also have the new Kenworth T680 Next Generation. We know that’s going to be a big hit with our customers. It’s a special truck that not only looks great, but it’s incredibly productive as well. Our customers are excited to see and try it -- we can’t wait to begin showcasing the truck to our customers.”
“Kenworth Sales Company earned the 2020 Kenworth Dealer of the Year Award with exceptional performance highlighted by an outstanding record 16 Top Ten appearances across our 24 dealer excellence measurement categories,” says Baney. "It is an honor to present Kenworth Sales Company, Kenworth’s longest tenured dealer, with this award. Congratulations to The World’s Best Dealer for 2020.”
Other Kenworth dealers also honored for sales excellence
In addition to Kenworth Sales Company's big accolade, Kenworth also presented eight Gold and nine Silver dealer awards, as well as Paccar Engines, Medium Duty, Parts and Service, and TRP Dealer of the Year awards at its recent meeting.
Kenworth says its Gold Award is presented to a select number of Kenworth dealers each year that achieve the highest level of performance in the Kenworth network. Kenworth Sales Company was selected as Kenworth Dealer of the Year from among Kenworth’s eight Gold Award winners for 2020.
In addition to Kenworth Sales Company, the other Gold winners include Inland Kenworth U.S., Kenworth Maska, Kenworth of Indianapolis, MHC Kenworth – Georgia, MHC Kenworth – Kansas City, Papé Kenworth, and Wichita Kenworth.
Kenworth also recognized its nine Silver Award winners: Performance Kenworth, Kenworth Amos, MHC Kenworth – Colorado, MHC Kenworth – Memphis, MHC Kenworth – North Carolina, New England Kenworth – Maine, Coopersburg Kenworth, Kenworth Montreal, and Truckworx Kenworth.
Other award winners included: Wichita Kenworth as Paccar Engines Dealer of the Year; MHC Kenworth Georgia as Medium-Duty Dealer of the Year; Kenworth of Indianapolis as Parts and Service Dealer of the Year; and Papé Kenworth as TRP All-Makes Dealer of the Year.
