The “new” general manager at Rockdale Country Ford is new about like Tom Brady is a “new” quarterback just because he’s now playing for the Tampa Ray Buccaneers.
Eric Paulsen had previously worked for the dealership for 19 years before taking a job in a different business in Williamson County.
Now he’s back at what he loves to do. Paulsen’s first day on the job was Aug. 7 and he says he is ready to roll.
‘R APPORT’—“I missed the auto business,” Paulsen said. “I always felt like I had a good rapport with the customers who came to see me.”
“I’ve got a really good feeling about coming back here,” he added.
Paulsen was in both sales and finance in his previous stint at the dealership.
“When Bob (the late Bob Graham) got sick, I pretty much was general manager,” Paulsen said. “So I’m very familiar with all aspects of this place.”
“What I’ve learned is pretty basic,” he said. “You’ve got to have integrity to sell vehicles. You have to do what you say you will do for the customer.”
‘MILAM BOY’—Paulsen is not stranger to the area. “I’m a Milam County boy,” he said.
He is a native of the Thorndale area and a Thorndale High School graduate.
Paulsen went on to Texas A&M University and graduate with a bachelor of science in animal science.
“Like just about every farm kid, I wanted to be a veterinarian,” he laughed.
That didn’t happen but something else did. The late Matt Lehmkuhl suggested Paulsen apply for a job at the Ford dealership.
“I was hired on the spot,” he said.
INVENTORY—Paulsen says one of his immediate goals is to build up the dealerships inventory.
“I think there have even been rumors floating around that we are going to close. That is simply not true.”
Paulsen said more vehicles have been ordered. “And we continue to do a great business in fleet vehicles,” he said.
“Of course the COVID-19 Pandemic has affected us like it has many businesses here and nationwide,” he said.
STILL HOME—Paulsen, and wife Courtney, continue to live in Thorndale.
Courtney Paulsen operates Country Meadows Clinic which has two locations in South Milam County, its main clinic in Thorndale and another in Rockdale.
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