On the job


Wendle: Dick


Meet a car guy with plenty of


get up and go! By Tanya Madden


S


ince 1943, the Wendle name has been synonymous with automobile sales and service in the Inland Northwest. Originally founded as Stoddard-


Wendle Ford by Wayne Stoddard and Chud Wendle, the business has grown into one of the top Ford dealerships in the country. Dick Wendle followed in his father’s tire


tracks, officially joining the business in 1961. As a youngster, he grew up around the dealership, lubing cars and cleaning up around the shop. After earning a business degree from the University of Idaho, he got busy selling cars full-time. He continued his eduction with advanced business classes at Gonzaga and Whitworth, and also trained in Ford’s way of doing things at the automaker’s exclusive marketing institute. “I felt like I didn’t know enough to even bag


groceries, so I thought I’d better stick with the car business,” Dick jokes. “I was born into it and always around it. My dad was very proud of it and that’s all he could ever talk about. I really enjoyed it too.” It’s no surprise that Dick has driven Ford cars pretty much all his life. His first car was a


38 | www.primeinw.com


1954 Mercury – a green, two door with a moonroof. Now 70, Dick has turned the operation


of the dealership over to daughter Kristen Goff and her husband Shayne. Dick and wife Carol winter in Palm Desert and spend summers with family at their lake place in Ponderay. He zealously works out a few hours each day, and says riding an elliptical trainer and running helps him stay physically healthy and mentally sharp. “I wish I’d have done it when I was


in high school,” he says. “I’d be a much smarter person.” Of all the familiar faces at the dealership


– and there are many – from long-time employees to satisfied customers coming in to test drive the latest models, one of the most recognizable is that of Dick Wendle. He can still be found at “Wendle at the Y”, acting as “head cheerleader,” a few hours every day. “I love being involved in the business,”


Dick says, “and I think everyone still enjoys seeing me around.”


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40