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shOp TaLk FROM PLOWS TO PALM TREES by Amy Lenard photo Courtesy of Steve Johnson Canadian-born Florida technician builds a 30-year career in the sun Johnson didn’t much care for farming. So, after high school, he began an apprenticeship with a general Motors dealership and continued on that path for several years. he moved to florida in 1980, where he spent the next 20 years working as a technician and floor foreman at a variety of dealerships. Now, after about nine years at Terry Wynter Auto Service Center, his experience has him front and center in automotive interviews on television and radio. Recent vignettes featuring Johnson’s take on gas-saving gimmicks and better gas mileage have appeared in local and national media outlets. “Steve has a unique ability to have great technical and people skills so he makes a wonderful representative for our company,” says shop co-owner Kay Wynter. “he’s terrific in front of a camera.” Johnson works with a staff of seven technicians, along with a service writer and parts manager. he says everyone in the service area has special strengths. “Individuals can’t do everything, but together we work well as a team,” says Johnson, whose specialties are drivability, electronics and air conditioning. “Each one of us has a certain area of expertise, which keeps things running smoothly.” Ulmer’s Auto and Truck Service in great falls, Mont., celebrates 64 years in the business this November. Much has changed since Clarence C. Ulmer opened the doors on Nov. 3, 1945. HUMBLE BEgINNINg The city’s population has grown from about 30,000 in 1945 to about 59,000 today. And while Montana remains one of the least populous states in the country, it nonetheless has more than doubled the number of residents in the last six and a half decades— from 477,000 in 1945 to about 960,000 in 2009. Three generations and 64 years in business make Ulmer’s Auto a Montana landmark by Eric Lingaur photos courtesy of Ulmer’s Automotive Clarence Ulmer got his start in the automotive service business working at various dealerships as an independent owner. Before World War II, area dealerships for manufacturers such as Plymouth, hudson and Nash didn’t run their own service departments and subcontracted independents to operate them. After the war ended, Ulmer decided he wanted to start his own shop. Money was tight at that time, but his wife Drusilla had been saving for a home, so the couple used their house fund to start the business. The building But while Montana has changed, the family at Ulmer’s permit for Ulmer’s was the first issued in great falls after he spends a lot of time pouring over service manuals, Auto hasn’t. It’s currently managed by greg Ulmer, the World War II ended, and Ulmer’s has remained in the but senior technician Steve Johnson sometimes feels grandson of Clarence Ulmer. same location ever since. like he’s in the middle of his own mystery novel. A car enthusiast to the core, Johnson says he recently “When you work a family business you only have to work When the shop opened, Ulmer’s Auto had only one “Being a technician is a lot like being a detective,” he says. downsized his personal fleet of vehicles so he could half a day, just pick which 12 hours you want to work,” building and four service bays. The staff consisted of “Someone brings you a problem and you have to analyze purchase a leisure boat for cruising around the florida says greg Ulmer. Clarence Ulmer and three mechanics. In the years that the clues, come up with a theory and solve the mystery coastline with his wife Janis and their two adult sons. Ulmer’s is a long-time TSS affiliate and an all-makes followed, the shop has been expanded twice; it now before you repair the vehicle.” But he still has a 2002 Corvette, 1969 Chevelle, 1986 all-models service center that performs a variety of auto houses seven bays, employs five technicians and one Johnson is an integral member of the service team Jaguar XJS Coupe and 1989 Mazda RX-7, in addition and truck repair, as well as some fabrication. It also assistant technician. Several of Ulmer’s technicians at Terry Wynter Auto Service Center, a Total Service to the half-ton pickup truck he drives to work. services many area vehicle fleet accounts, some of have worked there for more than 15 years, and all of the Support shop in fort Myers, fla. he’s also an avid drag Literally and figuratively, Johnson has come a long which have been customers for more than 35 years. Ulmer’s employees are considered part of the family. racer, classic car enthusiast and hot-rod builder who’s way from the farmland of Ontario, but a successful Ulmer’s prides itself in providing personal service at Clarence Ulmer ran the shop from 1945 to 1980. he been adept at mechanical service since growing up on career of more than 30 years proves the automotive competitive prices and really takes the time to get to handed the reins to his son gary, but returned to the a farm in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, where repairing and industry offers plenty to a technician who’s dedicated know their customers. They have many customers that shop every day until he passed away at the age of 84. maintaining equipment was a way of life. to his vocation. n have been coming in for more than 40 years. Continued on page 16 14 15 acdelco.com 800.ACDelco
seConD anD thirD generations gary C. Ulmer took over the day-to-day operations in 1980 and purchased the business from his father in 1990. gary is 70 years old and still works 10 to 12 hours a day, five days a week. gary began working at the garage when he was 10, chasing parts around town on his bicycle and cleaning the shop floor. his father, Clarence, started teaching him the tricks of the trade when he was 14, and gary served his apprenticeship under him. gary Ulmer always had a keen interest in cars and how they worked. he even customized his own vehicles in high school. After graduating from high school, gary continued to work at the garage and attended many classes to expand his knowledge of the industry. Today gary is referred to as the “old mechanic” around the shop and is the expert customers call and ask for when they are working on their own classic vehicles. greg Ulmer, gary’s son, is the third generation and is working to purchase the business from his father. greg has managed the business for the past 10 years and, like his father, also started working at the shop when he was 10. “I was always interested in cars and how they worked,” he says. greg Ulmer worked at the shop to earn a little extra money to work on his 1941 Plymouth coupe and the 1968 Camaro that he has owned since high school. he earned a business degree from the College of great falls, while also working in the family business and completing his apprenticeship under both his father and grandfather. he is ASE master-certified in auto and truck repair and serves on the Montana Apprenticeship and Training Directors Association Board. greg Ulmer is also a member and participant in the Leadership great falls Program sponsored by the great falls Chamber of Commerce and has been active with the local school district’s career day sessions by providing job shadow opportunities for high school students interested in going into the automotive service field. he is a big proponent of continuing education and encourages his employees to stay current on the newest and future vehicles by taking classes and taking advantage of the numerous training courses from ACDelco. “The training courses are essential for our technicians,” says greg Ulmer. “With all the changes occurring in the industry, we take advantage of them whenever possible.” 16 a long history with aCDelCo ACDelco and Ulmer’s have main- tained a long, fruitful relationship that dates back more than 50 years. It started in the days when ACDelco was known as United Delco. Ulmer’s was the first ACDelco TSS service center in the great falls area. greg was on the first ACDelco Advisory Council that was assembled back in the 1990s, when it was called the Quality Installer Program. Even the Ulmer’s logo and the outside of the Ulmer’s building are red, white and blue, matching ACDelco’s color scheme. “Being an ACDelco Total Service Support center is very important to my shop and means quality parts, great support, advertising benefits, promotional opportunities, image enhancement and great training opportunities,” says greg Ulmer. “Our ACDelco representative, Paul Burns, has provided great support as well as all the folks at our WD, Direct Automotive, for many years.” Ulmer’s has had fathers, sons, wives, brothers, cousins, nephews, grand- daughters and grandsons all work at the family business over the years, and there’s currently a 14-year-old grandchild that may be the fourth generation to continue the family business for the next 64 years. The car owners of great falls are in great hands. n 17
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