50 Years of GMC, a Few Generations, and One Very Special Award

Well, this is pretty cool.

Valley GMC in Auburn, Washington, recently received the General Motors 50-Year Dealer Award, recognizing 50 years as a GMC dealer from 1972 to 2022.

Yes, the award arrived a little late. But after 50 years, who’s counting?

Actually, we are. That’s kind of the whole point of the award.

Our Story Started Before 1972

If you know a little about our family’s history, you know Valley’s roots go back even further.

My grandfather, Ron Claudon Sr., started working in the automotive business right here in Auburn in 1949 while he was still in high school. In 1961, he and his business partners purchased Valley Garage in Kent, selling Mercury cars and GMC trucks.

They moved into our current Auburn location in 1964, and by 1969 and 1970, Valley was the number-one GMC truck dealer in the country.

Back then, you could buy a GMC truck for $1,995. It came with a three-speed manual transmission, practically no options, and if you wanted a heater, that cost extra.

Try explaining that to someone shopping for heated steering wheels and massaging seats today!

Three Generations, One Valley

My dad, Ron Claudon Jr., officially returned to the dealership in 1983 after spending years doing just about everything from washing cars to working in banking. He eventually became a partner and dealer, carrying on what my grandfather and his partners started.

And then there’s me.

Like my dad and grandfather, I started at the bottom. Literally. I was washing shop floors on weekends as a middle schooler.

Apparently, cleaning floors is a family tradition around here.

Today, I’m fortunate to work alongside a team that includes people who have dedicated decades of their lives to Valley GMC. Some have been here long enough to remember when I had hair.

Those relationships, that experience, and the trust our customers place in us are what make this place special.

The Best Part of 50 Years? The People.

We’re proud to receive this recognition from General Motors. Fifty years representing GMC is a pretty incredible milestone.

But when I think about what it means, I think about the employees who’ve built careers here, the families who’ve bought multiple generations of vehicles from us, and the neighbors who continue to trust our team with their vehicles.

We’ve watched GMC trucks change, our community grow, and the automotive business evolve in ways my grandfather probably never imagined.

Through it all, we’ve tried to stick to something pretty simple: Treat people like neighbors, not numbers.

That’s what my family built this business on, and it’s what we hope you’ll continue to experience whenever you visit us.

So thank you to General Motors for the recognition, to our incredible Valley team, and most importantly, to the customers and community who’ve been part of our story.

Here’s to the next chapter. And hopefully, the next award won’t take quite so long to arrive.

Read More About Our Family’s History →