Performance

Four decades in the automotive retail business have taught Bob Verwey a lot about success.

The president of Owasco watched his Whitby-based business grow from a single Volkswagen dealership to include five divisions today. His secret? Building a great team.

“A dealership is more than selling and repairing cars,” Bob explains. “Finance, marketing, human resources, and project management are incorporated into your day-to-day operations, and to grow we have to find talent.”

Some of that talent comes from the university’s Faculty of Business and Information Technology. In 2013, the dealership became an internship host, giving students the opportunity to test-drive their knowledge in a real-world setting. From the front office to the collision repair shop floor, they experience every facet of the business.

And, our students have proven to be a valuable resource to the business and many have accepted full-time positions after graduation.

“These students have proven to be bright, confident, independent thinkers and doers,” says John Fledderus, Vice-President and Deputy. “We are proud to be a part of the university community and to fund a cause we are passionate about––student success.”

To support success, Owasco established a scholarship to reward Accounting and Finance students for academic excellence. The award has grown over the years and encourages them to be future leaders.

“We serve the community and we believe in being good corporate citizens,” Bob says. “Together we are growing the next generation of leaders for the automotive industry.”