Hight continues to receive top state, region honors

SKOWHEGAN — Hight Ford has been recognized with two of the highest awards given by Ford Motor Company for the second consecutive year. The dealership has received the Ford Motor Company President’s Award and the One Ford Elite Award for 2020, after previously winning both awards in 2019, the President’s Award in 2016.
The dealership is expanding its service garage at its 250 Madison Ave., Skowhegan, location to keep up with ther growing customer base.
The President’s Award is awarded to 335 Ford dealers nationwide, about 10 percent; the One Ford Elite Award was earned by only 160 dealerships nationwide. Only 1 percent of Ford Dealerships are awarded both awards. The President’s Award is one of Ford’s most prestigious awards, recognizing dealers who have achieved the highest levels of customer satisfaction and sales performance. The One Ford Elite Award is awarded to the top President Award winner in its area.
Hight Ford is one of 13 Ford dealers in the Northeast Region, and the only Ford Dealership in Maine, to receive the One Ford Elite award this year, and one of two dealers in the Northeast to win the award back to back in 2019 and 2020.
Sam High, dealer principal, said the back-to-back awards, “Make me incredibly proud of my staff, our customers and our communities.”
“With constant focus on customers and community, we were able to overcome great odds and continue to support our 110 year legacy — you put us first in sales, we put you first in service,” he said.
Hight Ford is also the oldest dealership in New England. In 1911, Walter Hight began selling Model T cars in Skowhegan, and through four generations, two world wars and two pandemics, it is still family-owned and operated, with dealierships including Hight Ford and Hight Chevrolet Buick GMC, both in Skowhegan; Hight Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, in Madison; and Hight Chevrolet Buick GMC in Farmington.
In 2011, the National Automobile Association awarded Hight Family of Dealerships the Century Award — given to dealers that have owned and operated business in the industry continuously under one family for 100 years. Since 1947, only 52 dealers have earned the century award and Hight is the only Century Award winner in New England.
“These awards are further proof that we have the best, and most highly trained staff that any business could ask for,” High said. “It has been a very strange 12-plus months in the car business.”
The company didn’t make any cuts or layoffs of its nearly 100 employees. “By focusing on customer experience, and doing our best to stock inventory and pricing it fairly, we were fortunate enough to not only have a strong year, but also give back to our communities,” High said.
The 3,000-square-foot expansion will be home to Hight Protection, a full lineup of Line-X bedliners and truck accessories and Valugard undercoating products. “By bringing these highly trusted, quality products to our line up we will be able to help enhance our customer experience by offering products to protect their investment,” he said.