Miracle CDJR Podcast

Welcome to episode 21 of the Miracle CDJR podcast! In this podcast, John Haggard talks with Joe Smith, who is in the commercial and retail sales division. This podcast is all about the all-new 2020 Jeep Wrangler and the amazing features that are in this vehicle. They also talk about the following topics:

What Brought Joe Into the Automotive Business?What Are Some of the New Jeep Wrangler Features?An App That Turns Your Car on For YouHow Has the Jeep Become So Popular?Referral Program, VIP Program, and so much more!

Transcript

John Haggard 0:03 Welcome to the Miracle Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram podcast where you know that you’ll be able to learn about the best ways to purchase or lease, service, maintain, and accessorize your vehicle. How to sell your vehicle for the highest resale value possible when you are ready to do it. Also, the really cool features about the new Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram lineup at Miracle and that’s what we’re going to be talking about today, some really cool features! I’m your host, John Haggard and throughout each month right here, we do have different team members join us from Miracle to bring you tips that you can use and some great information. By the way, we do post a transcript of each podcast so that you can easily refer to it for information especially if you are a first-time listener. You can have it right there at your fingertips. On today’s podcast, we’re talking with Joe Smith. Joe is in the commercial and retail sales division at Miracle Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram and we’re featuring the all-new 2020 Jeep Wrangler and the cool technology that’s in that Jeep. Hey, Joe, welcome to the podcast!

Joe Smith 1:07 Hey, John, thanks for having me back!

John Haggard 1:09 Well, it’s good to have you back. It’s been a little bit of time since we spoke before. Anything exciting that’s happened in your life since we last spoke?

Joe Smith 1:17 I recently bought a house here a couple of months ago! I think the biggest thing that everybody’s kind of recovering from is the tornadoes that hit through here earlier this morning. So everybody’s kind of recovering from that, but, we’re all just doing it one day at a time.

John Haggard 1:31 Absolutely, yeah. What a tragedy really, of course, I guess back in 1999 that we had a similar type of tornado?

Joe Smith 1:42 Yeah, I think it took almost the exact same path as that one too from what I’ve seen.

John Haggard 1:46 Yeah. Hey, before we get started since we last spoke, remind the folks a little bit about you. Are you from Gallatin, or how did you get to Gallatin?

Joe Smith 1:55 I am originally from Maryland. I actually moved here when I left the Military Service. My father moved here about 10 years ago and he made the jump. So I figured I’d do the same thing and I’ve been loving it ever since.

John Haggard 2:07 Alright, so military. Tell us a little bit about that again, remind us what you were doing.

Joe Smith 2:11 I was in the Air Force for eight years. I was a construction civil engineer. So I basically did all the base projects when we went somewhere. I mean, I have a handful of jobs from welding fabrication, carpentry to pretty much just fixing your everyday door closer.

John Haggard 2:26 Alright, just keep the base in shape. Gotcha, gotcha. All right, so how did you wind up? Remind the folks again, how did you actually get into the car business, the automotive business? That’s a long way from base repair and base maintenance.

Joe Smith 2:41 It’s a little different. I was actually coming back from overseas while I was in Japan, and I had actually bought my first vehicle from here before I moved to my next station. When I moved back here to start my life over, I saw they had an opening. I really enjoyed the experience that I had when I purchased my vehicle here, so I thought I w

Welcome to episode 20 of the Miracle CDJR Podcast! In this short podcast, John Haggard talks with Drew Fulcher who is the Service Manager at Miracle CDJR in Gallatin. Have you ever wondered how to keep your car running smoothly? You do not want to miss this podcast! They also talk about:

Drew’s Interesting Job’s before Miracle The Importance of Fuel System Cleanup Is Synthetic Oil Better For Your Car?Why You Should Service with Miracle CDJRThe Difference Between Factory Parts Or Aftermarket PartsPowertrain Warranty and The Miracle VIP Program

Transcript

John Haggard 0:02 Welcome to the Miracle Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram podcast, where you will be able to learn about the best ways to purchase or lease, service, maintain and accessorize your vehicle and how to sell your vehicle for the highest resale value possible when you’re ready to do it. You know the really cool features about the new Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram lineup, we’ve got them at Miracle and you’ll be hearing that also, on podcasts upcoming. I’m your host, John Haggard, and throughout each month right here, we’ll have different team members join us from Miracle to bring you tips you can use. By the way, we also post a transcript of each podcast so you can easily refer to it for information that you would like to have at your fingertips. On today’s podcast, we’re talking to Drew Fulcher. He’s the Service Manager at Miracle Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Gallatin. Hey, Drew, welcome to the podcast!

