Welcome to the first episode of the Miracle Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Podcast for the new decade. In this episode, host John Haggard chats with Kathleen Barrett, the controller at Miracle Auto Group. So what does a controller do in the company? You’ll find out here along with these other topics:
Welcome to the first episode of the Miracle Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Podcast of the new decade. In this episode, host John Haggard chats with Kathleen Barrett, the controller at Miracle Auto Group. So what does a controller do in the company? You’ll find out here along with these other topics:
Transcript
John Haggard 0:02
Welcome to the Miracle Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Podcast where each week, you will learn the best ways to purchase, lease, service and maintain, accessorize, and sell your vehicle for the highest resale value possible, when you’re ready. I’m your host, John Haggard. And you know, throughout each month we do have different team members join us from Miracle. They help you consider why you’d want to consider your next vehicle purchase or service repair at Miracle. And we also interview Summer County leaders to find out what’s going on in the community for events that you might be interested in as well. So on today’s podcast, we’re talking with Kathleen Barrett at Miracle Auto Group. Kathleen is the controller at Miracle. Hey, Kathleen, welcome to the podcast.
Kathleen Barrett 0:45
Thank you, John. Glad to be here.
John Haggard 0:46
Well, we’re glad you’re here and before we actually delve into finding out what is a controller and what does a controller do, tell us a little about you. Are you from this area, from the Gallatin area?
Kathleen Barrett 0:59
Not originally. I’m from Kentucky, but I’ve lived here for over 40 years. So I feel like I’m from here. I’m from Gallatin.
John Haggard 1:07
Okay. So in Kentucky, what part of Kentucky?
Kathleen Barrett 1:11
Henderson and Madisonville.
John Haggard 1:12
So when you were in high school just looking back when things were going that way, what was the most fun thing you did as a high schooler?
Kathleen Barrett 1:21
Played basketball.
John Haggard 1:22
A basketball star. All right. So you are 6’3″ or are you tall? What position did you play?
Kathleen Barrett 1:33
I played center.
John Haggard 1:34
All right. All right. So do you make a lot of a lot of scores, a lot of baskets?
Kathleen Barrett 1:38
I gave it all I could, that’s for sure.
John Haggard 1:41
All right. So you had a winning team?
Kathleen Barrett 1:43
Yeah, we won quite a bit.
John Haggard 1:45
Okay. What do you like to do on your time off?
Kathleen Barrett 1:48
Oh, I love to go wherever my grandchildren go. They’re either playing softball or singing, whatever event they’re doing, I’m there.
John Haggard 1:56
You’re there. Yeah, you know the Gallatin area is just exploding. It’s one of the big fast-growth areas. What do you see as you look around Gallatin that makes it an exciting place? If somebody says, you know, I’m trying to figure out sort of like where to relocate?
Kathleen Barrett 2:12
It is really growing. When I do get out in and drive around a little I’m thinking my goodness, it is really growing in this town.
John Haggard 2:20
Any favorite restaurant that you like to go to?
Kathleen Barrett 2:23
Oh, I love to go to LongHorn‘s.
John Haggard 2:25
All right. Are you a big steak eater?
Kathleen Barrett 2:28
Yeah, like steak and ribs. The ribs are awesome.
John Haggard 2:31
So let’s talk about Kathleen, how did you get into the car business?
Kathleen Barrett 2:37
Well, I applied for a job at Miracle Ford over 30 years ago, and I was hired and worked there for several years. And that’s where it all started.
John Haggard 2:48
Okay, so what were you doing then?
Kathleen Barrett 2:50
I was the title clerk.
John Haggard 2:52
Okay. All right. And for folks that don’t understand what a title clerk is exactly, what is that?
Kathleen Barrett 2:57
When you purchase a vehicle you Sign your documents and in the finance office and then it goes to the accounting office. And we have to process the paperwork and get your tags and that’s what the title clerk does.
John Haggard 3:11
Alright, so your job is controller now at Miracle Auto Group. When you hear that word, controller, you almost think, do you take a whip around there and, you know, sort of whip people in the shape or what does a controller really do?
Kathleen Barrett 3:26
Well, we do a number of things. You know, we’re kind of a jack of all trades. We oversee the financial operations of the dealership from, you know, beginning to end. We take care of the money, we take care of just whatever needs to be.
John Haggard 3:42
And before you got into the automotive business, what did you do before?
Kathleen Barrett 3:47
I worked at the Sumner County Highway Department for a number of years.
John Haggard 3:51
Okay!
