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Our History says a lot about who we are......
HAPPY BIRTHDAY FORD-106 YEARS YOUNG IN UNION COUNTY
The Ford Motor Company will celebrate is 106 year in business since its founder- Henry Ford -put the American people on the road by the millions in the early part of the 20th Century.
The Chapman Family chose to be a part of the transportation era when George Chapman opened the Ford business in Plain City in 1913. George had been in the grocery business but had a love for automobiles that gave him the drive to open one of the first auto dealers in central Ohio. Now, almost 100 years later, 4 generations of Chapman’s have continued to sell Ford products as well as being involved in additional Union Co businesses and supporting hundreds or thousands of local social activities and community organizations along the way.
While George Butler Chapman opened his first Ford store in the old auction building in Plain City, and later in 1918 built a new modern facility by the current location of the Plain City Library, his son, Bob Chapman, built a new building and took over the business in downtown Plain City in 1935. Bob also opened a Firestone Store, sold Plymouths and Chryslers, manufactured motor homes, sold and serviced airplanes and operated a few Taco Bell restaurants. Bob built another new facility in 1946 at the edge of town and his friend Frenchy Houchard became his partner in operating their new Plain City Airport. Bob was also on the original founding boards of the Union Co and Madison Co airports as they were adding airports to Marysville and London.
In 1978, the Chapman’s moved to a new facility in Marysville (conviently near the airport) and generation 3, Bob Chapman Jr.- became the dealer. While not too many businesses make into the 3rd generation, the Chapman’s have been fortunate to have been with a company, Ford Motor Company, who has been able to weather the economics of a changing world and continue to design and build a great line of products. Bob Jr.’s son, Joseph- is now the 4th generation dealer and continuing in his Great-Grandfather's footsteps. The proven age-old formula is still being applied, “provide a great product at a fair price and support your customers with an excellent, personal, service experience.
While we celebrate the longevity of Ford and our Family business, we are really celebrating our desire and resources to continue to reinvent ourselves in the rapidly changing world. I like to think of Ford today and the “New Ford” or “Ford 2.0”. We have leadership, new products, exciting innovation and a commitment to build “best in class value and mileage into each new Ford –the new Fusion Hybrid is one example as well as our new 2010 Taurus, Fiesta and Mustang.
Now is the time and this is the place to take a new look at a New Ford 2.0—Bob Chapman Family Ford—4 generations and a 106 year old partner