Drew Fulcher 0:52 Hey, how you doing?

John Haggard 0:53 I am doing good. The question is, how are you doing? I know guys and ladies who are in the service department business. Doesn’t matter what it is, sometimes you’re just so slammed, you don’t see any daylight until it’s time to get off. Does that ever happen to you?

Drew Fulcher 1:06 Basically all the time.

John Haggard 1:09 Hey, before we get to know a little bit about you and what you do at Miracle there Drew, tell us the line of work that you’ve been in your past? Have you always been in automotive?

Drew Fulcher 1:18 I’ve worked just about everywhere. I got in the car business about six years ago, I started changing oil. Before then, I’ve done anything from working with the Titans on the Grounds Crew to factory work. So I’ve basically done anything where the money’s at, and now I’m in the car business, and I probably won’t ever get out of it.

John Haggard 1:36 Wow. So tell us about what it was like with the Titans. When was that?

Drew Fulcher 1:40 The Titans were in 2013. I basically, cut the grass back for the practice fields and for the main field at Nissan Stadium. We painted it and took care of the field and I was around the players during practice. I mean, it was really cool experience.

John Haggard 1:56 Yeah, was there something special about that grass? Because the NFL is always concerned about having the least amount of injuries. So I guess it’s special grass or special padding maybe or something? How does that work?

Drew Fulcher 2:11 Well, it’s like normal grass and normal dirt. The thing is, actually before each game, you have to test the soil to make sure it is not that hard. If you have to water it or do whatever you have to do to make sure it’s not too hard for the players, obviously, because that can cause injuries.

John Haggard 2:27 Gotcha. Okay. You also said you were in factory work at one point too. Tell us about that?

Drew Fulcher 2:32 I’ve worked at Macy’s and Amazon a little bit. I wasn’t a big fan of going in at night time and getting off at night time. So I needed some sunlight in me.

John Haggard 2:41 All right, and you got plenty of that now, right?

Drew Fulcher 2:44 That’s right!

John Haggard 2:45 What do you like to do on your time off, D

You will be entertained with this episode of the Miracle Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram podcast. Host John Haggard talks to Brad Billingsley about the new and award-winning 2020 Jeep Gladiator. In this episode:

Brad’s Foolproof Hunting TipsJeep Gladiator AwardsWhat Sets the 2020 Jeep Gladiator Apart From Its CompetitionThe “Jeepers”, “Jeople”, and the Jeep LifestyleThe Jeep Owners Club in TennesseeUpcoming EventsHow to Reach Brad

Transcript

John Haggard 0:02 Welcome to the Miracle Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Podcast where in each episode, you’ll be able to learn the best ways to purchase, lease, service, maintain, accessorize, and sell your vehicle for the highest resale value possible when you’re ready to do that. We do also discuss vehicle model details, also the latest technology. The cool things that you would want to know that make driving a new vehicle, just a great experience compared to just a few years ago. I’m your host, John Haggard. As always, you can find show notes and a transcript along with the links to content that we talked about right on our website MiracleCDJ.com, and also on Apple Podcast, Google Play Podcast and on Spotify. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast and leave a review on any of those platforms and share we would really appreciate that. Alright, today’s episode we have the honor of bringing back Brandon Billingsley with us. Brad is from Miracle CDJR commercial and fleet sales department. Brad, excited to have you back.

Brad Billingsley 1:04 Absolutely. I’m glad to be back on.

John Haggard 1:06 When we talked late last year, I know that you do love to hunt, so assuming you got some hunting done in December?

Brad Billingsley 1:14 I definitely went out in the field quite a bit, but more on the guide role. I did not personally take any animals this year but I was on successful hunts, one with my cousin and another with a niece, another first time honors. So that was a bunch of fun.

John Haggard 1:32 Alright, so you are a trainer as well then?

Brad Billingsley 1:35 Yes, absolutely.

John Haggard 1:37 So if you were going to give a hunting tip to someone who’s always wanted to hunt, but has never really had a guide like you, would there be one or two things you would say “Hey, if you don’t get anything else, right and you want to hunt, you need to know this.”

