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Show iT ZF The Salt Lake Tribune, Sunday, January 12, 1986 Business Portrait Love of Automobiles Keeps Him Vibrant ' Special to The Tribune Clarence Knight LAYTON working with his father, Enos, on the family cars in Ogden at a ? tender age. The idea of working with automobiles appealed to him then and 40 some odd years later it has not diminished. And except for a brief stint in the U.S. Army, he has been associated with the automobile industry for most of his life. Mr. Knight, owner of Clarence Knight, Inc., the Cadillac, Pontiac, CMC Truck dealer in Layton, is the 64th president of the Utah Automobile Dealers Association for 1986, a job he cherishes and regards as a honor from the other dealers in the state. As the head of the 164 new automobile dealers in the state, Mr. Knight said he doesn't know how a dealer can remain in business without belonging to the association. "It has helped me over the years, he said. He said most of the dealers in the state seem to agree, with Utah having one of the highest percentage of members in the U.S. The asociation is an important part of the business," Mr. Knight said. "It's a valuable organization that fills a need for the dealers. Those needs include a group insurance plan that allows dealers to provide employees insurance at a reson-abl- e cost, membership in the National Association of Automobile Dealers, information regarding laws affecting the automobile industry and how it relates to them, and protecting the image of automobile dealers. During his tenure, Mr. Knight said his scope of responsibility will include keeping dealers informed of new laws affecting the industry such as Environmental Protection Agency requirements, promoting safety and working with the Better Business Bu- reau. first as the business manager and lata partner. He became general manager of the dealership in 1974 when Mr. Whetton took a position with Howard Hughes in Las Vegas. The proudest day of his life was when he was accepted as a dealer. You just dont walk into dealership and buy it and become a dealer," Mr. Knight said. The factory requires the applicant to know a lot about what goes on in a dealership." Thats why being named head of the Utah dealers means a lot to Mr. Knight. "Its a vote of confidence from your peers. He also knows most of them have worked hard to get where they are, rising through the ranks as he has. "I spend a lot of time managing the company's affairs, he said. The business is a lot more complex today, he said. There are laws and regulations to follow and the cars themselves are more complex. He is already making plans for the groups convention in Orlando, Fla., next November and plans to travel throughout the state to meet with dealers in groups and individually and discuss their problems and ways to help them. During the Legislature, Mr. Knight and the association will be pushing the state's proposed mandatory seat belt law, a habit he feels everyone should get into. Born in Warren, Weber County, where he lived until he was 8 when the family moved to Ogden, Mr. Knight began his career from the ground floor, starting as a lot boy and mechanics helper for Rasmussen-Thompsonan Ogden Studebakei dealer in 1944. His career was interrupted in 1944 for a three-yea- r stint in the Army w!h the Army Corps of Engineers as a heavy-'u'- v equipment operator. "Nothing glamourous about that, he r us winding down and id, the w-I didn't see any overseas assignments. He did meet his wife, Norma Tims, an Albuquerque, N.M., native where he was stationed in 1947. They have four children, Laurie, Michael, Brian and Sharon and eight grandchildren. After his discharge from the service, he returned to Utah and studied accounting and business at Weber State College and the University of Utah. He went to work for Browning ChevroletOgden Buick Sales Co. in Odgen, where he worked in the parts, accounting and insurance departments before moving up to general manager of the finance department. er as , A f a dealer, Mr. Knights day begins around 8 a.m. and doesn't end until 7 p m. and often later. He oversees five different departments as well as handling customer com- plaints. Dealers have a strong feel for customers, Mr. Knight said, and we do have the customers interest at heart. "We know not everyone will be happy, but we try, he said. In 1977, his partner, Mr. Whetton, returned to Utah. It was then Mr. Knight learned Owen Wright was selling his dealership in Layton in order to move to Midvale. Even though he had an excellent relationship with Mr. Whetton, Mr. Knight saw that as a chance to have his own dealership. Using a lifetime of experience in all facets of working and running a dealership, Mr. Knight became owner and president of