John Kelley – a motivated sales associate, grandfather of 12, gardener extraordinaire, cancer society fundraiser, Harley owner and Hoosier (amongst other things) – has been named the 2007 Auto Dealer Monthly Sales Professional of the Year. While he wasn’t named our sales professional of the year for his gardening skills, he was chosen because of his uncanny knack for selling vehicles and amazing attitude on life. This 76-year-old industry veteran has been selling 400 vehicles a year for as long as anyone can remember.

Kelley has been in the auto industry since 1964 and currently works at Tom Kelley Buick Pontiac GMC in Ft. Wayne, Ind. (his nephew’s dealership). His automotive career didn’t follow the typical pattern; it began in management, then moved to sales. While having the Kelley name on the marquee might give him an edge, he’s never considered it an advantage. Dedication and hard work is what pays off, and his coworkers attest to that. General Manager Carlo Borg said, “I’ve never seen anyone work as hard as John.”

Throughout life, both in and out of the automotive industry, Kelley has excelled. “I determined at 12 years old that I was going to be a success,” he said. At the tender age of 12, Kelley, the youngest of nine children, took over the family farm, as his father was bedridden by illness. The three older Kelley boys were in the military and working in factories.

By the age of 16, while attending high school, Kelley had the 160-acre farm paid off and a new fleet of John Deere tractors. The same year, a new career opportunity arose. One neighbor, who was a mentor to Kelley, introduced him to the fast-talking business of auctioneering, and the teenage farmer spent his free time auctioning off household goods and farm equipment. He spent about 15 years on the auction block.

Shortly after stepping down from the auction block, Kelley’s brother, who owned a dealership, approached him with a proposition. He asked John to manage his body shop. Coincidentally, at the same time, a gentleman approached Kelley to purchase the farm. After some consideration, the family farm was sold, and at age 33, his reign in the automotive industry began.

Later, when the body shop was up to par, he made the lateral movement to used car manager, then to new car manager. After realizing that all the sales associates he was managing were out-earning him, he told his brother that he wanted to sell vehicles, and he did. Kelley turned out to be quite the sales associate, averaging between 30 and 35 sales per month.

Most people working at his age have at least cut back on their hours, but not him who still works 60 plus hours a week. While he believes he’ll retire some day, there are no such plans for the near future. “I feel perfect. I’ve never had an ache or pain. God’s really been good to me … I just live a real, good, healthy, eventful life.”

A few years ago, Kelley was asked to raise money for the Allen County Cancer Society. He gladly accepted and made an estimated 1,500 calls and sent out numerous letters to fellow community members, many of which were customers. He raised more than $20,000 in three short months, all while working normal hours at the dealership. This amazing deed earned him the 2004 Allen County Man of the Year award, which resulted in his face being showcased next to this prestigious title on billboards across the city of Ft. Wayne. He chuckled and said he wasn’t even aware of this new accomplishment until a friend called and asked why his face was on billboards all around town.

Another accomplishment Kelley achieved was the 1998 Buick Salesman of the Year. “I’ve got a Rolex watch to prove that.” That year, no other sales associate in the country sold more Buicks than Kelley.

His key to success comes from within. “It’s all attitude,” he said, “It controls you and it controls the customer. If you have a great attitude, you’re going to sell cars.”

His son, Mike Kelley, agrees. He directly attributed his father’s success to his great attitude, and Mike seems to have inherited his father’s passion for selling vehicles. He’s also a sales associate at Tom Kelley Buick Pontiac GMC. He boasted on how helpful his father is. “My dad’s a mentor to all of us here. If anybody ever, ever needs any help here, he’s the first one on the job.”

Kelley’s constant selling attitude is one of his 10 profit and selling tips, which Auto Dealer Monthly printed in the July issue, when he was the Sales Professional of the Month. He also believes you have to go to work each day committed to serving customers, which equates to daily prospecting and follow-up.

Dan Henderson, the special finance director for the Kelley Auto Group, nominated Kelley (when he was 75) during the summer of 2007. Henderson said, “I’ve never seen a 75-year-old guy work as hard as John. He works harder than most of the young kids around here.”

Kelley has worked hard all his life. “You will never find him without a smile on his face and a joke to tell, and rarely without a customer on his heels. He is above and beyond any sales professional I have ever seen work in this industry,” said Henderson. Kelley’s career selling vehicles has spanned three decades and touched the lives of thousands; an estimated 80 percent of his customers are repeat customers.

We, at Auto Dealer Monthly, would like to congratulate John Kelley on his accomplishments, his community service and his career as a top-notch sales professional, and thank you to Dan Henderson for bringing Kelley to our attention.

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