Gregg and Debbie Kunes, Fontana, WI, (near Lake Geneva) hosted an elegant-yet-informal Grand Opening Reception at Kunes Country Chevrolet of Morrison[, IL,] dealership on Thursday, May 21, 2015, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. The showroom has been remodeled, with former walls stripped to the studs, raised 18″, rebuilt, and painted optic white. New and numerous overhead LED lights made the interior and a white, 2015 Chevrolet Cruze gleam. New mats atop gray, wood-look laminate flooring completed an upscale feel to the showroom and office spaces. Adding wall color and interest were automotive posters. The bright waiting area included comfortable seating with a coffee table filled with magazines, flat-screen television, and children’s play area.
Two Milledgeville High School students filled the space with a capella show tunes. Junior Levi Skoog, 17, and Freshman Hannah Seavey, 15, shown below, were invited to entertain by Kunes Country Auto Group Marketing Director Kristina Kaecker. The teens are President and Vice President, respectively, of Milledgeville High School Theatre Club.
Black-skirted tables made the showroom a festive place to eat and chat, with red, white, and blue balloons overhead. Flowers scented the room and, particularly, the table for raffle sign up. Beer, wine, soda, copious hors d’oeuvre, fresh fruit, and bakery options were provided.
At 5:00 Morrison Chamber of Commerce held a Ribbon Cutting ceremony for the new owners. Kunes Country corporate, regional, and local staff intermingled with Chamber and City of Morrison representatives. Shown left-to-right in the front row are Kelly Martinez, Kunes Body Shop Manager; Nancy Dykstra, Morrison Service Adviser; Joe McGlennon, Kunes Fixed Operations Director; Tony Wheatley, Kunes Regional General Manager; Kaecker, Kunes Marketing Director; Bill Bart, Morrison General Manager; Gregg and Debbie Kunes, owners; Mike Smithee and Dick Warren, Sales Consultants; Morrison Mayor Everett Pannier; Darryl Puffenbarger, Morrison Parts Manager; Chamber members Dana Verdick, Community State Bank, Angie VanderVinne, Angie VanderVinne Agency–Farmers Insurance, and Heather Toppert, More Insurance.
In the back row are Chamber member Mick Welding, Morrison Community Hospital; Bob Gardner, Kunes Regional Fixed Operations; Joe Bielema, Morrison Service Manager; Tim Rebelsky, Morrison Sales Consultant; Dan Handle, Justin Druien, Ben Blode, and Jerry Vanderleest all Morrison Technicians; Rebecca Green, Morrison Chamber; Mike Kunes; Pastor Mike, Kunes Chaplain; Barry Dykhuizen, Morrison City Administrator.
Visit Kunes Chevrolet of Morrison at 627 E. Lincolnway, Morrison.
Contact Morrison Service Adviser Nancy Dykstra at 815-772-2171; visit www.kunesmorrison.com; simply stop in–the dealership doors are open.
Meet Gregg Kunes (pronounced /CUE-ness/, not /COONZ/ or /COO-ness/).
The day before his 59th birthday on Friday, May 22, Gregg Kunes hosted a gala for one of three, former Pete Harkness Auto Group dealerships he purchased this spring. The City of Morrison, Chamber members, and guests were invited to celebrate with his family and some employees, who span Illinois and Wisconsin. Similar Open Houses will be held in Sterling (two stores), and Oregon, IL. That speaks to the generous, inclusive nature of the man, to celebrate bringing four established stores into the Kunes fold.
Additionally, he capitalized on the expertise of the Morrison employees by keeping them in place. Puffenbarger has 40 years in the car business; Vanderleest has 38; Bielema has 36; Rebelsky has 25; Dyskstra has 17; Bart has five.
He bought his first Wisconsin dealership at the end of 1996, opening it in 1997. Nineteen years later, the extensive Kunes Auto Group includes
- 3200 vehicles in stock
- 550 employees
- 11 stores, in two states, in eight towns, who serve surrounging cities
- ten makes of vehicles
- three Collision Centers in Delavan, WI, and Mt. Carroll, and Sterling, IL
- two itinerant pastors who visit the dealerships each week.
Prior to Opening Weekend sales, there were 119 vehicles on the Morrison lot, but that will go up, probably. “We need more trade-ins. We have a shortage of used cars,” said Kunes.
So, what does the owner drive? He sells Ford, Lincoln, Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and RAM brands. He answered, “A white, Ford 150 pickup…and a white Dodge pickup. I always drive a white pickup.”
And what drives him? “What drives me is being part of the community. I like small stores and communities; being able to give back and [help] employees. I am amazed at how kind they are! It’s all about the people. [They] are really what is important. I like to encourage them, to make their lives better.”
Why did he increase the number of dealerships by 25%? “Although my wife, of nearly 35 years, Debbie, didn’t think I needed to work more, she’s been a great partner! She encourages me constantly, saying, ‘You help the community; you change the community.’ I’m just proud to work with [the employees.] I believe the [other] two stores are good stores.”
“It almost seemed like [the Harkness properties] were in the middle [from Wisconsin to Macomb, IL], and it would connect us all together. It’s really for the communities and the jobs [he can provide].”
Later Debbie Kunes agreed. “It’s good for the community, the people, and the employees. I love seeing people love their jobs and seeing new customers. They’re happy.”
Below are Mike, Debbie, and Gregg Kunes in the remodeled showroom.
Not surprisingly, five of their six children are involved in family businesses. Anne, 21, is at University of Texas in San Antonio, TX. She has played volleyball since age nine and has an athletic scholarship for her favorite sport. Mike, 22, is a college graduate now in training. Tim, 25, works at the Elkhorn, WI, store in Sales and Finance and Insurance. Kelly, 27, works at the family’s Lake Lawn Lodge, a 138-year-old resort in Delavan. Dan, 30, is a Sales Manager in Wisconsin. Scott, 32, oversees Used Cars in all stores. There are four granddaughters who add to the joy.
“We’re excited to be part of the community! There are a lot of great things going on in Morrison. It’s exciting to be part of it. I can appreciate living in a small town,” Gregg Kunes concluded.