A policy of nurturing talent internally has seen Foray Motor Group make two key senior appointments from within its own ranks.

Luke Mundy has become group service manager while Mark Grant is now sales manager at English Ford in Poole, flagship site among Foray’s six Ford showrooms.

Both have been with Foray or its predecessor company, Edwards Ford, since leaving full-time education in their teens, with Mundy learning his skills in the workshop.

“Both Luke and Mark have shown exceptional talent during their time with Foray, which was founded in 2000 and lucky to have both of them already on the staff when their dealerships became part of the Group,” said managing director Chris Yoxon.

“It pays to be open to finding talent within your existing workforce and not to be drawn into graduate schemes as the only way to discover management material.

“Luke and Mark have worked hard, taking multi-site responsibilities during their time with Foray and this has marked them out as people with the ability to lead.”

Mundy takes over from group aftersales director Kevin Graves, who is retiring, and had already become accustomed to commuting between his original service manager role, in Andover, and other sites including the workshops beneath the head office in Salisbury, where Foray grew out of Edwards Ford and at which Mundy trained as a technician, starting as an apprentice.

Grant left college in Yeovil and after a year working in parts he moved to the car sales team, becoming manager in Yeovil and taking responsibility for two satellite sites before moving to Taunton Ford, which also covers Bridgwater.

He takes over from Alan Macdonald who has left to start his own consultancy business.

“I hope Luke and Mark have their eyes firmly fixed on my job,” adds Yoxon. “They have energy, know the business inside out, and have respect from their colleagues who all recognise that this pair can do the jobs they ask others to undertake.

“People are as important as premises when it comes to making the right business investment and these two have both invested personally in Foray with their commitment. I’m not planning to retire yet, though, so they have time to expand their knowledge still further.”

Picture: Mark Grant (left) and Luke Mundy, Foray Motor Group.