“I went to Mr. Gunn and told him
that I’d like to become a car dealer
on my own and he offered to help
me do that,” O’Daniel said, adding,
“You don’t find a lot of car dealers
that give that kind of support to their
employees.”
Gunn Automotive does business
in the San Antonio, Selma, Schertz,
Boerne, New Braunfels and Live Oak
communities in South Central Texas.
O’Daniel said Weatherford is a
good location for a Honda dealership
because of the area’s healthy growth
patterns, and because Weatherford is
“a great community … a great fit for
the Honda brand.”
As majority owner, O’Daniel said
he is “fully vested” in the venture
and Weatherford will soon become
home. He and his wife have two
children — a 17-year-old daughter
and a 14-year-old son. O’Daniel
already has been getting a feel for
the community. He rented a one-
bedroom apartment here to “kind of
learn the lay of the land.” He plans
to build a house and have the family
move up next summer while the kids
are out of school.
O’Daniel grew up in the car busi-
ness. His father was a partner with
well-known San Antonio car dealer
“Red” McCombs. “I grew up as a
kid going to auctions with my dad
and actually started out working for
them,” he said. He eventually left
because, he said, he wanted to make
it on his own. He went to work for
Gunn Automotive in 1991.
“I started out selling used cars on
Bandera Road out of a trailer,” he
recalled. “And I worked my way up
through all the different departments
and went through a general manag-
ers’ training program. I was general
manager at a Chevrolet store for the
last 15 years.”
O’Daniel said his 62,000 sq. ft.
dealership at 851 West I-20 will have
32 service bays and employ between
60 and 75 people at the outset, with
more jobs being added as the busi-
ness shifts into full swing.
“I’m excited to come up there,”
O’Daniel assured, adding, “San
Antonio is not the San Antonio I grew
up in.” Small-town Weatherford will
be a welcome change.
TEXAS BUTANE CO., INC.
Morris & Judy V. (Kemp) White
South Side Square • 103 W. Church • Weatherford, Texas 76086
Local
Phone:
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Propane Sales & Service Since 1958
Metro
Phone:
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“LOCALLY OWNED & FAMILY OPERATED”
We are proud to be the oldest continuously family owned propane company in the Area!