You know what leaves a great impression on a product? It’s not the official reports and reviews from big companies, it’s more-so the voice of the community in regards to that product. If the community’s overall satisfaction with a product is good, you can generally be rest assured that you would be satisfied with the same product.

Vehicles are constantly at the center of being criticized and reviewed by businesses and people alike. While a vehicle might get positive reviews through media sources, the community may deem it as average or worse. That’s why the AutoPacific’s Best in Class Vehicle Satisfaction Award is one to be taken seriously – it’s an award based solely on the best vehicles according to the consumer’s experience and satisfactory.  The 2012 survey was taken by more than 75,000 people that purchased a car or truck between September and December of 2011.

“We are honored to have the Chrysler 300 and Jeep Grand Cherokee receive awards for ‘Best in Class Vehicle Satisfaction’ by AutoPacific,” said Reid Bigland, Head of U.S. Sales and President and CEO – Dodge Brand. “Recognition from our buyers underscores our efforts towards improving quality and customer satisfaction at Chrysler.”

“The Chrysler 300 is the reincarnation of the image-heavy original. Now with more finesse but no less personality, the 300 owners are the most satisfied of any buying a large car today,” said George Peterson, President, AutoPacific. “The Grand Cherokee wins the best in class Vehicle Satisfaction Award for the second year in a row. Grand Cherokee owners gain their satisfaction through the overall capability and quality of the vehicle’s design.”

Source: PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1cGCf)

With the 2013 show planned, taking a look back at the success of 2012 causes immense excitement of what’s to come. It was a beautifully run event filled with participants who absolutely loved their experience… the following are just a few examples of how the 2012 show was received. *Most of the testimonials below are addressed to Christopher Kulovitz & Michael Coty, the Directors of the festival*:

I won’t try; the words don’t exist, to fully capture the experience of last weekend. But I will
express my gratitude and appreciation for so diligently and doggedly working to pull off such an incredibly noteworthy event. From opening night at the Diamond Jo to closing party at the River Museum, the attention to detail and the wholeness of the experience had your energy. There were volunteers who gave unselfishly of their time, businesses who allowed the use of their premises, and film directors who came to this small town in Iowa and discovered a gem.
-Felix Yamoah

On behalf of the Dupaco Community Credit Union board, staff and members, congratulations on the inaugural launch of the Julien Dubuque International Film Festival. From my vantage point, the event was a resounding success – from planning to execution. The event exceeded my personal expectations.
-David Klavitter

I must thank you for your kind invitation to have me participate in your inaugural festival. You must be so gratified to see all your work come to a stunning fruition. The level of professionalism, artistry and sophistication you invoked in your festival was absolutely amazing, and is reflected in the glowing reports and praise from all who were there.
-Rob Tomaro

I attended the festival on a “spur of the moment invitation” at about 4:00 on Friday afternoon from a friend of mine in Platteville, WI. We attended the “Moving On” premiere that evening at the Hotel Julien and what a night it was! We had so much fun and enjoyed meeting Dave and Morgan Hansow and their 2 children. Because we had such a great time that evening, we returned to Dubuque on Saturday AND Sunday to watch movies and have lunch/dinner at the Main Street restaurants. I have to say too how impressed I was with the event and must congratulate all, and I’m sure there were many, those involved in organizing such a wonderful, enjoyable and educational event. Dubuque certainly proved that it is “the little engine (city) that could” by pulling off such a huge event in such a short amount of time.
-Patrice Steiner

Three weeks have passed and the buzz of excitement has mostly faded, leaving behind a series of indelible memories. The first Julien Dubuque International Film Festival, which left local movie lovers smiling and agog, was a spectacular success, thanks in part to the work of more than 100 volunteers. It’s perhaps the first local event to which the adjective “glamorous” can fairly be applied.
-Robert Byrne for the TH

Be sure to check back for more updates. We will be posting all the great Julien Dubuque International Film Festival news as it’s announced!

Wayne Konrardy officially retired from the Air Force in the same year that Neil Armstrong first set foot on the moon. Now it’s time for Wayne to retire from the work force in the same year that the Cubs will finally win the World Series (well … at least the first part of that is true).

After fourteen years at Runde’s, Wayne is now ready for some well deserved rest and relaxation. We are all saddened to see him go but are excited for him to have some relaxing time off! If you are interested in picking up a vehicle from Wayne, you have until June 30th, hurry in!

Wayne was gracious enough to participate in an “exit” interview. Be sure to check out the video at the bottom of this post to watch the interview – it completely captures Wayne’s ever-smiling face and his colorful, animated expressions!

How long have you worked for Runde’s?
14 years in July

What year did you start in the car business?
1979 – It’ll be 34 Years in October.

Have you always worked in Sales?
In the car business? Always.

What do you look forward to the most when you come into work each day?
Seeing my friends. I have a lot of customers that are friends of mine.

