Volvo Rents announced several awards at its annual Franchise Convention in February in Palm Springs, California. Paul Bullock and family were given the Volvo Rents’ 2008 Franchise of the Year award for the third year in a row. The family opened its first Volvo Rents franchise in West Monroe, Louisiana, in 2003. Subsequent stores were opened in 2004 and 2007 in Alexandria, Louisiana, and Bossier City, Louisiana.
The award for New Franchise of the Year was presented to Longmont and Colorado Springs, Colorado, owned by Dick Lammers, Christian Holmsen and Bobby Creason.
Mike Crouch, Volvo Rents’ vice president of operations, presented the awards. In addition to the New Franchise and Franchise of the Year winners, Crouch gave the Circle of Excellence Awards to the 14 top-performing franchises for 2008, listed below.
· Post Falls, Idaho, owned by Stacey and Troy Peterson
· Haverhill, Massachusetts, owned by Todd Miceli and Matt Carretero
· Tucson, Thatcher, Eloy, Miami, and Show Low, Arizona, owned by Jeff Bleecker and Lance Evic
· Merced and Salida, California, owned by Helder Garcia and Brian Silveria
· Edmonton, Edson, Ft. Saskatchewan, Rocky Mountain House and Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, owned by Doug and Deanna Baumann, Lance and Twyla Gardiner, Bob and Donna Dunn
· Langhorne, Pennsylvania; Somerset, New Jersey, and New York, New York, owned by Bill Ellis and Pat Lackey
· Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, owned by Alex Paris and Andy Miller
· Humble and Seabrook, Texas, owned by Pete Post
· Springfield, Missouri, Hollister, Missouri, and Springdale, Arkansas, owned by DuWayne, Jackie, Aaron Eoff and Rob Barnica (General Manager).
· Calgary, Alberta, Canada, owned by WEQ Deerfoot Rental LP
· Little Rock and Pine Bluff, Arkansas, owned by RC Colburn and Troy Dodd
· Spanish Fort, Alabama, owned by Miles and Melissa Cook
· Pflugerville and Buda, Texas, owned by Kelly Ryan
· Rochester and Ithaca, New York, owned by Dave and Thomas Terry