.......AUTO CONNECTIONS
STAFF
.......Scroll down to find
out more about the Auto Connections East Staff.
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Stu
Cordova - Owner, Sales
I was born in Seattle and raised in Bellevue. After
graduating from Bellevue High School in 1971, I went
to work for my Dad, who owned one of the first grocery
stores in Bellevue. I also began restoring and selling
old cars, a hobby that helped pay for college. I eventually
received my Bachelors degree in Counseling and Education
from Western WA. University and went on to work as
a counselor for troubled kids, helping to bridge communication
between school, home, and the community. After 15
years as a counselor, my youthful hobby of selling
cars led me to a part-time sales position at a small
dealership, and out of social work. After only a couple
years of selling cars, I realized that in order to
conduct business the way I wanted - which was to sell
cars with honesty and integrity - I needed to start
my own company. I'm now proud to say that this year,
2007, marks my 10th year as owner of Auto Connections
in Bellevue.
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Pete
Cassaday - Wholesale and Retail Sales
My grandfather owned a car
lot when I was a kid, so motor oil is in my blood.
Everyone in my family has been in the car industry
at one time or another. I love selling cars because
everybody needs a car, whether they want one or not,
and I like helping people save money, as opposed to
them spending more money at a retail dealer. I work
at Auto Connections because our philosophy is to take
care of the customer and give them a fair deal. I've
been married 13 years-I met my wife on a blind date-and
we have three kids. I coach my son's little league
team, and I love to cook Italian food.
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Keith
Dinsmore - Wholesale
and Retail Sales
I've been in the auto industry for 35 years; I
started in eighth grade washing cars at my Dad's car
dealership. I'm passionate about cars because they're
versatile, and they mean different things to different
people: they can be fashion or art; they can be utilitarian
or marvels of engineering. I work at Auto Connections
because it's important for me to sell cars for a place
that has a professional work ethic, a place I feel
proud of and that represents my personal values. Stu
has a genuine agenda-he wants to help people find
the appropriate vehicle, one that fits their lifestyle
emotionally and practically. One of the most difficult
things about buying a used car is having a sense of
assurance. Stu goes to great lengths to make sure
every car we sell is safe, reliable, and of high quality.
If he can't put his mom in it, he won't sell it. I
was born and raised in Seattle, and I've been married
for 23 years and have 4 boys. I'm also very involved
with Christ Church in Kirkland.
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Kurt
Geibel - Sales
A native of Seattle, I've
lived in and around the city my entire life, except
for a few college years in Santa Rosa, California.
I consider myself an entrepreneur, and I love the
art of making deals. My true passions in life-in
no particular order-are skiing and snowboarding,
selling, boating, more selling, playing with my
daughter, and closing deals. Whether its cars, boats,
motorcycles, or houses, I'm either buying or selling,
and somehow I keep a roof over my head. It used
to be about how much money I could make, but now
it's about my quality of life. Working at Auto Connections,
and for Stu, gives me that quality, and I hope to
pass that on to my customers. The reason I sell
cars at Auto Connections is because I want to change
the stereotype of the used car business. Everyone
thinks it's a place where you're going to be misled
and mistreated, and end up with a lemon. But our
company offers its customers more, because our business
plan is simple: we treat people with respect and
honesty, we deliver a reliable product, and we stand
behind that product.
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Frank
Vena - Wholesale
and Retail Sales
I've been in the car industry
for thirty years; I began selling new cars back in
1977. I used to play professional baseball on the
Philadelphia Phillies farm team in Grays Harbor. Since
few people can make a career in baseball, eventually
my Dad--who spent his life in the auto industry--got
me a job selling Hondas. Over the years, I came to
hate working for the traditional dealerships, because
people expected to be treated poorly, so they were
already unhappy when they walked in the door. I decided
to work at Auto Connections because of Stu's integrity
and philosophy. There's a lot of dealerships out there
who give lip service to the concept of being "different"-they
advertise that they are no pressure and honest-but
I knew Stu's business was the real deal. At Auto Connections,
the customers are treated honestly, they aren't subjected
to games, and the salespeople are upfront. I work
as a buyer and wholesaler. I was born and raised in
Seattle, where I still now live in Bellevue. I still
play sports: I golf, ski, and although I no longer
play baseball, I do play softball!
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Mike
Wallace - Sales and Financing
I've sold cars for five
years now and I chose to work at Auto Connections
because our cars get serviced, inspected, and I
can sincerely stand behind our products. I'm passionate
about cars in general, but I'm also passionate about
what I do, and I believe in customer service. My
favorite cars are the beautiful cars like Porsches,
Audis, and BMW's. Of course, we sell all makes and
models here, and the most important thing for me
is that Auto Connections puts a reliable safe product
on the road. I'm a lifelong resident of Washington
State and when I'm not working I like to spend time
with my black lab Jet, and I like to travel. I have
enjoyed visiting Greece multiple times, Hawaii is
a blast and Eastern Washington is a great weekend
getaway.
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Mark
Walesby - Sales
I've been in the car business about five years. I
love people and cars. It's nice being associated with
Auto Connections because I can deal with people honestly
and without pressuring them. I'm able to provide people
with a vehicle they want at usually a below-market
price. I like to treat people how I want to be treated,
and I'm proud to be able to honestly represent our
cars. With us, there's no smoke and mirrors. We tell
the truth. When I'm not working, I like fishing, golfing,
skiing, and am active in my church. I'm very proud
of the fact that I've been married 27 years.
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Rusty
- Official Greeter
I came from a shelter in
Idaho where I was scheduled to go to W.S.U. for research
when Stu adopted me. I've been working at Auto Connections
for three years now and my job is to greet everyone
that comes in. Unlike some auto dealerships, Auto
Connections is an honest business, and I'm a symbol
of that because dogs don't lie. In fact, I couldn't
work here as the greeter if I didn't believe in our
business philosophy. I'd just stay at home instead.
It's important to me that customers feel relaxed,
and I'm looking forward to greeting you when you visit.
When I'm not working, I like to work out, walk in
the morning, and jog in the afternoon. I also love
to chase squirrels, and chew on stuffed teddy bears.
Of course I love to chase cars, too!
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