Neal credited for saving dealership

Date: 4/6/2010

April 7, 2010.

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor



CHICOPEE -- An intervention by Congressman Richard Neal has saved a longtime Chicopee business with a $1 million payroll and 32 employees.

Neal joined with Bob and Don Pion at Bob Pion Buick Pontiac GMC on Memorial Drive on Wednesday to announce General Motors Corporation (GMC) has re-considered its initial decision to strip the Pion family of its franchise.

The auto dealership has been a franchise for GMC since 1977 when Bob Pion founded the business.

Neal said he was "stunned" when he learned the news last fall. The congressman said the dealership was in profit. He and his staff set about calling GMC officials to try to convince them to reverse the decision.

Neal added the GMC president visited his office last week and explained the company had reconsidered the statistical data with which the decision had been made .

"I was thrilled to get the call from GMC," Don Pion said.

He said his company was able to explain to GMC the geographic area the dealership serves and the population that has supported it.

Don Pion said the move by GMC came during a "tremendous transition in the last 18 months" in the auto industry.

There has also been a turn-over in senior management that affected decisions such as this one, Don Pion said.

Don Pion explained, "Closing [the business] was not at the top of the list of what I wanted to do." He added if GMC had not changed its position, he would have looked at acquiring another franchise for a different automotive maker.

He admitted that he, his father and his son -- the three generations who run the business -- are "GM guys through and through."

The company will be emphasizing the Buick line of cars and Don Pion said the new GMC management is looking to establish a uniform look to all of the dealerships.

Speaking of Neal, Bob Pion said, "He was there when we needed him."