Gilbert Chevrolet once again hosted an “Education Appreciation” event to honor the teachers and non-instructional employees of the year. All of us on Team Gilbert value the tireless contributions of our educators and their support team to the youth of Okeechobee. Thank you to everyone that was able to join us.
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Gilbert Chevrolet Awarded the GM Mark of Excellence
Gilbert Chevrolet was again awarded the GM Mark of Excellence. This honor is awarded to only a select few Chevrolet dealerships that strive to achieve sales and customer satisfaction excellence. It is through the hard work of our entire team at Gilbert Chevrolet that we earned this honor. Congratulations to our Gilbert Chevy Team! Award-winning customer satisfaction & ongoing industry training completion… #GilbertHasIt!
2022 Chevy Youth Baseball & Softball Clinic
Gilbert Chevrolet has again teamed up with the national Chevrolet Youth Baseball program to provide a FREE instructional clinic to the youth of the Okeechobee area. While baseball and other sports may only be considered ‘games,’ they help kids develop invaluable skills like leadership, cooperation, and sportsmanship while also bringing families and communities together. We’re proud to participate in an event that brings so many smiles to kids and families in Okeechobee.
Gilbert Spotlight – C.J. Somerville
C.J. Somerville joined Team Gilbert in 2012 at Gilbert Chevrolet as a Service Technician. During his time at Chevrolet, C.J. worked as a Service Technician, Service Advisor, and then the Assistant Service Manager. As hard as it was to say “goodbye” C.J. and his family moved out of state. They couldn’t stay away from this Florida sunshine long.
Longing for beautiful weather, a friendly hometown, and a desire to help his church, C.J. and his family recently moved back to Florida where he re-joined Team Gilbert. This time he has joined the Gilbert Ford Service Team as their Service Manager. C.J says, “I’m super happy to be back and I’m excited to see what we can do in the future!”
When asked why he chose to join Team Gilbert, C.J. answered, “because I felt I had more opportunities to grow.” He said there is one person on Team Gilbert who has helped mold him into who he is today. “Jim Kenbeek has always been a wealth of knowledge. He is also very structured and hard working. He has definitely taught me a lot.” One of C.J.’s favorite things about his current position as service manager is problem-solving and working with people.
C.J. is married to his beautiful wife, Darcee and together they have 10 children and 1 granddaughter; Markies, Jaeden, Avery, Treyson, Angelina, Jizelle, Athena, Elijah, Emma, and Tayjon. He enjoys boating, fishing, and spending quality time with his family. We look forward to seeing your continued growth with Gilbert, C.J. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication.
Gilbert Spotlight – Wes Burroughs
This week’s Gilbert Spotlight features Wes Burroughs, Gilbert Ford, Service Technician. Is there a Gilbert Team Member or a member of the community you would like to nominate? Visit GilbertHasIt.com & click “Nominate a Hometown Hero“.
Wes Burroughs joined Team Gilbert in 2015 at Gilbert Oil Co. as a Warehouse Assistant. With his positive attitude and willingness to jump in to help where needed, Wes has been a part of the service teams at Gilbert Chevrolet and Gilbert Outdoors.
Wes is currently a Master Technician at Gilbert Ford. This accomplishment is achieved by completing hours of schooling, passing multiple certification exams, and must be a Ford Technician for at least 5 years.
We asked Wes if there was anyone on Team Gilbert who has helped mold him into who he is today. He answered, “All of my managers have pushed me to become better. Robert Lange and Buddy Lisle are the two that have helped me along the way.”
When Wes isn’t working on a diesel engine or continuing his Ford Service education, he enjoys spending time outdoors, whether it’s hunting, fishing, or out on his airboat. We appreciate all you do for Team Gilbert, Wes. Keep up the great work!
Gilbert Spotlight – Toby Doyle
This week’s Gilbert Spotlight features Toby Doyle, Gilbert Chevrolet Service Technician. Is there a Gilbert Team Member or a member of the community you would like to nominate? Visit GilbertHasIt.com & click “Nominate a Hometown Hero”.
Toby Doyle joined Team Gilbert in 2018 on the service team at Gilbert Chevrolet as a Service Technician. We asked Toby why he chose to apply to Team Gilbert, his answer was, “I was looking for a more family-focused company that would take my family into consideration with scheduling needs.”
Toby has worked in both a service advisor and service technician role. When asked if there is anything he learned from a manager on Team Gilbert, he answered, “I have learned a lot from everyone. From talking to customers in a sales or service environment to logistics and managing people both customers and employees. This place is so unique in the diversity of people under one umbrella all working toward a common goal of pleasing the customers and our community.”
Whether it is working on a customer’s vehicle or greeting a customer in the service booth, you can always catch Toby with a smile and a positive attitude. Toby says, “I truly enjoy my job, we all have bad days, but they are far less than the good ones.”
Toby is married to his amazing wife, Katie, who is the band director at Yearling Middle School. Together they have 3 children; Caiden, Liam, and Ashlyn. When Toby isn’t working on a Chevy vehicle, he enjoys spending time with his family and working on custom vehicles.
Gilbert Spotlight – Meghan Woodhouse
This week’s Gilbert Spotlight features Meghan Woodhouse, Service Advisor at Gilbert Ford. Is there a Gilbert Team Member or a member of the community you would like to nominate? Visit GilbertHasIt.com & “Nominate a Hometown Hero”.
Meghan Woodhouse joined Team Gilbert last year as a Customer Care Representative (CCR) with the Gilbert Customer Care Center (CCC). The CCC’s main focus is caring for our customers’ needs when they call in regardless of the department they are trying to reach. Meghan truly excelled in her role as a CCR. She greets all of our customers with a smile, a positive attitude, and the ability to provide excellent customer service.
