Kenworth dealer council announced as network hits milestone

26299810158 81d35b8aad K 300x116Kenworth Truck Company’s dealer network added its 400th location, the company announced Friday.

“Our 400th dealership represents the dedication of Kenworth dealers in building a strong network of locations throughout the United States and Canada that provide superior support no matter where our customers travel,” says Kevin Baney, Kenworth assistant general manager for sales and marketing.

Rihm Kenworth opened the 400th dealership in Minnesota City, a suburb of Winona, Minn., which is more than 100 miles southeast of the Twin Cities.

“Dealerships like Rihm Kenworth – Winona are dedicated to enhancing the ownership experience and maximizing uptime for our customers by providing state-of-the-art facilities with well-stocked parts departments and well-trained, well-equipped technicians to service their trucks,” says Baney.

The 16,600 sq.-ft., full-service dealership will offer customers 12 service bays, including a wash bay and 2-hour truck diagnostics through Kenworth PremierCare ExpressLane. The shop, 3,000 sq.-ft. parts department and comfortable drivers’ lounge are already open for business. Rihm Kenworth – Winona is located at 6830 Martina Road, on 5-1/2 acres along U.S. Highway 61, which connects to U.S. Interstate 80 and U.S. Interstate 35.

“I was pleasantly surprised to learn that our new Winona location is Kenworth’s 400th dealership in North America,” says Kari Rihm, president, CEO and dealer principal of Rihm Kenworth. “Winona is not only a college town, but also is home to the Port Authority of Winona, one of five river ports in Minnesota for barges traveling north and south on the Mississippi River.

“The fact that Kenworth reached this milestone in the small city of Winona demonstrates the strength of Kenworth’s dealer network and the importance of the investments we’re making in building and opening new locations and buying and renovating existing facilities.”

Last year, Rihm Kenworth also broke ground on two new facilities — one in Coon Rapids, and the other in South St. Paul. After the expected mid-February opening of the new 68,000 sq.-ft. full-service location in South St. Paul, it will serve as Rihm Kenworth’s new corporate headquarters. It represents an investment by Rihm Kenworth of nearly $13 million.

Dealer council members announced

Kenworth also Friday announced its 2018 Kenworth Dealer Council members. The council features eight executives representing the 400 Kenworth dealerships in the United States and Canada.

The council works in partnership with Kenworth to help provide leading-edge customer support throughout the dealer network with the Kenworth PremierCare and Kenworth PremierCare Gold Certified service programs. PremierCare Gold is a superior level of service that offers extended dealer operating hours and expedited expert diagnostics, among other services, that assist customers in maximizing uptime and overall vehicle performance, Kenworth says.

Kenworth Council members are: Chairman – Tim Spurgeon, MHC Kenworth (Leawood, Kansas); Mike Clark, Wisconsin Kenworth (Madison, Wis.); Boyd McConnachie, Inland Kenworth (Burnaby, B.C.); Mike Nagle, Bayview Kenworth (St. John, New Brunswick); Scott Oliphant, Kenworth of Louisiana (Gray, Louisiana); Dan Penksa, Kenworth Northeast Group (Buffalo, New York); and Todd Rice, MHC Kenworth (Leawood, Kansas). In addition, Tom Bertolino of NorCal Kenworth (Sacramento, Calif.) serves as the Kenworth line representative for the American Truck Dealers (ATD).

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