Driving into retirement

Greg Eisinger has been at the wheel of Eisinger Motors in Kalispell for 23 years and spent decades in the car business before that.

Eisinger, who turns 68 next month, will drive into retirement on March 31.

His son Ben, the general manager of Eisinger Honda, will step up as general manager of both the Honda and Chevrolet-Cadillac stores that together comprise the Eisinger Automotive Group. His son Matthew will continue as business manager of the Honda dealership.

Eisinger said his success in the car business boils down to one key principle — “keeping customers happy.” It’s about building loyalty and retaining it, he said.

“The basics of selling cars hasn’t changed very much” through the years, he said. “It’s building relationships and finding the right vehicles for people.”

Eisinger, whose solid work ethic was shaped early on growing up in Fargo, North Dakota, goes the distance to make every effort to meet all of the dealership’s customers. But his staff — now 106 employees strong — has been a crucial part of Eisinger’s success, he said.

Eisinger recalls always loving cars. His first car was a 1952 Ford.

After high school he attended North Dakota State University for a time. Both of his parents worked there; his father was the dairy herdsman at the university, his mother ran the food service program.

The car business kept calling his name, so he quit college and started selling cars.

“When I sold new VWs in 1970, the heater was optional,” Eisinger recalled with a laugh. “The radio was optional, everything was optional. Today if a vehicle doesn’t have Wi-Fi and heated seats” customers may question it.

“Cars are so much better than they were as far as quality, economy and performance,” he added.

AFTER A 21-year stint with Francis Peterson Dodge in Moorhead, Minnesota, (across the Red River from Fargo) and spending four years as a manager of Corwin Dodge in Fargo, Eisinger had his sights set on buying a dealership. He had relatives in Whitefish and was familiar with Northwest Montana.

“That’s the spot,” he determined.

He and business partner Tim Corwin purchased the Great Northern Motor Car Co. in 1994 and renamed it Eisinger Motors. Eisinger and his wife Laurie, who have three children, Ben, Matthew and Nikki, relocated from Fargo to Kalispell and embraced the Flathead Valley, not only through the business but also through community service. The Eisingers are well-known for their generosity in donating to local nonprofit organizations, with a focus on helping youths.

Eisinger acquired Bob Meiers Cadillac/Oldsmobile in 1996. The company bought out High Country Honda’s business in Evergreen in 2005. In 2009 Eisinger Motors bought Scarff Auto in Kalispell, a move that gave them the GMC and Buick brands.

Eisinger Motors operated at the corner of Meridian Road and U.S. 2 West until it outgrew that location and made the big move to the junction of U.S. 93 and West Reserve Drive nine years ago.

“In 2008 we moved here just before the music stopped,” he said, referring to the deep, years-long recession that took hold of the country and the Flathead Valley.

“It was horrible for everyone,” he recalled about those lean times. “From 1994 and on we didn’t really have a hiccup until 2008. We were increasing 10 to 15 percent every year.”

The business made it through those years for two reasons, he noted. “We had a great customer base; that helped a ton,” he said. His dedicated employees, many of whom have been with Eisinger since 1994, also helped the dealership weather the financial storm.

“I have a great corps of employees,” he said.

With a stronger economy these days, Eisinger Automotive Group is poised for continued growth. At the Honda store, the CRV and Pilot models are strong sellers. At the Chevrolet-Cadillac store, trucks and sport-utility trucks are the bread and butter.

“In this part of the country, where people live in rural areas, with hills, snow and ice,” customers seek out trucks and SUVs, he said.

“People here recreate with their vehicles. SUVs and trucks will always be part of this world,” Eisinger added.

Spending time with his six grandchildren will play heavily into Eisinger’s retirement plans. Last year he took a week “stay-cation” and had the time of his life spending time with them on Flathead Lake. “It was priceless,” he added.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.