Sadly, last month Robert Allen, a highly respected Western Australian dealership owner passed away aged 81.Robert has had a 60-year career that spanned the glory days of the nation’s car retailing industry.
 
Robert started his career in the automotive industry in 1962, when a Dealer who sold him a car offered him a job as a salesman.
 
In 1968 he started to operate his own dealership and a year later, teamed up with Lee Elvish, to run Bermuda Motors. Later he formed a partnership with Gardner and Peters (Metro Motors). From 1984 he partnered up with  Harold Schoolland under the Allen Group and has had franchises including Honda, Mazda, Kia, Suzuki, Isuzu Ute, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Skoda, Nissan and Peugeot Citroen. Mr Schoolland, who had worked as a business partner with Robert for 37 years and described the business relationship as “a very rewarding and satisfying partnership”.

Mr Allen was known for supporting automotive employees, he established many apprenticeship programs in WA. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues.

Sadly Noel Huxley Gould, a highly respected Holden Dealer passed away aged 83 suddenly earlier this week.
 
When asked what made him choose a career in the automotive industry Noel once said:
“It actually chose me. I was fresh out of school and crossing Federal Street in Rainbow, and Jack Strauss, the owner of Strauss Brothers – who became a wonderful friend and mentor of mine – approached me and said, ‘What are you doing next year, Noel?’ and I said, ‘I’m going to work for the Austin Dealer.’  He said ‘Bullshit.  He’s not much of a Dealer, come and see me.”
 
And there began a 60+ year career as one of Australia’s iconic Holden Dealers, Noel Gould.
 
Beginning his career in 1954 in Rainbow, Victoria, Noel Gould was a Holden man. Throughout a successful career he owned and operated nine Holden Dealerships across Australia along with a number of other dealerships and brands.
 
His belief in the Dealer system saw him a leader in the Melbourne Holden Dealer Association and a strong advocate of the Holden brand.
 
Asked what he thought was the most challenging aspect of running a dealership? He answered, “Finding the right people, nurturing them and getting them to do the things that they should do”. Noel believed the car industry provided enormous opportunity to those who were prepared to work hard, be disciplined, and cared about customers. 
 
Noel Gould leaves a legacy of passionate and successful Dealers that he mentored through his long career.
 
Our thoughts are with his family, his wife Marlene and children at this sad time.