Dealer leadership award

NEW YORK – General Motors’ senior executives met in New York City recently to present the GM Dealer of the Year winners with the 2006 Jack Smith Leadership Award. From more than 7,000 GM Dealers across the country only 115 dealers nationwide earned the award for dedication to sales excellence, customer satisfaction and community involvement.

Rick Varney of Bangor received the 2006 Jack Smith Leadership Award, named after Jack Smith, retired GM chairman and chief executive officer.

The award is a Steuben crystal obelisk, symbolizing dealer achievement at General Motors. Rick Wagoner, along with senior company officers, congratulated Varney at the award ceremony held June 7 at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York.

Varney Pontiac-GMC is the No. 2 ranked GMC dealer in the region and also was a GMC Mark of Excellence winner. Varney is active in his community and has made contributions to the United Way of Eastern Maine, the University of Maine athletics programs and local youth athletics programs. Varney is also an advocate of conservation and preservation.

“Varney represents the best of the best in our dealer network through achievement of GM’s highest level of standards for sales, service and customer satisfaction. We know his leadership has played an important role in strengthening our relationship with our customers and the community,” said Mark LaNeve, group vice president of vehicle sales, service and marketing, General Motors North America.

New furniture gallery

HOLDEN – Fox Run Furniture of Holden held a ribbon cutting on June 22 for its new gallery, Sleep Solutions by Fox Run. A grand opening celebration was held over the weekend at the Stillwater Avenue location, The Avenue Mall in Bangor.

Sleep Solutions by Fox Run features products such as Englander, Tempur-Pedic and Barcalounger.

Fox Run Furniture has served Maine residents since 1999, offering heirloom-quality furnishings and accessories at affordable prices, officials said.

The professional design staff assists customers in furnishing their home, office or home away from home. The company features traditional woods and finishes as well as unique fabrics and seating arrangements.

Kennel shop accreditation

BANGOR – Green Acres Kennel Shop, owned by Don and Paula Hanson of Bangor, has been accredited by the American Boarding Kennel Association through the ABKA Facilities Accreditation program. The shop is one of 89 accredited kennels in the United States.

The ABKA’s program represents a significant advance in the professionalization of the pet care industry. It establishes nationally accepted standards in design and performance for pet care facilities. These standards were developed over a six-year period by a working committee of ABKA members which included pet care facility operators, pet owners, veterinarians and animal care experts. During the development stage of the program, ABKA members were surveyed and interviewed about the different phases of pet care facility operations and management procedures. The resulting program contains more than 200 industry recognized standards of excellence.

Green Acres Kennel Shop has been found to be in compliance with the standards of excellence set forth by ABKA’s Voluntary Facilities Accreditation program and has successfully completed an on-site evaluation conducted by ABKA.

Green Acres Kennel Shop at 1653 Union St. offers boarding, day care and grooming for dogs and cats, as well as behavior consultations and training classes, and a retail store.

Erin Colpitt, Kate Dutra, Don Hansson, Tracy Haskell, Jessica Hofmeyer, Christie Mahaffey, Joel Mahaffey, Patty McNamara, Becky Ruggerio and Angela Sedgwick of Green Acres recently attended the seminar “How to Talk Dog” with certified dog behavior consultant and trainer Sarah Kalnajs of My Wonderful Dog in Portland.