Varsity Lincoln Mercury Receives Special Tribute for Being No. 1 Lincoln Mercury Sales Leader in the World

NOVI, Mich., April 18 -- A highlight of the Novi Chamber of Commerce ``Mixer'' today will be the presentation of a Special Tribute from the State of Michigan to Mike Stanford and his ``Varsity Team'' at Varsity Lincoln Mercury dealership for being the No. 1 Lincoln Mercury Sales Leader in the world for the fifth straight year.

Following is the text of the Special Tribute to Varsity Lincoln Mercury that will be presented:

SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO VARSITY LINCOLN MERCURY

LET IT BE KNOWN, 2001 marked the fifth straight year that Varsity Lincoln Mercury auto dealership, operated by the Stanford brothers as a family partnership in Novi, Michigan, was recognized by Ford Motor Company as the NO. 1 LINCOLN MERCURY SALES LEADER IN THE WORLD.

We take great pleasure in offering praise and tribute to Lou and Mike Stanford, and their 105 outstanding employees, for consistently demonstrating that ``outworking competition to achieve customer satisfaction through innovative marketing and servicing of the best designed and manufactured automobiles in the world'' is a commendable part of entrepreneurial development and success.

Lou and Mike Stanford launched their dealership from vacant land in 1994 on the corner of Grand River and Wixom Rd. Skillfully managing change with the times, Varsity Lincoln Mercury has grown to encompass 14 acres on both sides of Grand River featuring a customer-friendly showroom with four of the top ten Lincoln Mercury sales consultants in the world -- Dean Silver, Mike Kerr, Vladimir Aksenchik and Nikki Rinaldi; a service and parts center ranked No. 1 in Customer Satisfaction and headed by Rick Castanos and Dan Lobert; a used car and truck department led by Matt Garchow which also ranks No. 1 in sales nationally; and a recently expanded 40,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art body shop under the direction of Rudy Walsh.

Varsity Lincoln Mercury's corporate responsibility is not only appreciated for its family-value people involved in building a better business future in the Novi-Wixom communities, but for becoming known nationally for effective business team leadership. One of the motivational signs on 44-year-old Mike Stanford's office wall states: ``Hire good people. Provide them with training and treat them well. Our top commodity is our team. The ones on our team make the difference.''

IN SPECIAL TRIBUTE, Therefore, this document is signed and dedicated to commemorate the worldwide auto industry achievement of our home-grown Michigan team at Varsity Lincoln Mercury for again being honored as the NO. 1 LINCOLN MERCURY SALES LEADER IN THE WORLD. We applaud and celebrate this happy accomplishment and wish their VARSITY TEAM continued success and well being in the years to come.

/S/ /S/ Nancy Cassis, State Representative Bill Bullard, Jr., State Senator The Thirty-Eighth District The Fifteenth District

/S/ /S/ Lieutenant Governor Dick Posthumus John Engler, Governor

The Ninety-first Legislature At Lansing April 18, 2002