The Faces of Southbank Dodge - Meet Martin Gonzales Mendizabal

At Southbank Dodge, we consider ourselves to be more than a business, we are a family.  Every one of our team members plays a role in building a foundation that allows Southbank Dodge to be great.  We are proud of our staff and that is why we have introduced to you our readers, The Faces of Southbank.  We hope that these posts allow you the opportunity to get to know our team and see how fortunate we are to all be part of the Southbank family.

Martin Gonzales Mendizabal has been part of the Southbank family for almost a year.  As detailing foreman, Martin plays a vital role in the Southbank Service Department and also in the day to day life of Southbank.  He is always smiling and is always willing to help.  Southbank Blogger sat down with Martin to discuss his role at Southbank and what he hopes he is passing down to Southbank customers.

Southbank Blogger: Good morning Martin!  Could you please tell our readers a little about yourself?

Martin Gonzales Mendizabal: Good morning!  My name is Martin, I have been with Southbank Dodge for almost a year now.  I was born in Peru and have been living in Canada for the past twenty one years.  

Southbank Blogger: What do you believe is your most important role in your job?

Martin Gonzales Medizabal: I believe that my most important function in my role as detailing shop foreman is to make sure every customer is happy.  I love my role at Southbank.  I love to make customers smile and I love knowing that when I see a customer leave happy, I played a part in that.  That makes coming to work every day worth it.  

Southbank Blogger: Martin, what do you believe sets Southbank Dodge apart from other dealers in the city of Ottawa?

Martin Gonzales Medizabal: That is an easy question that I can answer in one word.  Family.  Family sets Southbank apart from any other dealer.  Southbank is a family business and I believe it is because of this that the staff of Southbank have become a family.  We all care about one another, we all relate to each other and we are always there for each other. 

Southbank Blogger: What do you hope customers feel when they leave Southbank Dodge? 

Martin Gonzales Medizabal: Firstly, when customers walk into Southbank, I want them to feel confident that they are in capable hands.  I want them to feel comfortable enough to ask any question they may have concerning their vehicle.  When they leave Southbank, I want them to feel satisfied that they received the best possible service and more importantly that they feel like they too are part of the Southbank family.  

The Faces of Southbank

Everyone knows that the majority of the time, people spend more time at work than they do with their families at home.  That is the case at Southbank.  This is why we call ourselves: The Southbank Family, because we are, simply put, a family.  We may not agree with each other all the time, or share the same personality traits or likes and dislikes, but we come together every day to make the best of Southbank. 

 

In visiting Southbank, you will notice that we have a very eclectic staff.  One that spans the globe and that could fill hundreds of books with their personal stories.  The shared differences is what makes Southbank an amazing place to work. 

 

Here are some Southbank Stories:

 

Stanford Noble

 

Stan is a very familiar face to the staff and long time customers of Southbank.  He began working at Southbank as a sales representative in 1991 and has not looked back since.  Stan hails from Jamaica and is affectionately known as "Agent 35" to the Southbank staff.  His professional demeanor, dapper style and caring attitude have made him irreplaceable to Southbank. Stan spearheads the Southbank Social Committee along with Southbank's involvement in many organizations, including The Rideau Carleton Race Track.  He is the go to Southbank photographer and handy man.   Stan has traveled the world and has many a story up his sleeve, but he says his heart will always be in Jamaica and Southbank of course.

 

Gustavo Aliaga

 

 

Gustavo, or Gus as he is known at Southbank, has been with Southbank as a sales representative for nine years.  Gus hails from Peru and has proven to be a great asset to Southbank's Spanish speaking community.  Gustavo is a father figure to the younger members of Southbank's sales team.  You can always catch him fixing some one's tie, or giving them a few styling tips.  Gus is famous for his dance moves.  Every year at the Southbank Christmas party, he never ceases to amaze with his Latin dance skills and boundless amounts of energy.  Gus is a proud grandfather to a beautiful little girl and is the only grandfather we know who still does 100 push ups a day.  His coined phrases "It's unbelievable" and "Amazing!" are what bring life into the Southbank showroom.  And if you have any doubt about Gus' push up abilities, we have the video below to prove it!  Go to: http://www.facebook.com/southbanknation to see it!

 

 

Norm Haggar

 

 

Norm has been with Southbank since the tender age of twelve.  Now maybe that could be a slight exaggeration, however, Norm has been with Southbank for over twenty four years and is a Southbank lifer.  Norm began in the Southbank Service department as a coop student, a program that Southbank still participates in to this day, and rose through the ranks.  From student, to mechanic, to shop foreman, to service manager, Norm has seen and done it all.  Southbank customers have never shown more loyalty than to Norm and he feels privileged to have grown with his customers and their families.  After taking six months off to travel the world and work on his tan, Norm is back and in the sales department trying something new!  The Southbank family is happy to finally have him back and jealous of his tan.