Three Midwest Truck Dealers Combine to Form TriVista
Des Moines, IA… Cerni Motor Sales (Ohio), O’Halloran International (Iowa) and Uhl Truck Sales (Indiana and Kentucky) announce that they are joining forces to better serve customers and employees as TriVista, a partnership that will become official on June 1, 2017.
Each dealership currently sells and services International® Trucks, Navistar’s flagship brand, offers maintenance services for International Buses, leases and rents trucks as affiliates of Idealease, Inc., and offers a number of other complimentary commercial truck products and services. The three family-owned companies will maintain their individual brands, but use a shared logo design incorporating the TriVista name.
The partnership grew out of a meeting of the three dealer principals when they recognized the opportunity to combine their dealership capabilities to grow and better serve their markets.
“We have all spent decades building trust within our regions and with our respective customers,” said Jim O’Halloran, TriVista CEO and President of O’Halloran International. “We view TriVista as an expansion of resources, while mataining our identities and values.”
With three multi-generational companies coming together, from day one there has been a focus on company history, culture, customer and employee relationships, and keeping a strong sense of community.
“We were excited by this opportunity because we keep our name and keep our family presence, but we can be a part of something bigger that can benefit our employees and customers,” said third-generation Cerni Motors partner, Vince Cerni.
The merger allows each company access to more cost-effective opportunities to benefit customers, such as volume purchasing, the ability to redistribute large fleet trade-ins for faster inventory turnover rates and more. In addition, employees will have opportunities for advancement throughout the company and will be able to apply to any location as positions become available.
“I see a very bright future with TriVista,” said John Shireman, President of Uhl Truck Sales. “You can tell when the three dealerships are in a room together — we’re all just firing on the same cylinders. It’s exciting.”
About Cerni Motor Sales, Inc.
Cerni Motors began fulfilling the needs of the Ohio-based trucking industry in 1961 when the Cerni brothers opened for business. Over the years Cerni Motors used their family-oriented and customer-focused values to expand their service area to two dealerships in Painesville and Youngstown, Ohio, covering six counties in the Northeast Ohio region. Cerni Motors also serves as a dealership for Benson trailers.
About O’Halloran International
In 1981, O’Halloran International was founded in Altoona, Iowa. With a focus on the customer and core values in integrity, fairness and quality service the company successfully expanded to three additional Iowa locations in Carroll, Fort Dodge and Cherokee. O’Halloran International also sells and services Isuzu commercial vehicles.
About Uhl Truck Sales
In 1953 Bernard Uhl purchased an International Harvester franchise in Palmyra, Indiana. Since that time two additional full service dealerships have been introduced. The family-owned company is now in its third-generation of ownership. With each change of hands, Uhl Truck has seen the value of responsive, professional service and long-term relationships passed to each generation. Uhl now has three locations in Louisville, Kentucky, Palmyra, Indiana and New Albany, Indiana. Uhl Truck Sales also serves as a Mitsubishi Fuso dealership.