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Kipp Scott celebrates 50 years in the community

May 6, 2018 | 4:27 PM

Kipp Scott GMC is celebrating five decades of doing business and being involved in the Red Deer community.

The family-owned auto dealership hosted a BBQ for its customers on Saturday to kick off 50th Anniversary celebrations.

Scottsville Group Owner and Chief Operating Officer Garrett Scott says being the best corporate citizen possible has been a key element to their success over the years.

“Some of the things that we’re most passionate about is helping the community right out our backdoor and that’s northern Red Deer,” he explains. “It started a few years ago building a kitchen for Normandeau School, the Mustard Seed donation at the beginning of this year and you will see some donations tonight with Red Deer Public Schools and their Step Up Fund.”

The dealership is donating $50,000 to the Step Up Fund, which helps cover basic necessities that many students across the district go without, such as food, clothing, medical needs and transportation.

 

 

Scott adds they’re also donating their 1971 firetruck to Red Deer Emergency Services to be used for parades and other special events.

“We finally just said, ‘You know, you guys are really the ones that need this more than us.’ The best use seems to be to give it to Red Deer Emergency Services and that’s what we’re going to do tonight.”

Kipp Scott GMC is holding its biggest-ever contest, as Garrett describes it, by giving away a $50,000 vehicle. Entries will be accepted throughout the year with the vehicle, a GMC Sierra half-ton, GMC Acadia or Cadillac ATS, to be delivered to the winner at Christmas time.

Looking back, Scott acknowledges 50 years in business is a great accomplishment but he counters that he and his staff are focused on the future.

“We truly believe that our next 10 years will be a defining 10 years for us,” Scott states. “There’s a lot of competition out there and we want to strive to be the best in that pile and the nice thing with all the customers that are here tonight, there’s a lot of long-term customers and those are the experiences we keep working for. Those are the customers that have stuck with us through the last 50 years, some of them for the full 50 years too and we want to keep that going.”

“I really believe the biggest changes are to come,” Scott continues. “At General Motors, we’re striving for zero emissions, zero congestion and zero collisions and I think we’ll get their one day and that will be the biggest change. I think the way you own vehicles will change as well, there will be less ownership and more of a ride-sharing type model or a pay-for-what-I-use type model.”