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.
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