Clarence Knight, Inc. In 1960, Jim Whetton bought the company and asked Mr. Knight to stay on with Jim Whetton Buick, Inc., He also owns Automotive Supply which his son, Micheal Co., in Ogden, runs. Tribune Stott Photo By Von Porter Clarence Knight, president of the Utah Automobile Dealers Assn., eats, drinks He is also proud of the Cadillac Master Dealer Award he received in 1984. He has served on Pontiac, Cadillac and GMC truck dealers councils and served on the Motor Vehicle Business Administration Advisory Board to the Utah State Tax Commission since December 1981 and has been on the auto dealers board of directors for five years. He has also been president of the Utah Cadillac dealers advertising association since nological advances and a good "Today, my line of cars is the most exciting I have ever seen in terms of looks and styling," he said. I expect it to be a very good year, not just for me but for all the dealers in Utah. As for outside interests, Mr. Knight said his business duties keep him pretty well occupied, a point that became noticable when he picked up his musty golf clubs to play a couple of rounds during a dealers meeting a 1979. Coming off of the industrys best year ever, Mr. Knight projects an optimistic outlook for new automobile dealers in the state. He attributes that to an expansion of product lines, not just in his dealership but in all auto makers, as well as the new tech- - The largest, most trusted computer and word processing supply company in the area. AVERY MULTIPURPOSE COMPUTER LABELS Hotel, Restaurant Job Prospects Are Bright Chicago Tribune Writer Job prospects in the hotel and restaurant industry are bright now and will get even better over the next five years, according to experts in the field and U.S. Department of Labor statistics. "Employment opportunities are just terrific. 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They also learn equipment specifica- be- cause there are more consumers eating out and they are becoming more sophisticated and demanding. People are willing to spend their money, but they want service, value and quality for it, he said. To give students an understanding of how to give customers that service, Triton offers a wide range of courses in the hospitality field. Nielsen came to Chicago to manage the Kungsholm Restaurant on Ontario Street in 1969. After two years there and a year at the Conrad Hilton Hotel, he started the Triton program. Triton is a two-yecollege that offers an associate of arts degree in hospitality management. Many of its students are beyond what is usually considered college age and have worked in the industry for years. The older students lend positive experience to the program, he said. Many are nervous at first, but they tions. Some students work in a restaurant run by the program on the Triton . campus. The average salary for a Triton graduate starting out might range between $10,000 and $12,000, but some students with job experience can demand salaries up to $25,000. Tuition at Triton is $25 a semester hour for district residents (the district takes in much of west suburban Cook County), $68 for other Illinois resiresidents and $91 for dents. While many students go straight from graduation to jobs, others go on to four-yea- r colleges to major in hotel and restaurant management at such schools as Michigan State University, Cornell University, or the University of Wisconsin-Stou- t. few years ago. The first round was OK, but the second round caused me to consider a few lessons," he chuckled. Is he a workaholic? "I enjoy my work. Its a labor of love, he said, adding his wife of 38 years may think he is a workaholic. Because of his devotion to his work, most of his friends tend to be in the automobile industry. He and Mr. Whetton still have lunch once or twice a month, he said. econo- my. p By John Gorman and sleeps autos. He predicts 1986 will be a banner year for Utah automobile dealers. We have more than 30 label sizes, 60 combinations and configurations to meet all your labeling needs. multi-widt- Because of the need for trained people in the hospitality business, Evelyn Echols branched out from her travel training school to found Echols International Hotel Schools Inc. in Chicago three years ago. 180-hoThe schools course costs $2,160. It teaches marketing, sales, front-des- k skills, housekeeping, and food handling, to name a h Bright, smudgeproof paper insures your imprint is clear and easy to read. Save 10 off regular price on your next order from Force 4 when you mention this ad. few. Starting salaries for a front-des- k person or reservationist range between $11,000 and $12,000, but for those who are good, they can move up in six months, Echols said. 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