An award-winning manager at motor retailer Bristol Street Motors is to be given a rousing send-off by his colleagues as he takes early retirement.
Jass Singh, 55, who is the CMA General Manager of Bristol Street Motors Sunderland and Hexham Vauxhall, has made his mark in his time with the company.
During his 14 years at Bristol Street Motors, he has won a clutch of major awards, including national accolades.
In 2019, the Sunderland dealership was crowned Retailer of the Year by Vauxhall, beating off stiff competition from 187 other outlets selling the leading manufacturer's vehicles.
The dealership, based in Alexandra Avenue, Hylton Riverside, has also won a Vauxhall customer excellence award eight times whilst Jass has been in charge.
Within Vertu Motors plc, the automotive retail group that Bristol Street Motors is a part of, Jass has also been named General Manager of the Year.
Colin Kent, Group Operations Director at Bristol Street Motors, paid tribute to Jass and his achievements: “Jass not only sets the benchmark for best practice in his dealership but also my division and it’s been wonderful to have a role model for the other sites to follow, which you would want in any business. He has also been a pioneer in terms of launching new processes in the company; we know he can be relied on to make sure his team gets behind it and makes it work.
“He always leads from the front and doesn’t ask any colleague to do what he’s not prepared to do himself, which is why I suspect his people have so much respect for him.
“Jass’ dealership is one of the best run in the whole Vauxhall network and has been for many years, which explains why the manufacturer holds him in such high regard.
“He has, for the last 12 months, been mentoring his successor and for me his legacy will live on in the way the business continues to be run by the team, who have all been personally trained by him.”
Jass said: "I have had a fantastic time at Bristol Street Motors working with great colleagues, who all contribute to helping make the dealerships I oversee such a great success."
Jass, who lives at Wynyard, on Teesside, has been in the motor trade for 39 years, starting out as a motor mechanic and rising through the ranks to become a Sales Executive and then a General Manager.
"Looking back, the motor trade has changed beyond recognition with the development of sophisticated technology and greener, cleaner vehicles," Jass continued.
"While I am looking forward to my retirement, I will miss my colleagues and the challenges and satisfaction of leading a business.
"I have worked alongside Colin Kent (Vertu Motors plc Operations Director) for 23 years, as we worked together at my previous employer, and he has been a very supportive boss, which is another factor that has contributed to my success at Bristol Street Motors."
Robert Forrester, Chief Executive at Bristol Street Motors, said: "I have known Jass for more than 20 years and throughout his career he has epitomised the skills, attitude, acumen and enthusiasm that are needed to run a successful motor dealership.
"He truly is a role model with his outstanding abilities reflected by the many awards that he has won over the years.
"While he will be sorely missed, everyone at Vertu Motors plc wishes him well as he embarks on the next stage in his life."
Jass is taking early retirement to be able to spend more time with his family - his wife of 33 years Janet, and his three sons Sarjan, who is at university, Harvir, and Indy, his schoolteacher daughter Symron, and granddaughter Sienna.
The motor trade is in his family's DNA, as Harvir and Indy have both gone into the sector.
Jass also intends to spend more time pursuing his hobbies of playing golf, squash and football, following Manchester United.