Brad Billingsley 1:52 Yeah, play the wind right. Always keep the wind in your face.

John Haggard 1:56 Always keep the wind in your face. That’s interesting. So for a non-hunter, why is that?

Brad Billingsley 2:04 The human scent. So it’s tough to eliminate human scent and a lot of game animals will spook if they smell humans, keeping the wind in your face allows you not to spook animals as easily by them smelling you. Keep them upwind up here.

John Haggard 2:23 That makes total sense. That makes total sense. So today we’d like to talk about the Jeep Gladiator, the new 2020 Jeep Gladiator. A brand new vehicle for Jeep and believe it came out last year, is that right?

Brad Billingsley 2:36 It did. They took what they called the launch edition orders early spring, early summer, and then they started rolling in for inventory towards the fall, winter month of last year.

John Haggard 2:52 Okay, and I do see that the Gladiator has been making a lot of news recently. Several awards, like Four Wheeler awarded it Truck of the Year and something. Tell us a little bit about the awards and what people were excited about?

Brad Billingsley 3:06 Yeah, definitely. So Four Wheeler, in particular, did many, many hours, different tests, from zero to 60. But they focused a lot on the off-road capabilities of this Jeep Gladiator. And compared it to several other models. I don’t have a list of all of those in front of me but I know like the Silverado, the F150 even some full-size trucks of ours were even in the

Welcome to the first episode of the Miracle Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Podcast for the new decade. In this episode, host John Haggard chats with Kathleen Barrett, the controller at Miracle Auto Group. So what does a controller do in the company? You’ll find out here along with these other topics:

Welcome to the first episode of the Miracle Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Podcast of the new decade. In this episode, host John Haggard chats with Kathleen Barrett, the controller at Miracle Auto Group. So what does a controller do in the company? You’ll find out here along with these other topics:

Kathleen’s High School Days as a Basketball Player in KentuckyHer Activities During Her Time OffChanges in the Gallatin AreaKathleen’s History at MiracleChanges in the Auto IndustryWorking With the Miracle Family

Transcript

John Haggard 0:02Welcome to the Miracle Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Podcast where each week, you will learn the best ways to purchase, lease, service and maintain, accessorize, and sell your vehicle for the highest resale value possible, when you’re ready. I’m your host, John Haggard. And you know, throughout each month we do have different team members join us from Miracle. They help you consider why you’d want to consider your next vehicle purchase or service repair at Miracle. And we also interview Summer County leaders to find out what’s going on in the community for events that you might be interested in as well. So on today’s podcast, we’re talking with Kathleen Barrett at Miracle Auto Group. Kathleen is the controller at Miracle. Hey, Kathleen, welcome to the podcast.

Kathleen Barrett 0:45Thank you, John. Glad to be here.

John Haggard 0:46Well, we’re glad you’re here and before we actually delve into finding out what is a controller and what does a controller do, tell us a little about you. Are you from this area, from the Gallatin area?

Kathleen Barrett 0:59Not originally. I’m from Kentucky, but I’ve lived here for over 40 years. So I feel like I’m from here. I’m from Gallatin.

John Haggard 1:07Okay. So in Kentucky, what part of Kentucky?

Kathleen Barrett 1:11Henderson and Madisonville.

John Haggard 1:12So when you were in high school just looking back when things were going that way, what was the most fun thing you did as a high schooler?

Kathleen Barrett 1:21Played basketball.

John Haggard 1:22A basketball star. All right. So you are 6’3″ or are you tall? What position did you play?

Kathleen Barrett 1:33I played center.

John Haggard 1:34All right. All right. So do you make a lot of a lot of scores, a lot of baskets?

Kathleen Barrett 1:38I gave it all I could, that’s for sure.

John Haggard 1:41All right. So you had a winning team?

Kathleen Barrett 1:43Yeah, we won quite a bit.

John Haggard 1:45Okay. What do you like to do on your time off?

Kathleen Barrett 1:48Oh, I love to go wherever my grandchildren go. They’re either playing softball or singing, whatever event they’re doing, I’m there.

John Haggard 1:56You’re there. Yeah, you know the Gallatin area is just exploding. It’s one of the big fast-growth areas. What do you see as you look around Gallatin that makes it an exciting place? If somebody says, you know, I’m trying to figure out sort of like where to relocate?

