Bill Text: VA HJR302 | 2020 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Commending William Farrell.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2020-03-04 - Agreed to by Senate by voice vote [HJR302 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2020-HJR302-Enrolled.html
WHEREAS, William Farrell, of the Berglund Automotive Group in Roanoke, was named the 2020 Time magazine Quality Automobile Dealer of the Year nominee for Virginia; and
WHEREAS, William Farrell, whose career in the auto industry has spanned more than 40 years, got his start at the age of 14 working in the service department of his father's dealership, Berglund Chevrolet in Roanoke; and
WHEREAS, William Farrell took many opportunities to gain experience in the auto industry, both with his family's dealerships and with other dealer and industry groups; and
WHEREAS, in 2002, William Farrell bought his first dealership, Farrell Chevrolet, in South Carolina, which grew to be the number one dealership in the state; and
WHEREAS, William Farrell returned to Roanoke to run his family's dealerships, expanding the Berglund Automotive Group to carry 26 brands in 12 locations throughout Roanoke, Lynchburg, Salem, and Bedford while employing over 600 people; and
WHEREAS, an active and dedicated member of his community, William Farrell has supported a wide array of industry and community causes for many years, becoming a well-recognized and respected advocate for numerous community events; and
WHEREAS, William Farrell has been a leader in his community, supporting numerous causes such as the United Way, the Roanoke Children's Museum, the Lynchburg Humane Society, and the Blue Ridge Food Bank; and
WHEREAS, recognizing the need to create educational opportunities in his community, William Farrell served on the board of the Virginia Western Community College Educational Foundation and established a 5,000-square-foot training facility for automotive technicians, providing equipment, tools, vehicles, and volunteers from his dealerships to offer students the training necessary to begin a career in the auto industry; and
WHEREAS, in recognition of his contributions to the community, the City of Roanoke awarded the naming rights for the Roanoke Civic Center to Berglund Automotive; today, the Berglund Center is the premier full-service facility in the Blue Ridge region, hosting over 400,000 visitors from Central and Southwest Virginia for world-class entertainment, trade shows, conventions, and sporting events and serving as a popular location for community meetings; and
WHEREAS, an active and dedicated member of his industry who serves his customers and his community with a generous spirit, William Farrell has been a model toward which dealers around the Commonwealth may aspire; and
WHEREAS, William Farrell brought his passion for providing a great customer experience to his dealerships, leading Berglund Automotive to be recognized as a "Best Overall Car Dealership" by The Roanoker Magazine; and
WHEREAS, William Farrell has served his industry as an active member of the Virginia Automobile Dealers Association, including terms as a member of the organization's board of directors and as its chair in 2016, when he led all of Virginia's affiliated franchise dealers as their top elected officer; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend William Farrell on his selection as the 2020 Time magazine Quality Dealer of the Year nominee for Virginia; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to William Farrell as an expression of the General Assembly's congratulations and best wishes.
