Doug Henry purchases Team Ford

T. J. ROYAL

Doug Henry Chevrolet's ownership of Team Ford in Tarboro becomes official today.

John Worthington, sales manager at Doug Henry, said the wheels started turning on the deal around two weeks ago, when a potential buyout of Team Ford came up in a conversation.

"It just kind of happened, the opportunity was there" to expand the Doug Henry business within Tarboro, he said.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Worthington added that if Doug Henry sought to add another franchise, it wanted to do so within one of its existing markets, as opposed to opening a new franchise in a new town. Team Ford is its fourth franchise, its first under the Ford label, with one Chevy dealership each in Goldsboro and Farmville.

Until all the paperwork becomes official with Ford Motor Co., Worthington said the Team Ford name will stay in place for the time being.

Garland Shepheard, general manager at Team Ford, said the sale became official on Thursday. The franchise was not initially looking to be sold, but Shepheard added that sometimes "you can't choose your circumstances" when such a move is made.

"We were fortunate enough that someone local was interested" in purchasing the franchise, he said. For Team Ford to have been willing to sell, Shepheard said it made a difference that someone "with an understanding of the (local) market," and who committed to keep the Ford franchise's workers employed, was making the purchase.

Eighteen people are currently employed at Team Ford, and Worthington added that all of their jobs are secure, and that Doug Henry could possibly add more workers in the future.

The move to buy the Ford dealership brings Doug Henry's total employees to more than 100, Worthington said. The body shop at Team Ford will be the first one for Doug Henry's franchise.

"We're excited about expanding our business in Tarboro. ... We're excited about the opportunity," he added.

Shepheard, who is set to retire today, has been partner at the Team Ford franchise since 1994. He said that while his retirement is official today, he will stay on a little while longer to assist Doug Henry with its managerial transition.

The deal, Shepheard added, is "a good thing for everybody concerned."

Team Ford started out as Edgecombe Motor Co., founded in 1946. Doug Henry has been in business in Tarboro since 1992.

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