Kathleen Barrett 2:12It is really growing. When I do get out in and drive around a little I’m thinking my goodness, it is really growing in this town.

John Haggard 2:20Any favorite restaurant that you like to go to?

Kathleen Barrett 2:23Oh, I love to go to LongHorn‘s.

John Haggard 2:25All right. Are you a big steak eater?

Kathleen Barrett 2:28Yeah, like steak and ribs. The ribs are awesome.

John Haggard 2:31So let’s talk about Kathleen, how did you get into the car business?

Kathleen Barrett 2:37Well, I applied for a job at Miracle Ford over 30 years ago, and I was hired and worked there for several years. And that’s where it all started.

John Haggard

You are truly in for a treat, folks. In episode #17 of the Miracle Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep Ram Podcast, we have special guest, Kenneth Thomson, Sumner County Historian visit us to share about his lifelong passion for Sumner County and Gallatin TN history. This episode is full of so much amazing history and information… whether you are from the area or not. It makes you love and understand the importance of history and learning each and every one of our own personal backgrounds and heritage.

Topics Discussed:

Kenneth’s long list of accolades and work.Kenneth’s personal history in Sumner County and Middle TennesseeWhy Gallatin is built where it isHow the Revolutionary War veterans ended up in Sumner County through land grantsHow Kenneth became interested in historyProjects that Kenneth is currently working onAmazing fact – Kenneth knows more dead people in Sumner County than anyone elseWhy knowing your genealogy is so importantThe importance of forgivenessKenneth has over 100 lines personally back to the Revolutionary WarGallatin was named Reader’s Digest America’s Friendliest citiesThe Sumner County Historical SocietyThe Candlelight Cemetery TourEliza Allen – the First Lady of Tennessee, First Lady of the Republic of Texas and first wife of Sam HoustonSumner County’s history with Horse-racingAnnual Events that you should not miss in Sumner CountyThe Sumner County ArchivesHow to get in touch with KennethHow important your heredity is in your life, even more so than the environment in which you grew up.Finding your heritage through DNA testing

Transcript

John Haggard 0:02 Welcome to the Miracle Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Special Edition podcast where we also talk with community leaders, and movers and shakers. And before we get into the interview, just a reminder that you can find show notes and a transcript along with the links to content that we talked about right here right now on our website miraclecdj.com, and also on Apple Podcasts, Google Play podcasts and on Spotify and don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast and leave a review on any of those platforms, and share! I’m your host John Haggard

On today’s episode, we’re really excited to have special guest Kenneth Thomson with us. Kenneth has a long history in Gallatin. Some people would say, he is the historian of Sumner County, and we’re going to find out about that. And as I understand it, he has dedicated most of his life studying and preserving local history. And if I just mentioned a few of his accolades, board chairman of the Gallatin City Historic District Commission, the Board of directors on the Sumner County Museum, and on the public records commission, the archives board, also a member of the Sons of the American Revolution due to your father-in-law Colonel John Donaldson having served in the Revolutionary War so welcome to the podcast Ken.

Kenneth Thomson 1:14 He’s my ancestor and I joined the Andrew Jackson Chapter, and Andrew Jackson was his son-in-law.

John Haggard 1:22

Let’s get that. Andrew Jackson was…

Kenneth Thomson 1:24

He was John Donaldson’s son in law.

John Haggard 1:26

Wow.

Kenneth Thomson 1:27 And I joined the Andrew Jackson Chapter in 1964.

John Haggard 1:31 You’re also one of the original 15 members of the board of the Bledsoe’s Lick Historical Association. Did I get that right?

Kenneth Thomson 1:38 Yes, that maintains Wynnewood and Bledsoe Park. And there are only two of us left, Nathan Harsh, and me.

John Haggard 1:44 Wow. And you’re also a life member of the Andrew Jackson foundation that maintains the Hermitage.