Although Meghan has only been a part of Team Gilbert for a little over a year, she has shown that she has what it takes to go above and beyond for our customers. Because of this drive, she has stepped into a new role as a Service Advisor with Gilbert Ford. The knowledge gained in the CCC will greatly benefit her transition into this new position. We are extremely proud of this step and are excited to see her succeed as a Service Advisor!
When Megan isn’t taking care of our customers, she enjoys reading and spending time with her beautiful two-year-old daughter, Pebbles. We asked Meghan what is something she would say to someone who is considering joining Team Gilbert, she replied, “It’s a great atmosphere and your co-workers are like family.” Thank you for your support of each member of Team Gilbert, Meghan!
Gilbert Spotlight – Becky Barnhart
Becky Barnhart joined Team Gilbert in 2020 on the office team at Gilbert Chevrolet as the Office Manager. Joining Team Gilbert was a change in pace for Becky as she worked in the public/government sector for 20 plus years. She brings with her a positive attitude and the ability to overcome day-to-day challenges.
We asked Becky what is her favorite part about being on Team Gilbert and she replied, “it’s the folks that I have the privilege of working with on a daily basis.” She said there are multiple people that have helped her grow on Team Gilbert, from Becky Racine who “showed her the ropes and answers her constant questions” to Joe Glevenyak who “is a wonderful mentor and cannot thank enough for his guidance and sharing his knowledge.”
When Becky isn’t “facing the daily opportunities” and investigating the “how’s and why’s” at Gilbert Chevrolet, she enjoys cooking, baking, and flower crafts. Becky is married to her wonderful husband, Jim Barnhart. Together they have two sons and two bonus daughters. And between them, she has been blessed with 5 bonus grandchildren.
We also feel blessed to have you on Team Gilbert, Becky!
You’ve heard about the new vehicle shortage around the world and that the right new car can be hard to get. It’s not hard at Gilbert Chevrolet in Okeechobee, FL when you reserve the new Chevy you want with us. We have new in-transit models coming and we’ll be glad to show you our list of incoming vehicles. You can then reserve the new Chevy you have in mind. If you aren’t happy with it when it arrives, no problem. You’re under no obligation.
There’s no extra charge to reserve the new car of your dreams
Just fill out the form at the reserve it now link to get the conversation started. One of our friendly, no-pressure sales consultants will contact you, show you our list of new in-transit vehicles so you can reserve the one you want. By putting your name on the new Chevy that appeals to you most, you’re automatically at the head of the line when that vehicle comes in.
Take the uncertainty out of finding a new car
Instead of just hoping the right vehicle comes in with the next shipment, you can see what’s coming in advance and reserve the one you want. Shop all our brand-new Chevy models from the comfort of your home in Port St. Lucie or Fort Pierce, FL. You might want a new 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500, a 2022 Chevy Equinox, a sleek new 2022 Camaro or a big family SUV like a new 2022 Chevy Tahoe. Find it on our list and reserve it now.
Take back control: Talk to us today about reserving your next vehicle
Does the idea of reserving your new Chevy ahead of the crowd seem almost too good to be true? It’s a new vehicle shortcut that not everyone knows about. But it’s available to all and we encourage you to take advantage of it. Get ready for a conversation with us by shopping our new Chevy models to find the one you want, then reach out online or by phone to kick off the conversation with us at Gilbert Chevrolet in Okeechobee, FL.
Hometown Hero
This week’s Hometown Hero features Cari Rucks Arnold, SRO Sergeant with the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office.
Is there a member of the community you would like to nominate? Visit GilbertHasIt.com & click “Nominate a Hometown Hero” & submit your nomination.
In 2002, Sergeant Cari Rucks Arnold was a stay-at-home, enjoying her life taking care of her two kids, Daryl Joy and Royce. However, she felt at times that she wanted to get out into the community and give back somehow. So that year she decided to apply to become a dispatcher with the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO). Her father, Gary Rucks, remembers the day Cari told him she was applying. He said, “it was one of the proudest moments in my life. Both my father and brother were in law enforcement and I knew she would do well.” It was no surprise to him that she chose this career path as “she always put other peoples’ needs before her own. She has always wanted to help others. It was that simple.”
While Sergeant Arnold joined the OCSO as a dispatcher, that role did not last long. She was quickly spotted as someone that would be better utilized elsewhere in the department. She recalls Sheriff O.L. Raulerson approaching her on a Wednesday after she had been in dispatch for only a few short months. He told her that he would like for her to consider a position on their Corrections team. Initially, she was hesitant. “Who dreams about working in a jail,” she recalls thinking. But she appreciated his confidence in her abilities and took him up on the offer. The following Monday she was enrolled in the Corrections Academy and has never looked back. She appreciates every moment she spent in corrections and continued to position herself to be a positive impact on the department and the community.
Sergeant Arnold was promoted to School Resource Officer (SRO) Sergeant in 2018, overseeing all SRO responsibilities in Okeechobee County. She loves this role because, as she says, “it gives me the opportunity to create positive interactions between kids and law enforcement. I need them to know that we are here to help them whenever they need us. Nothing could be more important than their safety and security.” This passion does not stop when she is off the clock. Major Michael Hazellief has worked with Sergeant Arnold for nearly 20 years. He believes, “Sergeant Arnold is a true public servant. She serves her community both on and off duty and works hard to ensure the safety of our children.” She works tirelessly in her personal time as a leader in the Okeechobee Fraternal Order of Police. Through events like the Independence Day Celebration, Shop with a Cop, and photos with the Grinch and Santa, she spends nearly every waking moment serving our community.
Okeechobee is blessed to have you protecting our children, Sergeant Arnold. You truly are a Hometown Hero!
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