Ray Kunz is general manager of Orinda Motors, Inc., a Diamond Certified company. He can be reached at (925) 709-4934 or by email.
Ray Kunz: Back in Action
By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter
ORINDA — After a lengthy stint in the automotive industry, Ray Kunz switched gears and started his own business coaching agency. Years later, he found himself drawn back into the field where he made his start. “I’ve been in the auto industry all of my life,” he affirms. “I started as a technician when I was 17 and gradually climbed the ranks to service advisor, manager, and general manager. In 2001, I left the industry and started a business coaching company. One of my clients was Allen Pennebaker, the owner of Orinda Motors. After working with Allen for 15 years, he asked me to come work for him at Orinda Motors as his general manager. I didn’t want to quit my coaching business, but I did like the idea of getting back into automotive work. So, I hired a couple of coaches to take on the bulk of my clients and went to work for Allen four days a week. I’ve been doing that for the last few years. It’s a lot to juggle, but I enjoy both livelihoods very much.”
When asked about his favorite part of his job, Ray gives a twofold answer. “One thing I enjoy is the variety. Every day, there are new people to work with and new challenges to take on. The other thing I enjoy is customer satisfaction—I love the challenge of keeping our customers happy. It’s hard to make everybody happy all the time, but that’s something we really strive for at Orinda Motors.”
A resident of Elk Grove (where he lives with his wife, Jeanie), Ray says his favorite activity outside of work is camping. “Or ‘glamping,’ as my wife likes to call it,” he laughs. “We have a 40-foot travel trailer that gives us all the amenities of home on wheels. That’s probably the most fun we have, especially when we take the kids and grandkids with us.”
In regard to a professional philosophy, Ray says it’s all about having the right priorities. “I think it’s important to put customer happiness before money. That’s a rule I’ve lived by since I got into the managing side of the business. Too many companies put money ahead of everything else, but that’s not the way to be successful in business. Instead, you should focus on making sure the customers are taken care of. If you do that well, money will follow.”
When asked the first thing he’d do if he were to retire tomorrow, Ray says he’d go on an epic road trip. “I would hook the trailer and go see the country. I’m not sure if my wife would be on board—she loves the home and our life here—but that’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”
Ask Me Anything!
Q: Are you an early bird or a night owl?
A: An early bird.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
A: Maldives.
Q: What’s your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?
A: Stay inside and watch a movie.
Q: What kinds of movies do you like?
A: I watch pretty much everything, but mostly horror and action movies.
Q: If you could time travel, would you go to the past or the future?
A: Probably the future, just to see how everything turns out.