Kenneth Thomson 1:51

60 years

John Haggard 1:52

60 years so what’s that like… I was there years ago just walking through and…

Kenneth Thomson 1:56 Oh. it’s wonderful. they’ve really done a lot 60 years down there. And they establishe

This is going to be a heavy episode of the Miracle Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram podcast. By heavy, we mean heavy-duty RAM trucks. For this episode, host John Haggard talks with Brad Billingsley of the Miracle CDJR Commercial and Fleet Sales Department. Together, they talk about all things RAM trucks, which include the following topics:

Where Brad Originated FromBrad’s Passion for Outdoors and IdahoHow He Started Working at Miracle Chrysler Dodge Jeep RamBusinessLink Certified DealerRAM 1500 vs the Ram 2500RAM 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 and Their DifferencesWhat Do They Mean About Refined Workhorse?What RAM Trucks Have That Competitor Don’t?Where You Can Find Brad on Social Media

Transcript

John Haggard 0:01 Welcome to the Miracle Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Podcast, where each week you’ll learn the best ways to purchase lease service, maintain, accessorize, and sell your vehicle for the highest resale value possible when you’re ready to do it. I’m your host, John Haggard, and on today’s episode, we have the honor of having Brad Billingsley with us. Now Brad is the commercial and fleet sales department. He’s the guy there at Miracle CDJR in Gallatin. Brad is going to be talking about the ins and outs of the RAM 2500 and all RAM heavy-duty trucks. So, Brad, we’re excited that you’re going to educate us today. Welcome on.

Brad Billingsley 0:39 Thank you. Thank you. I’m glad to be on.

John Haggard 0:41 Hey, so just to know a little bit about you and your background, where are you originally from?

Brad Billingsley 0:48 I was born and raised here in Gallatin and had been with Miracle Chrysler going on 10 years all together now. I did take a little hiatus for about two and a half, almost three years out to Idaho. That was in 2016. And then came back here March of this year.

John Haggard 1:10 All right, Idaho, known as the Great Potato State. Idaho, right?

Brad Billingsley 1:13 Right. That’s correct. I actually never once saw a potato farm in my time there, but…

John Haggard 1:19 Is that right? I would have just thought, you know, rows and fields, kind of like cornfields. But no, it’s all potatoes.

Brad Billingsley 1:26 Yeah, yeah, that’s kind of what I was expecting too, was to see a bunch of potato farms. But they’ve got them in the panhandle of Idaho, Oregon- Idaho line there, so.

John Haggard 1:37 Gotcha, gotcha. Well, I’ve had a lot of Idaho potatoes and it shows, so you can tell it for sure. So really, how did you actually end up at Miracle in the first place? How did Miracle come about in your life?

Brad Billingsley 1:50 Well, I owned a landscaping business at the time, and I was just kind of looking for winter income. So I jumped on board originally in the detail department, and it was more or less just a seasonal job. And just for kind of winter income and the slow months there and before the next season started, they had convinced me to give this sales thing a try. And that all she wrote. So…

John Haggard 2:21 And so here you are.

Brad Billingsley 2:22 Yeah, yeah, here I am.

John Haggard 2:24 Alright, so let’s talk about what is it exactly when you say commercial and fleet sales? What does that mean? Exactly?

Brad Billingsley 2:31 Sure. Yeah. So I specialize obviously, in the heavy-duty trucks in the RAM, Promaster and the Promaster City, because those are technically commercial vehicles. So I have done all my training, got certified for all of that. But really, the interesting part of it is I go off-site pretty often and just shake hands, meet new businesses, new companies. A lot of small businesses don’t realize all the benefits they could qualify for when it comes to commercial in fleet and going that route versus buying a vehicle in their personal name. So it has been a learning experience. This is still fairly new to me. Say I’ve been on board about two months no

Get your local history on in this special episode of the Miracle Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Podcast. This week, host John Haggard talks to Ryan Baker, the director of the Sumner County Museum. Together, they discuss several topics, including:

Ryan’s Early Life and High SchoolCollege Life at MTSURyan’s Coaching and Sunday School ActivitiesDrone FishingHow Ryan Ended up in the Sumner County Museum as DirectorAmazing Things to See at the Sumner County MuseumExciting Addition to the Museum and Things to Look Forward to in the next three yearsThe Most Inspiring Part of Working as a Museum DirectorAnnual Cemetery TourHow to Contact Ryan Baker

Ryan is also the husband of Kim Baker, CEO of the Gallatin Chamber of Commerce. You can listen to earlier podcasts with Kim in Episode 13 of the Miracle CDJR Podcast and in Episode 9 of the Miracle Ford Podcast! Check them out when finishing with this episode.

