Longtime Moran Family of Brands franchise owner George Kok received the 2021 Franchisee of the Year honor for the impact he is making on the Mr. Transmission brand.   George Kok began his tenure with Moran in 1981, when he started working at the Mr. Transmission in Louisville, Kentucky. He worked as a center manager and in the operations department before purchasing the store in February 1983. Kok expanded his business 15 years ago when he opened a co-branded Mr. Transmission/Milex store in nearby Clarksville, Indiana. The two locations are approximately 15 miles away from each other, which makes the back-office operations of managing two businesses easier for Kok. This 2021 Franchisee of the Year award for Mr. Transmission marks the first time Kok received this top honor.   While his first location had always done simple repair work, adding the co-branded location allowed them to establish themselves as a great presence in the community as a one-stop shop for customers ... read more

Moran Franchisee of the Year: Scott Hester Scott Hester was recently named as one of Moran Family of Brands’ Franchisees of the Year, as selected by his peers from the system.  He has owned the Mr. Transmission in Decatur, Georgia, since 2006. If a Hester from Georgia winning the Mr. Transmission Franchisee of the Year sounds familiar, that would be correct.  Scott’s father, Lowell, owns the Mr. Transmission in nearby Sandy Springs and has won one the award twice. If there is a franchise gene, Lowell apparently passed it onto Scott. In any case, for those franchise owners wondering if they might want to sell or pass on their franchise to their offspring, that’s one way to go. But if you aren’t in the mindset of retiring any time soon, you still might be able to use your franchise to help your kids build their own future. For those people, Scott’s story m ... read more

October is Fall Car Care Month As the calendar turns to October and the start of fall is upon us, now is a good reminder that October is Fall Car Care Month. October is a good time to assess the condition of your car and determine if it needs maintenance.  It has been through a long summer with continued exposure to the hot weather, and maybe a long trip or two mixed in.  Now is the time to take your car in for any work that may need to be done before the winter weather arrives.  It feels a long way off right now, but the Farmer’s Almanac is predicting that two-thirds of the country will encounter a colder-than-normal season. So with that in mind, October’s a good time to get your car inspected at Milex Complete Auto Care or ... read more

It’s a good time to be a part of the automotive industry. While all industries — including the automotive industry — took a hit in the recession of 2008, we have seen great growth along with the rest of the economy. In fact, automotive sales have increased over the past five years, from 2009 to 2014. This growth is being fueled by a stronger economy overall and increased consumer confidence in the economy. That means consumers are more willing to make big purchases, like a new car and automotive aftermarket accessories. But there is another industry trend at play in the recent years. While many people are buying cars, just as many are holding on to their cars for longer. On average, they keep cars for 63.9 months, which is 4.5 months longer than in previous years. This trend has led to an increase in consumer demand for auto repairs, su ... read more