My assignment was simple: Find out how Tower Chrysler has been able to stay at the top of the Calgary auto industry for decades.

A quick check of www.towerchrysler.com, revealed that Tower has been run as a “family business” since 1971, when Ed Rewucki moved to Cowtown from Winnipeg. Ed took over the Chrysler dealership near the Husky (now Calgary) Tower, after which the business was named.

The fact Ed’s sons, Mike and Dan, are managers at Tower supported the “family” theme, but my research had only just begun.

The first thing I noticed as I arrived for my interview was that the showroom was busy – despite the fact it was early on a weekday afternoon. Before entering the dealership, I took the time to question a young couple about their shopping experience as they were leaving. Their responses spoke volumes.

“Top-notch!” said the young gentleman as his wife strapped their baby and a toddler into carseats in their early-90s compact car. No high-pressure sales – just the straight goods – and they treated us like family.”

From left, new vehicle manager Mike Rewucki, sales manager Tim Grosse and general sales manager Dean Sampson are part of Tower Chrysler’s all-star team.

“We’re going home to discuss things,” added the woman, “but you can bet we’ll be back to make a purchase.”

“What are you buying?” I asked.

“The 2003 Caravan or a Ram 1500 pickup,” she replied. “Both are the top of their class and, either way, we’ve got plenty of room for a family as well as all the crucial safety features.”

I’d never considered a pickup truck a roomy family vehicle, so the second I stepped foot in the Tower showroom, I started inspecting a shiny black Ram 1500 Quad Cab.

As I slipped behind the wheel, the feeling of power was nothing short of awesome. Tire-smoking muscle, bold style and plenty of luxury. I had no trouble picturing myself driving it out of the showroom. Heck, they wouldn’t even have to open the doors – I could just drive through the wall . . .

“And to think it seats six,” said my interview subject, sales manager Tim Grosse, snapping me out of a dream state as he climbed into the passenger seat. “I drive one myself. Power to burn, you can throw all the gear in the back and still have lots of room for your family.”

“There’s that family word again,” I said, jumping right into the interview. “Is ‘family’ truly an important part of this business?”

Tim’s reply: “You better believe it. Our dealer/ principal Ed Rewucki has been running this business like a family since he opened the doors in the 1970s.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re looking to buy a $3,500 second-hand car or a $135,000 Viper, if you choose to shop at Tower, we’re going to treat you like family. And that doesn’t just mean service through the purchasing process – it means an ongoing commitment to service excellence in everything we do for our customers.

“We’ve got some families who have had three generations do business with us, and we get an incredible number of referrals. That doesn’t happen if you’re not providing superior customer service.”

That helps to explain how Tower Chrysler achieved the prestigious ISO 9002 designation. “Are the employees part of that family?” I asked.

“I’ll say,” Tim said. “Otherwise, I don’t think you’d be doing this interview with someone who’s only been here a month.”

“One month and you’re handling the media?” I asked.

“You bet. I know the ‘family’ thing can be a bit of a cliché, but I had worked in Ontario up until a month ago and these guys welcomed me to the team to the point where I feel like I’ve been here for years.

“And because we are all treated like family, there is a comfort level that can be felt throughout the dealership. That attitude filters down to the customers in the way our sales professionals work. No pressure – we just want to help provide the intelligence you need to make an informed buying decision.”

Of course, it doesn’t hurt to be working with a car lineup that includes the Dodge Caravan, the top-selling vehicle in Canada, the sporty SX 2.0, the Chrysler Sebring, and a truck lineup featuring the Ram 1500 series, the heavy-duty Ram 2500, the Dakota – not to mention the Dodge Durango, Jeep Cherokee and Jeep TJ.

“There are other dealerships with some of those vehicles, but there’s only one Tower when it comes to service,” Tim summed up. “And this team has been standing by its lofty standards for more than 30 years.”

Case closed.

You can visit Tower Chrysler at 10901 Macleod Trail South, www.towerchrysler.com, or call 278.2020 for more information.