WINNIPEG, Man. –Beaver Truck Centre has been named Volvo Trucks’ 2008 Canadian Dealer of the Year. It’s the third time the dealership, owned by Barry Searcy, has won the prestigious award.

Selection criteria included items such as: performance in new truck and parts sales; Volvo engines; customer satisfaction; and investment in facilities.

John Oades, fleet manager with Beaver Truck Centre, said the award recognizes “overall dealer performance, not any one department” making it especially rewarding for the entire team. “We are very, very thrilled,” he added.

Searcy sent a heartfelt message to employees, which said “I am very thankful to be associated with all of you and would like you all to know how very proud I am to call you my team.”

This marks the third time Beaver Truck Centre has won the national award. It was also named Canadian Dealer of the Year in 1999 and 2006. Beaver first opened its doors in April 1997, and now has 23 service bays and more than 85 employees.

It also has an in-house training facility, and the dealership regularly brings in trainers from Volvo’s head office to educate customers on proper maintenance.

Despite sluggish market conditions, Searcy said 2008 was a banner year for the dealership, and he pointed out several impressive accomplishments. Sales manager Doug Haimes placed fourth in North America and was only a couple units shy of first in Canada in sales; Murray McDonald placed 21st in North America; Larry Myhal placed 42nd in North America; Oades placed third in North America, and first in financing.

Meanwhile, Beaver’s sales department won Volvo’s SuperStars competition. The dealer’s parts department placed first in Cummins’ Best in the West program for increased sales compared to the previous year. The department also finished in the Top 20 of North American sales versus its objective; Top 20 in reman sales versus objective; and it received the Multi-Million Dollar Club award from Volvo for achieving and exceeding its sales objectives.

The service department also garnered attention, by placing four of the five winning teams in the Vista Tech Program. Cameron Glass placed third in the Canadian Hino Truck Competition. And Chris Ingrim received the highest honours in the Truck Transport Mechanic competition.

All this did not go unnoticed at the corporate level.

Per Carlsson, president and CEO of Volvo Trucks North America, issued the following statement about its top dealers: “Our dealers are on the front lines every day, making sure our customers have the trucks, parts and service they need to drive success. It is a pleasure to recognize the outstanding work of our top-performing dealers and the example they set for customer support.”