Our dealership's namesake is Wendell Finlay, an entrepreneur who ran
Proudfoot Motors on King St. East in Kitchener in the 1940s and 1950s.
In 1956, Wendell bought the dealership and changed the name ? but he
kept some of the staff, including Bill Hendry, whom he'd hired in 1948
to help out with the books. Through the years Bill became the Office
Manager and then the General Manager under Wendell.
Fast-forward to 1973. Wendell retired and Bill bought the
dealership with a partner who retired in 1987, when Bill became the sole
owner. He wouldn't run the place alone for long though, because the
next generation of Wendell leadership was already in training.
Beginning with lawn maintenance around age 12, then working in the
office during high school, Bill's son Craig got a taste for the
business from the ground up. When it came time for higher education,
Craig chose Automotive Marketing at Georgian College in Barrie, followed
by Business Administration at Northwood University in Michigan. During
co-op terms, Craig worked at a variety of dealerships to develop a broad
understanding of the business, officially joining his father full time
upon graduation in 1989.
Through roles as Business Manager, Assistant General Manager and
General Manager, Craig developed the experience to lead the business
before becoming the President and Dealer in 1999 upon Bill's retirement.
Today Wendell's employs more than 50 people and is the largest
volume Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge dealership in Waterloo Region. The Hendry
family and employees are proud to have served the automotive needs of
Kitchener-Waterloo and area for more than half a century, and to have
developed a reputation for quality, service and customer-focus that
speaks for itself.