Transcript

John Haggard 0:02 

Welcome to the Miracle Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Special Guest Edition Podcast, where we interview community leaders in the Gallatin Sumner County area. And today we’re honored to have Ryan Baker. He is the director of the Sumner County Museum on the podcast. Hey Ryan, welcome to the podcast.

Ryan Baker 0:20 

Hi, John. Thanks for having me.

John Haggard 0:21 

And Ryan before we explore the Sumner County Museum in Gallatin today, for people who are new to the area or those searching on the Internet just trying to find fun things to do in Middle Tennessee or in Gallatin, tell us a little bit about you. Did you grow up in Gallatin?

Ryan Baker 0:35 

I did. I grew up here in Gallatin. I was actually born in Hendersonville, and when I turned three, my mom and dad built a house in Gallatin, and we moved here in 1986. I lived in that same house my whole life, and then I made it about as far as Murfreesboro for four years, and then came back to Gallatin.

John Haggard 0:59 

And where did you go to high school?

Ryan Baker 1:01 

I went to Gallatin High School.

John Haggard 1:02 

All right. I think they’re having a pretty good football season, somebody told me. Is that true?

Ryan Baker 1:07 

They were. They only lost one game in the regular season this year.

John Haggard 1:11 

All right, well, so thinking about high school, what was the most fun thing or some of the fun things that you did while you were there?

Ryan Baker 1:19 

Well, when I was in school, what most kids were doing on a Friday or Saturday night, we just get in our car and cruise around what we call the Gallatin 500. It basically ran from where the old Walmart was at, where Ollie’s is now up to like the Food Lion parking lot and back around, and so you would just see a whole lot of cars really cruising all night.

John Haggard 1:45 

And so what did the police think about all that?

Ryan Baker 1:48 

You know, they were always really pretty laid back when we were in school. You know, every now and then, if the crowd got too big in a certain parking lot, they might come in, and you know, tell everybody move it along. But a lot of times they just stop by and chat with us too.

John Haggard 2:03 

Alright, so Ryan, you said you made it as far as Murfreesboro. So I’m assuming maybe you went to college there.

Ryan Baker 2:10 

That’s right. I went to MTSU originally for history. Changed a few times, bounced around different medical things. And then ended up actually with a degree in Tourism Studies at MTSU. It’s kind of a new program they have there. And when I graduated in 2015, the Sumner County Museum was hiring for director. And so my appreciation for history and knowledge with you know, tourism, kind of just a perfect fit, I guess.

John Haggard 2:45 

in reading your bio, I understand you were or still are a head coach?

Ryan Baker 2:51 

Ye

To all the Jeep and Jeep Gladiator fans out there, this episode is for you! In this special edition of Miracle Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram podcast, host John Haggard sits down with Josh Ellison, Jeep’s Brand Manager for the Southeast Business Center at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). Not only is he one of Jeep’s Brand Managers, but he is also a hair metal fan who loves the outdoors! Together, they talk about the following topics:

How Josh Started in the Automotive BusinessWhat Does a Jeep Brand Manager Do?Why Jeep Is a “Lifestyle” Brand The New Jeep GladiatorThe Return of the Mid-Size TrucksGladiator’s Open-Air FreedomHow Strong Is the Gladiator?Gladiator’s Features and TechWhy Pick Gladiator Over a Pickup?Josh on Music Theory and His Favorite BooksJosh’s Advice on PerseveranceWhat’s Coming for the Jeep Brand in the Future

Transcript

John Haggard 0:02 Welcome to the Miracle Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram podcast where you will learn the best ways to purchase, lease, service and maintain, accessorize, sell your vehicle for the highest resale value possible when you’re ready, and also to learn more about the capabilities and fun features of new vehicles. I’m your host, John Haggard, and you know, throughout each month we have special guests join us and you’ll also see a transcript of each podcast for quick reference. On this podcast, we’re speaking today with Josh Ellison. He’s the Jeep brand manager for the Southeast Business Center at FCA. Hey, Josh, welcome to the podcast.

Josh Ellison 0:37 Hey, John. Thanks for having me on.

John Haggard 0:39 We always like to jump in and find out a little bit about the person that we’re speaking with today. So before we dive into the world of Jeep and what’s going on now and also what you see for 2020, tell us how you got started in the automotive business.

