Kat Monteiro

The View From My Offi ce

With Kat Monteiro

Happy Spring me everyone! The View From My Offi ce today has me looking out our back sliding glass window at our pool and a big Oak Tree. The windows are open, and I hear all the birds in the yard chirping; especially the Mockingbirds, they always have a unique sound. I just love them. There are li le tmouse birds hanging out by the pool, swooping in to take a dip in the water. To my right sits Rick, si ng at his li le desk we set up, typing away numbers and such on his computer, working. Yes, he re red, and yes, he is s ll working! He is working part me, a few hours each day, some mes more, some mes less. Not sure what the long-term plan is, but it will be at least ll the end of this year. He really likes what he is doing now. He says this is the fun stuff ! Working the numbers and inventory was always what he enjoyed and excelled at the most. This is really good for him. A nice transi on period into full re rement.

It’s a good view and I am very happy to be able to sit here and enjoy it.

On this Friday morning I am also refl ec ng on last weekend. Last Friday Jack, Jasen, and Jasmine Powell celebrated Rick’s 30 years with a re rement dinner at the Grand Del Mar Hotel. Managers from the other departments at the dealership were in a endance, along with Rick and I. It was such a special evening. We all sat there and reminisced and told stories from over the years. The Powells had the most wonderful, powerful, things to say about Rick such as all he has done for their store, how he was such an important part of bringing Jasen and Jasmine up into the business as their mentor, sharing in watching our girls grow up, how we are family,and more. I have always felt so honored for being accepted and welcomed into this work family. I never felt so proud as I sat there and listened to everyone telling their stories and memories of Rick. I admit it, I had plenty of tears.

Then to top it off we were treated to a 2 night stay at this same Grand Mar Hotel! Now this hotel is a thing of beauty! And as I walked around admiring the architecture, and the beau ful grounds, I felt so thankful for this incredible gi . What made it even more special is that when Jasen was talking to Rick about how they came up with the idea, he said they were thinking of diff erent gi s and so on, and Jasen said they really wanted Rick and I to have an experience. That right there lets you know that they really know Rick! As many of you know, Rick is all about the adventure, the drive to wherever it is that he decides to go, making memorable memories, the experience! I thought this was the most awesome thing ever! And it just really meant so much to both of us. I am thankful that we have spent the last 30 years with a dealer owner who honestly thinks of us as family. Thank you, Jack Powell.

Another exci ng event was this year’s NADA Conven on! Whoohoo! A er 2 years we were fi nally all able to meet up in Las Vegas. It was so good to see everyone! We just spent hours si ng around cha ng. There were many of you that I felt like I didn’t get enough me with, and I am sorry about that.

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It was a very special mee ng because we were celebra ng the Mopar Masters Guild 30 years as a Guild. What a great accomplishment. I don’t believe that there are very many organiza ons, if any, that have weathered me and circumstances, changes in company ownership (mul ple mes), and have s ll hung in there for 30 years! Many of the original group are now re red or are re ring soon. I hope that all the new members can carry this group on for another 30 years! Wouldn’t that be something! It was so cool at our recep on party when all the past presidents lined up in front of the stage to be acknowledged. I felt so proud! There were a couple that could not make it, and a couple that are no longer with us - but they were all there in spirit and it was amazing!

I want to give a shout out to Paul Allred. He gets the award for being a part of the Guild from the very fi rst mee ng 30 years ago! He is the only one le from that original group that is s ll ac ve. Rick a ended the second mee ng, and that was the beginning of some of the best friendships we have ever had.

Since Rick re red (yah right!!) at the end of the year it was a great pleasure for us to bring Jack Powell’s new Parts Manager to his fi rst NADA mee ng. I hope you all had a chance to meet Steve Ausencio. I know he is going to be right at home with all of you. He always has great ideas, he is smart, works hard, and he is genuine. He cares and is determined to keep Jack Powell at the top and beyond! His wife Jessenia also attended, I introduced her to everyone as Jessie. She is one of the nicest, sweetest, people you will ever meet! Please welcome them to the group, help show them the ropes, and take some me to get to know them, just like you did with us all those years ago. You will enjoy their company. For those that will be a ending the mee ng in San Antonio, they will both be there so please reach out and welcome them.

I want to say a great big thank you to the Guild for arranging a Ladies and Gentlemen’s (we had a few this year) - Brunch again this year - and to Jill Vance for ge ng all of us there and se led a er our fi rst mode of transporta on stopped working while we were all on it!! Jill, you are such a quick thinker and you made everything happen like that was what we were supposed to do in the fi rst place. You never stressed or lost your beau ful smile in a moment of confusion! The breakfast we enjoyed was so wonderfully delicious. And the room we had for the group was beau ful, we just all felt so special. Continued on Page 64

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I hate to think of this as my last NADA. But it really was. I know that we will always be welcome to a end, and I am pre y sure we will take up the off er, but it was our last in the way that we are not as involved as we were before the end of 2021. We are looking forward to visi ng many of you for vaca ons! With so many friends all in diff erent states it will be so much fun to come see you and not have to worry so much about me or having to get back to go to work! It’s been a great ride and I have enjoyed every moment.

That being said - this is not goodbye for me as far as the Mopar Masters Guild Magazine - I will s ll be here, wri ng my ar cle! Hopefully you all will keep reading the View From My Offi ce. Who knows where the view will be coming from next!

One more note. I have word that Ray Cordoza is not well, and his health is rapidly declining. Ray worked at Normandin Chrysler in San Jose, California. He and his wife Be y were part of the Guild from the beginning un l Ray re red in 2006. They moved to Sonora, California a er re rement. For all that met Ray you all know he was unforge able! A very big, fun personality. I wanted to put the word out of Ray’s health so you could keep them in your thoughts during this diffi cult me.

Kat