‘It’s almost like a day off’

Brenden Smiley, a former Marine, is learning to be a service technician at Krapohl Ford & Lincoln while he pursues a degree at Mid Michigan College. Service trainee overcomes hardships, envisions bright future Brenden Smiley doesn’t just work on cars — they have given him a new outlook on life. Brenden, 32, joined the U.S. Marines after high school, leaving his hometown of Detroit to travel to Okinawa, Japan, where he completed basic training and remained stationed for two years. He then spent five years stationed in California before being discharged from the military. While with the Marines, Brenden specialized in logistics. After leaving the service, however, he struggled to find his way in life. An interest in cars — particularly fast cars — gave him a path he didn’t know even existed. He began working for a shop in California selling and servicing vehicles, without any formal training. He said for many years he tried to find a career path that was right for him. “I worked more than 25 different types of jobs, but never found a place where I wanted to be,” he said. After meeting his girlfriend and moving to Beaverton, Michigan, he enrolled in Mid Michigan College’s Automotive and Diesel Service program. After gaining critical hands-on experience at Mid, he was connected with Krapohl Ford & Lincoln and assigned a service technician as a mentor. He joined the service team in August 2021, has since completed his internship and continues his training. Brenden is three classes away from earning his associate degree. “As a kid, my dad was always working on cars, but he would never let me touch them,” Brenden recalls with a laugh. “Now, I like working on cars, and I learn something new every day at Krapohl. Teamwork is a big thing here.” Brenden, also a trained mixed martial arts fighter, is excited about his future as a mechanic. “I have goals, and I’m saving money to build a house,” he said. “I’m happy, and the future is bright.” Note: If you want to talk shop with Brenden, ask him about turbos. They’re his favorite.

A portable hoist system allows service technicians to raise large vehicles high enough to work under them. Hoist system handles service trucks and other large vehicles with no problem The new lift system is wireless, so technicians don't have to worry about connecting cables or working around them. A new hoist system makes working on large vehicles easier and safer for Krapohl Ford & Lincoln service technicians. Four blue lifts, each standing more than 7 feet high, make up the CL Challenger Lifts system. The units are wireless, so there are no cables to connect or work around. The units are on wheels, making the system portable and adjustable to any type of vehicle, from passenger cars to large vehicles, such as Transit vans. Each lift handles up to 14,000 pounds. Together, they are more than enough to lift a large service truck. “They like it,” said Krapohl service manager Jeff Slocum of technicians’ reaction to the new equipment that arrived Dec. 3. “It’s a lot more convenient than having to manually jack up all four corners and slide under the vehicle.” The mobile column truck lift also gives service techs more room below the vehicle to work comfortably, and it allows more light into hard-to-reach areas.

Bob Yost recently retired from Krapohl Ford & Lincoln after more than 20 years as an assistant sales manager. Recently, he stopped in to pick up a 2000 Cadillac DeVille he purchased from Krapohl. As longtime assistant sales manager, Bob took on all challenges For more than 20 years, Bob Yost was an assistant sales manager for Krapohl Ford & Lincoln. He supervised the sales team, appraised trade-ins, approved deals on vehicles, collaborated with the service department for the inspection of used cars and, of course, provided quality service to customers. Bob also was a private investigator for 16 years before taking a job at a different Ford dealership before coming to Krapohl in 2000. When he choose Krapohl as his place of work, many factors came into play, including its reputation and being a brand he respected. Bob recently retired from Krapohl. He didn’t want a party or any special recognition on his last day in May. That said, he’ll have to endure a blog post. “We counted on Bob a lot over the years,” said Krapohl co-owner and general manager Mark Smith. “Wherever and whenever we had a need in the sales department, he took on the challenge.” With any and all careers, challenges and rewards are a given. Economic downturns are one challenge Bob endured with the sales team. Although downturns created an exacting environment for him and co-workers, there’s always light on the other side. For some, it may be making a difference in the community or finding the right vehicle for a customer. For Bob, it was the people he worked with on a daily basis. “This is the best set of owners and co-workers of any place I’ve ever seen,” he said. Bob valued how everyone treats each other at Krapohl Ford & Lincoln, and he appreciated co-workers’ company inside and outside of the workplace. “We get together once in a while,” he said. “We’ve played cornhole outside of here ( Sales & Service building) and some of us have bowled together.” As a Canadian Lakes resident, he spends free time boating, playing golf, remodeling homes and riding motorcycles. Dave Haywood, Krapohl general sales manager, is a close friend and they regularly ride together. Along with Bob’s hobbies, he organized the team of retirees that helps Krapohl transport vehicles across the region. Now that he is retired, he plans to put himself on the list to be one of the drivers. “Gosh, I don’t know how you put it into words,” said Courtney Dennis, Krapohl rental cashier. “Bob is a lifesaver. Bob thinks of other people before himself.” Considering his experiences with customers, vehicles and economic challenges, the thing he will miss most about his time at the dealership are “the people.” “I want to thank all of them for the way I’ve been treated for all these years,” Bob said.