YORKTON — Terry Ortynsky’s Royal Ford will be saluting its employees and thanking its customers as it celebrates 40 years in business.
The anniversary event will take place Oct. 1 at the dealership. The event will begin with a luncheon for the dealership’s employees and their families.
“There are some members who have been here 40 years plus, even before I got here,” he said. “And we have a lot of 30-year and 25-year [employees], etc., all the way down.”
From 2-4 p.m., Royal Ford will hold a customer appreciation event with coffee, tea and dainties. Forty prizes will be handed out, with the grand prize being a new griddle that Terry said can be used for barbecuing.
Oct. 1 marks the 40-year anniversary of Terry purchasing the business; previously it was known as Carnduff Motors.
Terry recalls starting in the automobile industry with his father Nestor seven years before purchasing Carnduff Motors. The elder Ortynsky was a General Motors dealer, and Terry said Ford approached them in 1984 because Russ Carnduff was looking to sell.
“According to Ford, we were doing such a good job with General Motors … that they approached us to see if we were interested in buying a Ford dealership,” said Terry.
It proved to be a great decision and Terry said Ford has been great to work with. His wife Linda is also an owner, and she does a lot of work behind the scenes.
Terry said he continues to enjoy the relationships he has made with associates and customers. It’s professional and it turns into friendships and long-term relationships. He has dealt with the children and now the grandchildren of clients who came to the business in 1985.
“Trying to remember all of their names is difficult, but after you see them so many times, it becomes pretty easy to know who they are,” he said.
His daughter Natalie Ortynsky joined the business in February 2016, ensuring it would remain in the family.
Natalie, who is the corporate general manager, said she decided she wanted to join the family business after she went to work for Ford in Ontario following her university studies. She heard discussions about the value of the dealers and knew she wanted to return to Yorkton to work with her family.
She appreciates that there’s always something to learn or a new problem to solve, which she said makes it rewarding work.
Her role means she works hand in hand with her father to oversee both Royal Ford and Royal Honda, and she deals with the manufacturers they have with both automobile companies.
“I couldn’t imagine doing anything else,” she said. “I just love working with my dad. Obviously theres pros and cons to every job, but this doesn’t really feel like a job. It’s more ingrained into your life.”
She’s proud of her parents and the work they have done together. Having an automobile dealership isn’t easy, she said.
“You’re dealing with a lot of different factors. You’re dealing with the manufacturers. You’re dealing with lots of customers, lots of employees. It’s inspiring to see how hard-working they are, and they’re such good role models to myself, my two sisters and community members.”
Royal Ford likes to support community events any way possible, Terry said. They sponsor local sports teams, participate in a food drive and host the Terry Fox Run. A technician built a barbecue with two griddles.
“It’s given out to community events free of charge. And it’s used so often. The schools use it for barbecuing or having a hot dog sale,” said Terry.
And when the building for Royal Ford and Royal Honda was constructed, a meeting room was built for organizations to access for free.