What was the highlight about working for Runde’s?
Oh gosh… I’ve had a lot of highlights. I’ve had so many it’s hard to pinpoint one thing. I think it was probably a person, who said she hated car salesmen and at the end of the day she purchased the car, gave me a hug and said that I’m not like everyone else.

Do you plan to keep living in Dubuque or perhaps go some place more exotic?
We’re staying in Dubuque but hopefully we are traveling. My wife says we are just traveling in the U.S. now because we are older.

What is your one most memorable experience in the car business?
I’ve had so many wonderful memories. I think it was when my sister-in-law bought a car from me. Her father sold cars, so she bought all of her cars, naturally, from him. When he passed, I wanted everything special for her when she started buying from me. Not only did I work with her dad but he was also a good friend of mine.

What vacations do you have planned or want to go on?
I want to go to Washington D.C. and see the monuments. I’d like to go overseas one more time, maybe to Europe. I’d also like to go to Ireland. My wife says she’ll go wherever I want but I’d really like to see Rome and the Vatican and all the cool things there.

What do you think you’ll do with all that extra free time?
I don’t know but I’m sure my wife is going to tell me. I know that means that I’ll be going on more walks. She likes to go on walks. I told her that she can go on a walk and I’ll wave when she goes and wave when she comes back but I don’t think that will go over well. I told everyone in my neighborhood that they’d probably see me around on my front porch keeping an eye on everything as they go to work :)

Wayne’s loving family.

What hobbies do you have and do you plan on spending more time with them?
 I’m going to watch my grandkids with their events and spend time with them in general.

How is your family reacting to the fact that you are retiring?
I think they were kind of surprised because they finally realized how old I actually am. I think they were surprised because I act like I’m much younger than my age.  My one brother told me “I didn’t know you were that old!”

What did your wife say when you told her you are going to retire?
My wife is actually the one that wanted me to retire because she’s going to be retiring as well.

At the same time?
Hers is going to be later than mine by a couple of months. But she says then we can spend the rest of our lives the way we want. She’s my buddy and friend, I’ve always enjoyed her company and I’m sure we’ll have a great time.

Wayne’s wife – Mary Konrardy. Wayne says he fell in love with her the first time they met – 47 years ago.

Are there any special retirement parties planned for you or are you keeping your retirement mostly on the down-low?
My one son and my sister are planning a party for our family in July. It’ll be nice to celebrate at more of a private party with our family. I remember last time we all got together at a sports complex. We rented the batting cage and reminisced by trying to go back to 1965 when I could hit a ball… I ended up going home with blisters on my hands from all of the swinging and missing.  But I always tell them … “I was a pitcher!”

What would you like to tell your loyal and loving customers?
That I’ll miss them. I always tease them and tell them that they can call me at home and I’ll run back over to Runde’s to help them.  But in all seriousness, I think my customers will all continue to be very pleased here. I hand-picked this place because of the way they treat people. And to me that is the important thing. So I think my customers will stay here and I think they will be pleased, I only hope that the salespeople don’t do quite as good of a job as I did so that the customers won’t forget me!

What will you miss most about working?
Having something to do, because I kind of like getting up and coming to work. I also like going home at night but I don’t mind staying after if they need anything, which results in my wife getting a little upset in the case that she is cooking a meal for us. But I will miss this place, I know I will.

What will you have for breakfast the morning of July 1st?  
My wife will have cheerios for me because it’s good for my health, a small glass of milk because I’ll want a large one, probably a banana and one piece of toast, because that’s all she’ll give me. I have to wait until she’s looking the other way to sneak into the cupboard.

…and what are your plans for the rest of that day?
I don’t really know, I told my grand kids that the first day I get a chance I’m going to take the boys back to my old hometown, La Motte, IA and walk the creek to show them the small fish, turtles, and muskrats to relive my memories with them. The only thing I won’t (or shouldn’t) do is pole vault creeks. I used to do that as a kid. I’d have a big stick and I’d go from side to side over the creek. I keep saying I’m not going to… but you never know…

Will your retirement vehicle be a Camaro Convertible, Shelby Mustang or will you finally go after that elusive Corvette?
I don’t think I’d go for any of them. I’m more of a HHR man. They all laugh, but I don’t need anything really fancy in life. I got everything I want; phenomenal family, great wife. I just need a basic car, something that runs good and I already have an HHR and my wife has a new Malibu so we are both good on vehicles.

Wayne later changed his answer:
Wait, Wait! I want to change that answer! Instead of an HHR… an Equinox. that’s my favorite. I like it because they sit up higher, good visibility, great on fuel economy and just overall nice vehicles.

Would you rather Ride on a Train, Dance in the Rain, or Feel no Pain?
Feel no pain. Of course it’s pretty close to riding on a train. I did that when I was 18 and in the Military. Riding from Savannah, IL to Mount Home, ID. But I’d still rather feel no pain.

