Tyler Kember marvels at the growth of a car business his father, Ira, started 40 years ago.
In 1976, Ira began a small used car dealership and auto body repair shop in the western P.E.I. community of Enmore.
“They were smashed cars that my father would fix and he would sell,’’ says Tyler.
“He was a hard worker, obviously…he was a one-man show.’’
Ira teamed up with his brother Ezra in 1979 to acquire a Volkswagen dealership in Summerside, and the pair has remained partners in a business that has flourished.
By 1982, the brothers changed to a Datsun/Nissan dealer, grew the business, built a separate body shop next door where they also opened a Rent-a-Wreck rental store.
In 1999, they resigned the Nissan dealership, renovated the facility, and became the first Honda dealer in Atlantic Canada with the new Honda image.
They have kept growing.
The company has been snapping up dealerships over the past few years, purchasing Clarke Motors in Charlottetown in September 2015 and taking over MacIsaac Mazda June 1.
The company is also planning to open Centennial Nissan in Summerside in March 2017.
Centennial Group of Companies now consists of four automotive dealerships, two recreation-vehicle stores selling ATVs and motorcycles, three auto body shops and one used vehicle operation.
Today, the business has grown to approximately a 110-person operation, with sales of roughly $60 million projected for 2016.
“It’s exciting, for sure, to be growing,’’ says Tyler.
“It’s a lot of fun. It’s an exciting time to be in the car business.’’
At 61, Ira remains hands on working out of Centennial Honda in Summerside and Ezra is still involved as well in day-to-day operations of the company.
“So it started with two brothers but now we are in the second generation,’’ says Tyler, one of six Kembers on the company’s management team.
“It’s very family-owned and operated because we’re all on the floors of the different stores. So we’re very hands-on.’’
Tyler is quick to credit staff with fueling the good fortune of the company.
“We’ve grown substantially in the last little while because of customer service and the employees we have on the floor,’’ he says.
“We’re very upfront, open, and really honest with our deals.’’
Tyler Kember marvels at the growth of a car business his father, Ira, started 40 years ago.
In 1976, Ira began a small used car dealership and auto body repair shop in the western P.E.I. community of Enmore.
“They were smashed cars that my father would fix and he would sell,’’ says Tyler.
“He was a hard worker, obviously…he was a one-man show.’’
Ira teamed up with his brother Ezra in 1979 to acquire a Volkswagen dealership in Summerside, and the pair has remained partners in a business that has flourished.
By 1982, the brothers changed to a Datsun/Nissan dealer, grew the business, built a separate body shop next door where they also opened a Rent-a-Wreck rental store.
In 1999, they resigned the Nissan dealership, renovated the facility, and became the first Honda dealer in Atlantic Canada with the new Honda image.
They have kept growing.
The company has been snapping up dealerships over the past few years, purchasing Clarke Motors in Charlottetown in September 2015 and taking over MacIsaac Mazda June 1.
The company is also planning to open Centennial Nissan in Summerside in March 2017.
Centennial Group of Companies now consists of four automotive dealerships, two recreation-vehicle stores selling ATVs and motorcycles, three auto body shops and one used vehicle operation.
Today, the business has grown to approximately a 110-person operation, with sales of roughly $60 million projected for 2016.
“It’s exciting, for sure, to be growing,’’ says Tyler.
“It’s a lot of fun. It’s an exciting time to be in the car business.’’
At 61, Ira remains hands on working out of Centennial Honda in Summerside and Ezra is still involved as well in day-to-day operations of the company.
“So it started with two brothers but now we are in the second generation,’’ says Tyler, one of six Kembers on the company’s management team.
“It’s very family-owned and operated because we’re all on the floors of the different stores. So we’re very hands-on.’’
Tyler is quick to credit staff with fueling the good fortune of the company.
“We’ve grown substantially in the last little while because of customer service and the employees we have on the floor,’’ he says.
“We’re very upfront, open, and really honest with our deals.’’