Kathleen Barrett 3:52
And then, I was a stay at home mom after that for a while.
John Haggard 3:56
Okay, now at Sumner County. What were you doing?
Kathleen Barrett 4:00
I was in the accounting office.
John Haggard 4:02
Okay. All right. And you said that you applied for a job at Miracle Ford. And I guess they liked the application. And so they hired you. They brought you in. And how long have you been controller at Miracle Auto Group?
Kathleen Barrett 4:18
For 15 years.
John Haggard 4:19
Okay. And as controller does that mean you are over both stores? There’s Miracle Ford and Miracle Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram?
Kathleen Barrett 4:27
Yes, I’m over both stores. I’ve actually been here 19 years that I’ve been the controller for 15.
John Haggard 4:34
Okay. Well, you’ve been around the car business for a pretty good while and you’ve probably seen some changes in the purchase of cars and the lease of cars. What would you – what’s different about the industry today versus say, maybe five or 10 years ago?
Kathleen Barrett 4:49
Yeah, there’s a lot of differences. Places have changed quite a bit. It’s hard to get into as they once were. Things like, you know, vehicles obviously have changed a lot. You just look at some of our new products we have now and you think good night, you know, these are just awesome vehicles.
John Haggard 5:08
Yeah. And as you look around, and if you were going to give someone advice on the best way to search to buy a new car or a Pre Owned vehicle, if you were saying, look, if you’re in the market, you know, here are the two or three things or four things, maybe five things you want to consider before you do anything. What would you tell them?
Kathleen Barrett 5:30
Well, the first thing I’d tell them is to come and join the Miracle family. We strive really hard to make people happy with their vehicle purchase. If you don’t see the vehicle on our lot, that does not mean that we can’t locate it for you. All you need to do is come in and talk to us. Let us know what you’re looking for. And we will certainly do our best to put your dreams in your driveways. You don’t just come and buy a car and that’s it. We take care of you. We do the service you need on your vehicle. We go the extra mile for our customers.
John Haggard 6:06
Miracle is a family business. Some dealerships are owned by large corporations How would you describe the atmosphere at Miracle?
Kathleen Barrett 6:17
Miracle is a family-owned and operated dealership we take pride in taking care of our customers. We’re all one big family whereas everybody is, you’re with your team more than your at your home a lot of times and we’re all one big family. We take care of each other. We look out for each other. We take care of our, you know, our number one priority is taking care of our customers.
John Haggard 6:41
What do you see that’s going on in Gallatin in the next maybe 1 to 3 years that people would want to know about?
Kathleen Barrett 6:49
I’m sure I mean, I don’t know, but I would speculate that they’ll be another high school before long in the area. There has to be, there’s so much growth
John Haggard 6:58
And as you look around and the tenure, how long people have worked at Miracle, what do you see as you kind of look in the departments? How long do people or how long have people been working there?
Kathleen Barrett 7:10
Oh, we have people that have been here from day one. You know, we, I think the lowest person in my accounting office has been there, other than the person I just hired, they’ve been there pretty much six years or longer.
John Haggard 7:26
And that must say a lot then. You got to have a good working environment where people want to stay.
Kathleen Barrett 7:31
Yes, that actually might be an inaccurate number. I believe it’s eight years, now that I think about it. But yeah, we don’t have a big turnover, not in our accounting department at all. We don’t really anywhere, our people are they like where they work. And the Galvin’s are good to work for, so we are lucky.
John Haggard 7:54
Yeah. So tell us about the Galvin’s, those who are behind you and behind the dealerships.
Kathleen Barrett 8:00
They’re just an awesome family, I’ve known them for over 30 years and, you know, they want what’s best for their employees and their customers and right in here working right along beside us every day.
John Haggard 8:15
So they actually do work?
Kathleen Barrett 8:17
Absolutely.
John Haggard 8:19
Right. That’s good. That’s good. Thanks, Kathleen! Kathleen Barrett, everybody the controller at Miracle Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, and Ford. Join us again right here for other topics on the podcast throughout each month. Our goal right here is to show you the best ways to purchase, lease, service and maintain, accessorize, and sell your vehicle for the highest resale value when you’re ready to do it. And you’ll also hear our podcast with Sumner County leaders and shakers to find out what’s going on in the Gallatin-Sumner County area for events that you might be interested in. And don’t forget this part here, transcripts of each podcast right here on the website so you can easily refer to it we’re information right there at your fingertips. I’m your host, John Haggard, and we will see you next time.