Dealer: Patrick Koballa

Full-time employees: 56

Koballa on learning how to be a better employer from managing through the pandemic: “Most every decision requires extensive research when they revolve around COVID issues. Morale, attitude and productivity all have to be considered before making changes, as all of these play a very important role in each day’s productivity.”

Koballa on long-term changes in hiring or employment practices because of the pandemic: “We strongly encourage vaccination but do not have 100 percent of employees engaged. We have implemented a policy requiring a negative COVID test, at the dealership’s expense, every Monday morning for employees that are not vaccinated and monthly antibody tests for those that are not vaccinated but have tested positive for COVID in the recent past. In addition, mask usage is required by all employees inside the dealership. To be transparent, we share this policy during the interview process with each prospective new employee.”

Koballa on improving employee retention: “We present a Best Idea Award to the employee with the best improvement idea submitted. We present an Extra Mile Award to the employee that does something extra special for a customer during the prior month.”

Koballa on offering employees a career path: “Extensive training, a robust 401(k) plan, excellent health insurance benefit, and 100 percent of managers are promoted from within.”