Q_01_web-singlepage_Jun15

John Esplen
President
The Humberview Group
How did the Humberview Group begin?
My father, Stewart, grew up in Etobicoke, he was a car guy
and his dream was to build something that served the
community. With his outlook on life and business aligned,
his key values included building relationships through a
great team of people. These values continue to be part of the
fundamentals of the Humberview Group today.
i n t e r v i e w : Aviva Vetter
Ever since he was young, John knew that he wanted to run
a car dealership. Straight out of school, he began work at
his father’s company Humberview Chevrolet Oldsmobile
dealership. Just eight years later with a variety of positions
under his belt, John took over the daily operations as General
Manager. Over the years, he also gained other operational
elements, all while forming partnerships and growing the
business through the acquisition of other dealerships.
Humberview as we know it today, was beginning to take
shape. At this point, the dealership had already come to
enjoy many an accolade, along with the title of being one of
Canada’s most successful dealerships and most recently, the
Canadian AutoWorld Dealership Employer of Choice Award
for 2015. With continued growth and expansion to this day,
a robust approach to customer service underscores the
strength of their business.
Echoing his family values, John has dedicated his career,
alongside his brother Scott’s, to bringing the Humberview
Group to the next level by building loyalty among team
members and customers alike. Immersed in the company
throughout his life, John experienced every facet of the car
dealership business while striving to build a relationship
with each team member and customer he encountered. With
every step forward, the Humberview Group sets its roots
deeper into the community, through charitable endeavors,
trustworthy customer service and a solid team.
He began his enterprise with the launch of his first
dealership in 1962. An entrepreneur at heart, he envisioned
taking advantage of every opportunity to build a business
to the best of his abilities. From a young age he made his
way through every facet of the car industry making a mental
note of what worked versus what didn’t, determined to get
to the moment where he would put his ideas to the test. All
these years later, the business has flourished into twenty
franchises, with finance affiliations along with leasing and
truck operations.
Was getting involved in the family business a natural fit?
In short, yes. From a young age I was involved in the
company my father founded. Along with my interest in
cars, I was equally fascinated with the business model he
devised – the people engaging people factor spoke to me.
My immersion began early on with learning the ropes while
moving through the various departments to become familiar
with all the divisions of the business. In this industry, like
many others, everything is interconnected and one doesn’t
function properly without the other. This is where having a
great team along with clear internal communication towards
a common goal, can make all the difference in the world.
What is most valuable quality you learned from your dad?
I acquired two very important traits from my father – how
to treat people along with his moral compass. Succeeding in
business goes hand in hand with how you treat others, while
a strong moral compass will help you make the decisions
that will best get you where you want to be.
44