Robberson Ford, 64-year Bend dealership, acquired by Kendall Auto Group
Owner Jeff Robberson's message to community: 'Thank you for a great 64 years'
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – After 64 years as Bend’s Ford dealership, Robberson Ford has been acquired by Kendall Auto Group, a growing Eugene-based company that owns several other auto dealers in Bend, Eugene and across the Northwest, owner Jeff Robberson announced Sunday.
Jeff Robberson thanked the community in a full-page newspaper ad for its decades of support, ever since his father, Gordon “Gordy” Robberson, started the dealership in 1957 in downtown Bend with nine employees.
“Today, we have multiple locations, including Prineville, providing family wage jobs and benefits to over 140 employees,” Robberson wrote. The Bend dealership also sells Lincoln and Mazda vehicles.
Robberson also noted the dealership’s decades of supporting numerous community causes through participation in and sponsorships of “way too many organizations to list.”
Robberson thanked “our wonderful group of employees for their work ethic and believing in the Robberson way of doing what is right, ethically and morally. I would like to thank you, our customers, for your years of loyalty, allowing us to grow and give back to the community.”
“Last, but definitely not least, I want to thank our partner vendors, with whom we established long-term working relationships," he said.
“I am pleased to say that the new owners, Kendall Ford of Bend, have retained our existing employees, grandfathering their employment dates and benefits, so you can look forward to the familiar faces you have seen over the years,” Robberson wrote, concluding his message by saying: “Thank you for a great 64 years.”
Kendall Auto Oregon also owns Bend's Toyota, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche dealerships.
Kendall Automotive Group traces its roots to 1937 and a Ford dealership in Eugene. It has grown to include several other dealerships in Alaska, Idaho, Washington and Montana.
A news release was issued Monday, announcing the move:
Kendall Auto Group Acquires Robberson Ford
Dealerships in Bend and Prineville to Become Part of Family-owned Northwest Dealership Group
(BEND, Oregon) – Kendall Automotive Group Inc. announced today the acquisition of Robberson Ford/Lincoln Mazda located in Bend and Prineville.
Robberson Ford was founded in downtown Bend by Gordy Robberson in 1957 and has been at its current location on NE 3rd Street since 1971. The Prineville dealership was opened in 2002.
“Robberson Ford’s legacy of taking care of both customers and their employee family in Central Oregon make this a fit,” said Michael Skillern, president of Kendall. “We are excited expand upon our commitment to the community of Bend and bring the ‘Kendall Way’ to Prineville.”
“When I look back at the legacy my father created and consider the hard work and vision of so many team members over the years, it is important to me that our customer first approach and commitment to our community continue,” said Jeff Robberson, president of Robberson Ford. “Kendall Auto Group is the right team to carry our legacy forward, and their strong relationship with Ford Motor Company will bode well for our customers.”
Kendall Auto Group has Ford franchises in Eugene, OR, Boise, ID, Anchorage, Kenai and Wasilla, AK, Marysville, WA and Bozeman, MT.
Kendall Ford stores have won multiple Ford President’s Awards in Boise, Eugene and Wasilla for exceeding customer expectations every day in every department.
Kendall Auto Group also has Audi, BMW, Mercedes Benz, Porsche, Toyota and Volkswagen dealerships in Bend.
About Kendall Auto Group
Kendall Auto Group is family-owned and operates dealerships in Oregon, Idaho, Washington, Montana and Alaska. Kendall now represents 46 franchises of the best the automotive industry has to offer and is one of the largest privately-owned dealership groups in the Pacific Northwest. The company employs over 2000 team members. Each year, Kendall donates and invests in the communities it serves by supporting a variety of causes like youth development, education and healthcare for the underserved through its Kendall Cares program. For more information, please visit: http://www.kendallauto.com/.