In your words, what is the purpose of life and what advice would you offer to 16-year-old who has their whole life ahead of them?
Have a good time but just remember that when you go through life, what you do doesn’t affect just your life but so many other people. Just try to be as nice as you can to everybody and hopefully they’ll nice be nice back to you and make the world better.

Anything you’d like to add?
I really liked it here. The Runde’s have been phenomenal to me, every one of them. I’m going to miss them. It’s going to be tough. I’ll stop in. One of the first things I might do is sit on the couch in the showroom and watch people on the lot and yell out to the salesmen that there is someone out on the lot!

Fresh Faces: Josh Layer and Nick Roche

Runde Chevrolet is the mainframe for all of Runde Auto Group. The majority of our business employees work out of that store, and they have a pretty good size sales staff. These guys are very knowledgeable, and have a real passion for cars and for the people they work with. Here are 2 of the most recent additions to our Sales Team; please give them a try if you think it’s time for a new vehicle. They can be reached at (866) 735-5200.

Josh Layer

Josh is originally from Lancaster, WI and has lived in the Tri-State area for much of his life. He has been happily married to his wife, Camie, for 7 years now. Josh and Camie live between Platteville and Belmont with their 4 kids (Hailey, Rees, Jordan, and Jalyn.) He is a farmer at heart with his 2 dogs, 3 cats, 3 horses, and 20 Chickens!  When he’s not working at Runde’s or doing chores on his hobby farm, he enjoys golfing, four-wheeling, horseback riding, hunting and watching his favorite sports teams. He is a die-hard Green Bay Packer and Wisconsin Badger Fan!   Stop by Runde Chevrolet and see Josh Layer if you’re considering the purchase of a new or used vehicle.

Nick Roche

Nick is originally from the Chicago suburbs but has lived in and out of the Dubuque area for the last 10 years. He graduated from Loras College in 2008 and currently lives in Dubuque, IA. Nick is an auto enthusiast and loves the Chevrolet product line. When not working at Runde’s, you can usually find him on the golf course, in his painting studio, or walking his French Mastiff, Reicha. Nick also loves jazz music, travel, and cycling. Stop by Runde Chevrolet and see Nick if you’re in the market for a new Chevrolet vehicle.

 
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Chevrolet announced today that it will be releasing the “Chevy SS”  in late 2013 as a 2014 model. Not many details are released as of yet but we do know it will be Chevy’s first rear-wheel drive sedan released in 17 years and there will be a v8 under the hood (which one is not yet known). It will also be  replacing the Impala as the NASCAR Sprint Cup race-car.

The Chevy SS will officially debut during next year’s Daytona 500 in February.

Greg Demuth

Greg DeMuth isn’t from around the Tri-States, but that didn’t stop him from seeing the value of buying a vehicle from Runde’s. Greg was very pleased with his overall experience and did a quick interview with us to tell us how things went.

What led you to Runde’s in the first place and what factors led you to purchase your vehicle from us?
I located the exact vehicle my wife wanted to purchase online. It was one of three similar cars we identified within 500 miles from our home in Louisville, KY. After discussions with each of the three automobile dealerships (sales and finance), I determined that Runde was the most cost-effective, service-oriented, professional group.

How would you rate your experience on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the best and 1 being the absolute worst?
An absolute 10! Tyler Billmeyer (sales) and Jessica Greenwood (finance) were both courteous, reliable and responsive. After purchasing the car, I needed follow-up assistance in transferring the title to KY and they both maintained the same level of fantastic service.

cc licensed ( BY SD ) flickr photo shared by szeke

What did you think of your salesman, Tyler Billmeyer?
See above. Excellent customer service.

Where are you from and have you always lived in that area?
Louisville, KY. I am a lifelong resident and have lived in KY for 48 years. Go Cards!

Married? Kids? Pets?
I have been married for 23 years and have four children and one dog.

What are your past times / hobbies?
Paying tuition.

cc licensed ( BY SD ) flickr photo shared by Ryan Bjorkquist

What’s your favorite movie/singer/song of all time?
Movies: The Godfather (I & II), Spinal Tap, The Great Santini, Princess Bride, To Kill A Mockingbird, Life of Brian. Singer: The Boss Song: Rosalita

Do you (and/or your family) have a favorite vacation spot or have a place you’d like to go?
Beach, beach and more beach. Churchill Downs the first week in May, singing My Old Kentucky Home with 100,000 of my closest friends.

What’s the funniest thing that ever happened to you?
I’ll plead the 5th, thank you. No need to self incriminate.

Thanks for the interview Greg. Hope you enjoy the new ride!

If you are considering buying a 2013 Malibu, this thorough 23 minute video is definitely the one to watch.

If you are interested in purchasing a new 2013 Malibu, you can check out our selection 24/7 at RundeAutoGroup.com