Pierson Ford is coming off it's two most profitable years in business. It takes a combination of factors to achieve something like this. "We've got the right people. The rest is all brick and mortar. Your people are the business, as is true of most (businesses)," Barber said. Most of the staff have been with Pierson for years. But 2009 is expected to be different for all of us ? in reality we're expecting the worst. Barber doesn't think that will be the case. "Until the economy changes in Aberdeen, I think we will continue to do well as the agriculture industry stays strong. As the ag economy goes, so does Aberdeen. And we are getting more diverse, which will only be to our benefit."

So how does Pierson plan to accomplish all that? The easy part is selling truly great vehicles. If you're one who likes to surf national news online, you might have read about Ford's uphill battle on selling quality. "The perception is that foreign cars are better. In the last few years, that's no longer the case," Barber said.

So let's talk dollars. There will be several great promotions in 2009 - but they won't tell you everything now - don't you want something to look forward to? Employee pricing is one that is already going on. "There will be some excellent programs this year, they're (Ford) not going backwards." Barber said. Neither is Pierson Ford, because they do all they can here. Our community matters, so Pierson and its staff continue to do their part. Employees are encouraged to be involved in activities. Staff have time off for various organizations, and Pierson continues to sponsor many local programs. During work hours, Pierson is selling not just in Aberdeen, but to people all over the country, using several Web sites to reach out. They offer a large selection of new and used vehicles, and can help you find anything you're looking for - maybe the 2010 Mustang due this spring? Not as many of us have seen or experienced one. Car and Driver Magazine recently published the results of their own test on the top four on the market. The Ford Fusion won with flying colors. It placed well in all categories: Vehicle (looks, features), Powertrain (fuel economy), Chassis (performance) and Overall Experience. Ford can't keep up with the demand for the Fusion, their top-selling car, but they're getting them off the line and out to dealers as fast as possible. The reason being that the highest demand comes from the green states, where EPA standards demand a cleaner, more efficient vehicle. Once Ford is caught up, we're going to see them around here, with the 2010 Fusion available in February. And it doesn't seem to have those new-model ticks. Ford is on par with the top two Japanese brands when it comes to quality. But more importantly, as we all know, what matters is what happens once you take it home. Ford also matched those manufacturers with the lowest number of service calls - they refer to it as "Things Gone Wrong" or TGW. But if any of you are still skeptical of the hybrid, get up to speed. According to Yahoo! Finance, "The Ford Fusion is now America's most fuel efficient mid-size sedan for BOTH hybrid and conventional gasoline models." That?s 34 mpg highway and 23 mpg city. You can expect to hear more proof in their Drive One campaign.

We've all heard about the hybrids,

Still going strong. Ford's award-winning F-Series is still America's best-selling truck for the 32nd year in a row. Don't gloss over that. It's not just the best truck, but the best-selling vehicle of any kind - cars, trucks, vans, SUVs and crossovers. If it was just for its looks, that'd be nice. But we all want - we all need more than that. The Ford F-150 has been named Motor Trend's 2009 Truck of the Year. To earn the title, it has to surpass it's competitors in engineering, technology, design, safety, dynamics, performance, quality and value. It's also the North American Truck of the Year. Bravo. According to Yahoo! Finance, "it is the only pickup to earn both the government's top 5-star crash-test rating and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) 'Top Safety Pick' award." No wonder the only two '08 vehicles left on the lot are cars. "We're in the best situation we've been in since I've been here," Barber said. "We never stopped selling trucks." In fact, they sell 3-to-1 over cars. Here's why. Despite the price of gas, people around here need trucks. On the farm, at work and yes, for recreation. Lifestyles may have to be tweaked here and there this year, but you still have a life! Please click here to contact us.