Hartway Chevrolet has new leadership in Medina

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Hartway Chevrolet in Medina is led by from left: Randy Klatt, managing partner; Ben Goodwin, the service manager; and George Bidleman, owner.

MEDINA – A local automobile dealership is about to undergo a major change.

George Bidleman of Medina, owner of dealerships in Medina, Albion and Auburn, has announced changes in personnel at Hartway Motors in Medina, a dealership he first became involved with two years ago.

Effective immediately, Randy Klatt, a Medina native and former sales manager at Orleans Ford, will move to Hartway Motors as a managing partner and vice president of Hartway Chevrolet. Along with Klatt, Ben Goodwin will move from Orleans Ford to Hartway Motors as service manager.

In addition to Hartway Motors and Orleans Ford, the Bidleman Auto Group includes Bidleman Chevrolet in Albion and Bidleman Ford in Auburn.

Both Klatt and Goodwin were born and raised in Medina and have decades of experience in the automotive business.

Klatt is a son of Paul and Barbara Klatt. He has worked at Orleans Ford for 17 years, and is grateful for the opportunity Bidleman has given him to move up the ladder. He first started as a salesman in 2006, then was promoted to sales manager in 2009. In 2018 he became general sales manager.

Although he has worked all of his career at the Ford dealership, Klatt said his connection to Hartway Motors goes way back to when his grandfather, who retired from Harrison’s in Lockport, bought all his cars at Hartway Motors. In fact, Klatt said Kip Lonnen, who has been a salesman at Hartway’s for 33 years, sold his grandfather all his vehicles.

Goodwin, a son of Paul and Debbie Goodwin of Medina, has worked at Ford for 18 1/2 years. His experience includes graduating from Ford’s Asset Training Program. Bidleman said Goodwin has been a top technician and an expert in diesel engines.

“I started at the bottom changing oil and emptying garbage cans,” Goodwin said.

Klatt and Goodwin say their promise is to provide the best selection of vehicles and the best service.

Hartway Motors has been doing business in Medina since 1939, when Frank Payjack started the dealership. It became Hartway Motors when Payjack’s daughter Bonnie married Charles Hartway and they took over the business. The next merger created Botsford and Hartway, which Charles and Bonnie’s children ran after Charles retired. Bidleman became a partner two years ago and recently, sole owner.

Bidleman said Hartway Motors has always been a good business.

“But we want to take it to the next level,” he said. “We want to make it great.”