Josh Ellison 0:53 Yeah, um, so when I got started, I was kind of always around it was always in the back of my mind and have always been around it I had a buddy whose dad worked for the company for about 25 years. I was selling beer before I got into the automotive business. And before that I worked at a grocery store so kind of naturally progressing through the sales world had a buddy say, Hey, you know, this is a great place to start working, you should come aboard. And so I checked it out, got the opportunity to go seek an adventure out in Colorado and kind of jumped in and I’ve been here ever since. And it’s been a great ride so far.

John Haggard 1:26 So where are you originally from Josh?

Josh Ellison 1:28 Originally, I’m from Oviedo. So it’s on the northeast side of Orlando, Florida.

John Haggard 1:33 All right. All right. Okay, so where do you live now?

Josh Ellison 1:36 I actually still live in Oviedo. Having made a trip around the nation for the most part. I actually live 10 doors down from where I grew up. So…

John Haggard 1:45 10 doors down. That’s kind of rare.

Josh Ellison 1:49 Yeah, it’s, you know, whenever I left, I was like, Hey, I’m never coming back to this place. And now that I’ve got kids and a wife, I’m looking at it going, you know what, maybe it wasn’t such a bad place. We got the opportunity to jump on a house there. And we did. So we’re pretty happy about it.

John Haggard 2:03 So when you’re not working Jeep 24/7, what about your passions outside of work? What do you like to do?

Josh Ellison 2:09 Yeah, I’m pretty outdoorsy. I grew up in Florida. So I love the ocean love to fish. I love to surf all of that. My family’s probably passion number one, we enjoy traveling together. And then I’m also an avid guitar player and about 20 years so I enjoy strumming on the six-string as they say.

John Haggard 2:28 Wow, so did you have a group at one time?

Josh Ellison 2:31 No, I’ve played in ch

Christmas is early in this special edition of Miracle Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram podcast. In this episode, host John Haggard welcomes back Kim Baker, the CEO of the Gallatin Chamber of Commerce. Get to know her more as she and John discuss the Gallatin Christmas Events as well as the following topics:

Kim’s Bowling CareerIs Kim Running for Mayor 30 Years from Now?Changes in Gallatin Over the Past 5 YearsMayor Paige Brown’s State of the City Address (Click on the Link to Watch)Holiday Events in Gallatin“Tinsel and Treasures” EventHow the “Tinsel and Treasures” Event WorksWhat Are the Prizes for the Participants?Perkins, the Oldest Standing Business in GallatinWhy Gallatin Christmas Tree Lighting Is Different From OthersGallatin’s Annual Christmas ParadeHow to Participate at the Christmas ParadeMisconceptions of the Chamber of CommerceHow Is the Chamber of Commerce Funded?Are There Any Job Openings at the Chamber of Commerce Right Now?How to Get in Touch with the Chamber of CommerceWhere’s the Chamber of Commerce Office Located

Balloon Garland mentioned in interview: Baloon Garland is from (and sponsored by) Black Tie Floral Design and Events.

Transcript

John Haggard 0:02 Welcome to the Miracle Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Special Edition podcast where we also interview community leaders, Gallatin area events that are happening. And today we’re excited to have back to the podcast. Kim Baker, she’s the chief executive officer of the Gallatin Chamber of Commerce. Hey Kim, welcome back!

Kim Baker 0:20 Hey, good to be here again. Thanks for having me.

John Haggard 0:22 You know the last time we spoke one of the things we found out about you is that you are pretty close to a professional bowler. So my question is, have you bowled a 300 Kim, since we last spoke?

Kim Baker 0:33 Now I’d be careful using the term professional but I’m not gonna make that claim. And no, I haven’t bowled a 300. So I guess that tells you a lot about my professionalism in bowling.

John Haggard 0:43 All right. Well, you have had a chance to at least bowl have you since we last talked?

Kim Baker 0:48 You know what? I haven’t bowled but I do like to bowl a lot in the winter. You know, there’s not much else you can do. You can’t do a lot of other activities outdoors. So we reserve that kind of sore the colder months at our house.

