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TheBuzz

BY ERIKA ENGLE

Sunday, September 23, 2001

Jackson Auto buys
Volvo franchise

CLARENCE "Jack" Jackson and his Jackson Auto Group have purchased the Volvo franchise for the state of Hawaii, as well as the state's only Volvo dealership at 704 Ala Moana Blvd., from TheoDavies Euromotors Ltd.

Terms of the deal signed Friday afternoon were not disclosed, but it took "nine months and 18 days," to complete, according to TheoDavies Euromotors Ltd. President Gary Wassel.

Jackson Auto Group General Manager Russell Wong said the new dealership may take the group's sales from last year's $36 million "to the high 50s or 60 million in sales."

Adding a name

Jackson adds Volvo to the Lincoln, Mercury, Pontiac and Isuzu brands it sells on its three-acre site on Nimitz Highway.

The Ala Moana location is about 50,000 square feet, including sales, service and administrative operations. It will be called Jackson Volvo, a name registered with the state in early August.

The deal also includes "arrangements with outer island service facilities -- independent shops that will assist in servicing Volvos," Wong said.

"Mr. Jackson will locate there, running the store on a daily basis," Wong said.

The dealership's new General Sales Manager is Alan Uyeoka. Former GSM Dennis Rademacher decided to stay with TheoDavies, Wong said. The remainder of the 42 employees will retain their employment, most of them with Jackson.

"Prior to last week, we expected employee levels to increase, but I still feel very positive over the long run we'll be up to 55 or 60 employees," Wong said.

Rademacher will serve as sales manager at the company's Mercedes-Benz dealership, Wassel said.

Luxury line

TheoDavies also represents other luxury car brands including Jaguar, Land Rover, Porsche, Ferrari and Honda on the Big Island.

TheoDavies Euromotors Ltd. had purchased the business in 1997 from Jim Slemmons Hawaii Inc., and it was presented the Volvo Dealer of Excellence award from 1997 to 2000.

Wassel had mixed feelings after signing off on the deal Friday afternoon.

But, he said, "when someone offers you a more-than-fair price, you have a decision to make.

"What we're trying to do is consolidate our business," Wassel said. "And some of these businesses we have are very competitive -- in the same niche."

Wassel said the company "can employ this Volvo transaction money in areas where we're going to be a great return."

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Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin.
Call 529-4302, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached
at: eengle@starbulletin.com