Handy Toyota

Ben Howrigan, Sales Consultant and Finance Advisro

Employee Spotlight for June 2011
Ben Howrigan - Sales Consultant and Finance Advisor

I first met with Ben months ago, back when Handy Toyota's Facebook page (facebook.com/handytoyota) was playing a daily trivia game where we would ask random questions relating to our Facebook posts and whoever answered first won a free $10 gift card to the Bass Pro Shops' online store. One gentleman, Ben Howrigan, ended up winning one day and so naturally I planned to finally meet him. An odd thing happened that day in fact, as I took my lunch and went up to Bob's Meat Market here in St. Albans for one of Rob Pravasi's delicious sub sandwiches.

I came out of the store with my sub in hand, and I overheard this guy saying "yeah, I won a gift card from Handy's, and I'm going to pick it up now." Taken aback by the coincidence I had just literally walked into, I apologized for eavesdropping but that I was the Facebook manager and would be back to work in a second. Without knowing who I was, Ben graciously offered to give me a ride back to work (I was walking this particular day); granted the identity of my Handy Toyota employment surely spoke volumes about my character, but all the same as far as first impressions go a simple, kind gesture say a lot about a person.

Almost a year later, Ben Howrigan was welcomed into the fold as one of the newest additions to an ever-growing team of sales consultants. Though Ben has only been here since early May, he's already clawed his way up the ranks by taking on yet another task, that of the stand-in Finance Advisor if more than one is needed (Sam Farrar being the point man in most cases) or if our Finance Manager is out for the day. To summarize Ben's attributes, he's a double-edged

sword, capable of handling separate responsibilities with sharp precision throughout his duties.

Born and raised in St. Albans, Vermont and the surrounding area, Ben has always been a hometown boy to some extent, aside from his four-year stint at Curry College in Massachusetts. While at Curry--and throughout elementary and high school of course--Ben was a star athlete, particularly in the American classic of baseball. "At school we were consistently nationally ranked for two years straight" Ben tells me. "We were even as high as twelfth in the nation at one point." He goes on to tell me that he won a sportsmanship award which he feels attributes to his success at Handy Toyota. "One thing about this job," he said "it's a team effort. Even though I pull double duty in Toyota sales and Toyota financing, not many people do; we all have a role to play, and in my case it's a duplicate role but still MY role. It's just like baseball in that regard: the only way to win--in this case sell a car and make a living--is to work with the team." Again, it is little surprise a guy like Ben has done so well thus far, and many of Handy's officials see a great career in the works.

Howrigan also has an affectionate and sophisticated taste when it comes to his favorite car, as he scolded me for having not remembered from the original The 2011 4Runner

biography on the Handy Toyota staff page. "Come on, Chris!" he yells in a joking manner, "remember? My [1966 Chevrolet] Chevelle SS!" he finishes with his trademark smirk. But when it comes to which Toyota vehicle he's most like the answer is much different. "The 2011 Toyota 4Runner Limited," he tells me. "It's classy, but it can dominate off-roads, you know, on the rough terrain. It won't quit, and neither will I."

When he isn't in Handy's slinging new Toyota vehicles, used Prius hybrids, or giving customers the financing and auto loans of their dreams, Ben enjoys playing baseball or other various sports like volleyball in the summer time. He's also an avid fisherman and hunter, taking in the little moments that make Vermont great. "That's what it's about around here; being outdoors; enjoying the sunshine or the foliage in the fall. That's what makes Vermont Vermont," he finishes.

If you'd like to learn more about Ben Howrigan, Sales Consultant and Finance Advisor extraordinaire, come on in and have a chat. If you're interested in a new Toyota vehicle you should also give Ben a shot because as the aforementioned double-edged sword of Handy's this new sales consultant can do it all. Give Ben a shout on his email at bhowrigan@handycars.com or just give him a call at 888-352-5749 today.

Sales: (888) 352-5749

Ben Howrigan - June 2011 Employee Spotlight