Car salesman in Sudbury reflects on five-decade career
A Sudbury car salesman is getting ready to call it a day after more than 50 years.
Moe Bradley was in his 20s while working at a bank when he was approached by the owner of what was then called Meredith Connelly Motors in Sudbury.
“He offered me a job because the older salesman wouldn’t sell Malibus. I went home to talk to my dad and he said oh, you’re not going to work in the car industry. I said they’re going to give me a car dad,” said Bradley.
That was in 1964, and within a month he sold nine of the vehicles.
“I’ve worked for four owners now. I worked for Mr. Meredith, his son Ron, and I worked for Kelly Campbell for many years, then Dan Courville bought it and he retired, now Denis Lauzon owns it,” Bradley said.
Denis Lauzon is the general manager of Southside Chevrolet and has worked with Bradley since 1994.
“One thing that impresses me the most about Moe is you know when he started there wasn’t any computers as everything was done manually, and as the automation of the auto industry progressed through the years Moe was able to keep up. He learned the computer stuff pretty quickly and is able to adapt to new times which has kept his career relevant all these years,” Lauzon said.
Lauzon said the automotive industry tends to have a lot of turnover, so the fact that Bradley has had a career that as lasted over 5 decades is something to be celebrated.
“He’s got thousands of customers so it’s a testament. I don’t know how many Moes there are out there but I don’t think there’s many.”
Bradley attributes his long career to being healthy and loving what he does.
“Eight-tracks and then the CDs, all of this has changed, and it has made me up to date and staying alert on the job.”
He could tell you about the times people paid cash for vehicles and all the cool new technology he's seen arrive over the years, but that’s not what Bradley said he’ll remember most.
“I’ve had grandfathers and their sons and daughters and grandchildren all kinds of them over the years and that’s been a highlight. It’s people for me, not the cars,” said Bradley.
Bradley estimates he’s sold 10,500 vehicles over the years, and while he said he’d like to keep working for another 50 years, he decided he didn’t want to work past the age of 80, a milestone he will mark on Nov.30. His last day will be on Dec 31 and Bradley plans to spend his retirement at his cottage on Penage Lake and hopefully travel to see family.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Calgary police shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers dealt with a distraught individual. The incident lasted almost 20 hours.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.