John Haggard 0:59 Gotcha. Well, the cold weather is on the way, so there you go. Hey, for folks who missed our last podcast with Kim, by the way, you can go to www.miraclefordtn.com and look under the podcast tab and you can find Kim Baker right there as episode number nine. Kim, we learned a lot of things about you like again, you’re good bowler, your bargain hunter when it comes to shopping and you like tent camping and you actually told us one time that you were dead for a short while and brought back to life. So folks go to podcast number nine if you have not already done so to listen to our previous podcast with Kim Baker. So Kim, since we last spoke, we learned that you joined the chamber in 2013 became the CEO in 2015. Even said maybe one day 30 years or so from now you might run for mayor did I get all that right?

Kim Baker 1:49 Might. Not so, you know. You got most of it right.

John Haggard 1:53 Okay. So if we were going to or you were going to recap what has happened in the past five years in Gallatin, just overall in terms of new industry that’s come to town, new shopping centers, new arts and entertainment, that sort of thing. What has been going on?

Kim Baker 2:08 In the last three to five years, there’s been a lot. You know, Gallatin looks a lot different than it did three to five years ago. It certainly looks a lot different than it did about 20 years ago when I landed here. And since I’ve been here at the chamber, I’ve seen a lot of changes. You know, I think the

The effort and hard work of the Gallatin Police Department in protecting our citizens is indeed priceless. In this Miracle CDJR Special Edition podcast episode, host John Haggard talks to Chief Don Bandy, Gallatin and Sumner County’s very own chief of police. Together, they talk about the following topics:

Chief Don Bandy’s BackgroundGrowing up in GallatinChief Don’s HobbiesHow Don Became Chief of Police in GallatinIs There a Decrease in New Police Applicants?Tips in Protecting Cars from BurglaryDoes the Police Department Have Body Cams?How to Protect Gallatin BetterCommon Police Force MisconceptionsCombatting Crime and Drug ProblemsImproving Traffic EnforcementsGallatin Police Department Annual Golf TournamentShop with a Cop and Santa Classic ProgramsPolice Department Visits the Veterans HomeHow to Reach the Police Department for Those Who Want to Participate in Their ProgramsThe Biggest Challenge of the Police Department TodayWords of Advice from Chief Don

Transcript

John Haggard 0:02Welcome to the Miracle Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Special Edition podcast where we also interview community leaders on topics that are of interest to the Gallatin area. And today we’re honored to have Donald Bandy. He’s the chief of police for Gallatin, and Sumner County on the podcast. Hey, Don, welcome to the podcast.

Chief Don Bandy 0:21Well, good to be here. Thanks for inviting me.

John Haggard 0:23Well excited to have you here. Before we dive in into what’s going on in the police world in Gallatin these days and for people who are either new to the podcast or new to this area or may not know you, tell us a little bit about you like, for example, did you grow up in Gallatin?

Chief Don Bandy 0:39I did grow up in Gallatin, born and raised here. My mom pretty much raised me from a small boy and, like I say she was from this county. But I was born, grew up here, went to school here. Graduated Gallatin High School and go Green Waves! And just like I say I’ve been here the majority of my life.

John Haggard 1:06You know that’s a real advantage because, every back alley, every front alley, I mean the entire layout, probably no surprise to you where any hidden corners or anything might be, right?

Chief Don Bandy 1:18That’s true, that’s true. Well for the most part with all the new growth in our community it’s starting to expand. I have to get out of the office every once a while and ride some of these new developments. And learn my way around there. But as far as the neighborhoods that have been established for years I grew up here and have a lot of great friends and memories from this town.

John Haggard 1:40I bet you do. Let’s go back on some of those memories back to high school what were maybe what was the most fun thing that you did in high school? You know?

Chief Don Bandy 1:48I think it would, be thinking on this reflecting, I think it’s probably the relationships are built. Playing, I played football and played some basketball and just establish relationships with some friends for life. Coaches and again your teachers, it was really enjoyable it as you grow older and mature you kind of look back, you think they really didn’t have my best interests at heart as far as our coaches and teachers. And it’s always good to catch up with friends especially with social media these days. We went to school with. But that would probably be my most fond memory is the way athletics and in building those relationships for life.

John Haggard 2:27Now you said you played football. What position?

Chief Don Bandy 2:31I was an offensive lineman. I wasn’t really big, I was taught to wear a lot of pads. I look bigger. But things are so different these days. They’re these kids these days are very athletic and a lot of large. Athletic kids and they’re a lot faster than I ever was. So that’s kind of funny to see that. But I did, I played that and tried to play a little