LaBadie celebrates milestone anniversary at Lynch dealership
Used car salesmen, in general, don’t have the greatest reputations. So, for Bob LaBadie to last 40 years at the same dealership, he must be doing something right.
LaBadie, the longest-term employee in Lynch auto dealership history, hit the milestone anniversary recently.
Known in the area as a friend, neighbor, community volunteer, and supporter of causes near to his heart, LaBadie’s long sales career at Lynch Chevrolet, Buick, GMC shows no signs for letting up.
As a 20-year-old coming to sell cars for John Lynch, Sr., LaBadie remembers feeling scared and a bit intimidated by John’s presence and position. Current owner David Lynch remembers it differently.
He recalls that his dad always enjoyed Bob’s company and appreciated his work on behalf of Lynch customers. David Lynch describes Bob as “a man with no ill-will to anyone, an individual who gives, gives, and then gives some more.”
LaBadie, who admits he‘s not a fan of change, has seen a lot of it in his career. Back in 1973, joining an existing sales staff of only three, LaBadie quickly inherited the duty of changing strips of clear light bulbs hanging over the used car lot – one bulb at a time.
He also remembers his favorite car to drive – a 1984 Chevy Laguna sports car with a 454 engine and four-speed transmission, white with red leather interior with swivel bucket seats in front. That was a bit of a stretch from his first demo, a 1973 Pontiac Lemans, three-speed with no power steering and no air conditioning.
But, he said, at 20 years of age that demo was really something to be proud of.
LaBadie’s first sale was a 1972 Chevy truck for $3,200 to Marvin Lang of Lang Farms. LaBadie continues to sell to the Lang family to this day, now watching the third generation graduate from college and enter the workforce.
LaBadie credits his long auto sales career to the fact that the Lynch family gave him sufficient professional freedom to serve his customers as he deemed best.
LaBadie and wife, Mary, have raised three sons and he often shares his joy of family milestones – graduations, honors, births, etc. – with co-workers.
Visitors to Lynch’s Burlington dealership will usually find him doing what he does best – engaging someone in conversation, surrounded by a wall of family pictures, newspaper clippings, and Brewers memorabilia – not unlike the Bob LaBadie of 40 years ago.
Perhaps the important things in LaBadie’s life never really change that much at all.
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