The Brown County Fair

A workplace can be a lot of things. It can be where you earn a living. Where you build a career. Where you learn a trade or develop skills that stay with you for a lifetime. But for many of the people who work at the Ford Sharonville Transmission Plant, it is also something more. It is part of their family's story. That was one of the things that stood out to us when Beechmont Ford was invited to attend the 2026 Sharonville Transmission Plant Family Day. We came as a Ford dealer. We left with an even greater appreciation for the people and families who help make Ford what it is. Celebrating More Than a Job Family Day is an opportunity to recognize something that can sometimes get lost when we talk about manufacturing: the people behind the production. Employees don't walk through the doors of Sharonville alone. Behind every employee is a family that supports them, celebrates their accomplishments and understands the time and dedication their work requires. For many families, the plant has been part of their lives for years. Some employees have spent decades building their careers at Ford. Others are continuing traditions established by family members who worked there before them. That creates something difficult to measure on a spreadsheet. It creates pride. Opening the Doors to Family There is something meaningful about inviting family members into the place where you spend so much of your time. It gives them a chance to see the work firsthand. To understand the environment. To meet the people, you work alongside. And perhaps most importantly, to understand why the work means so much to you. That is what makes an event like Family Day special. It isn't simply a celebration for employees. It is a celebration of the people who stand beside them. The Human Side of Ford At Queen City Ford, we spend a lot of time talking about Ford vehicles. We talk about trucks and SUVs. We talk about capability, technology and design. We help customers choose the vehicle that fits their lives. But none of those conversations would happen without the people who make the vehicles. Family Day allowed us to step away from the showroom for a moment and see a different side of Ford. We saw employees surrounded by the people they care about most. We saw families enjoying time together. And we were reminded that behind every Ford vehicle is a human story. A Community Within a Community More than 2,000 employees work at the Sharonville Transmission Plant. That number represents an incredible workforce, but it also represents an even larger network of families and loved ones. Those connections help make Sharonville a community within the larger Cincinnati community. For decades, the plant has provided careers, developed skilled workers and helped generations of families build their futures. That impact extends beyond the facility itself. It reaches homes, neighborhoods and communities throughout the region. And that is something worth recognizing. Why We Were Proud to Be There Being invited to Family Day was meaningful to us because of our relationship with Ford. We are proud to sell Ford vehicles. We are proud to represent Ford customers. And we are proud to be connected to a company whose products are built by hardworking people across the country. But being invited to Sharonville gave us something we don't get to experience every day. It allowed us to meet some of the people behind the products we represent. It gave us a chance to see their pride firsthand. And it gave us an opportunity to say thank you. To the Families: Thank You, Too When we talk about the people who make Ford vehicles possible, we can't forget the families who support them. To the spouses, children, parents and loved ones of Sharonville employees, thank you. Thank you for supporting the people who go to work each day and help keep Ford moving forward. Thank you for celebrating their accomplishments. Thank you for understanding the commitment that comes with being part of a manufacturing team. And thank you for being part of the Sharonville community. The work may happen inside the plant, but the impact reaches far beyond its walls. A Celebration We Won't Forget For Queen City Ford, Sharonville Family Day was more than an invitation to attend an event. It was an opportunity to connect with the people behind a brand we are incredibly proud to represent. It was a reminder that the automotive industry is built on relationships between employees and their teams, between employees and their families, between manufacturers and dealers, and ultimately between dealerships and the customers we serve. We are grateful that Ford allowed us to be part of that circle for a day. And we are grateful to the Sharonville team for welcoming us. Proud to Represent the People Behind the Product We will continue to proudly sell Ford vehicles. We will continue to help customers find the trucks and SUVs that fit their lives. But now, when we see a Ford vehicle leave our showroom, we will think a little differently about everything that went into getting it there. We'll think about the people. The families. The dedication. The pride. And the communities that make Ford more than a brand. To the employees of the Ford Sharonville Transmission Plant: thank you for everything you do. To your families: thank you for everything you do behind the scenes. And to Ford: thank you for inviting us to be part of a day that gave us the opportunity to recognize both. We are proud to sell Ford. But we are even prouder to celebrate the people and families behind the Blue Oval.

Some places become part of a community because of where they are. Others become part of a community because of the people who have spent generations building something there. For nearly 70 years, the Ford Sharonville Transmission Plant has been both. Located just outside Cincinnati in Sharonville, Ohio, the facility has been part of Ford's manufacturing story since 1958. Over the decades, technology has changed, vehicles have changed and the automotive industry has changed dramatically. Yet the dedication of the people working inside the plant has remained a constant. That history was on our minds when Beechmont Ford had the opportunity to attend the 2026 Sharonville Transmission Plant Family Day. As a Ford dealer, we are proud to represent the finished vehicles that eventually make their way to our showroom. But visiting Sharonville gave us an opportunity to appreciate the much bigger story behind those vehicles. It is a story built on people, craftsmanship and pride. Where the Story Began When the Sharonville plant opened its doors in 1958, it began producing Ford-O-Matic three-speed transmissions. The automotive world looked very different then. Vehicles were becoming increasingly important to American families, manufacturing was entering a new era, and Ford was continuing to expand its production capabilities. Sharonville became an important part of that growth. Over the years, the facility has produced millions of transmissions and components and has continually adapted to meet the needs of a changing automotive industry. Today, the plant encompasses approximately 2.4 million square feet on a 182-acre site. But the size of the facility isn't what makes Sharonville remarkable. Its history does. Generation after generation of employees have walked through those doors and contributed to the products that ultimately become part of Ford vehicles on roads across America. An Industry That Never Stops Changing Automotive manufacturing requires constant evolution. What worked decades ago may not work today. New technology requires new skills. Production processes become more sophisticated. Customer expectations continue to change. Through all of those changes, Sharonville has continued to evolve. The plant's current production includes 6R140 and 10R80 finished transmissions, as well as gears used in several Ford transmission programs. For someone looking at a new Ford on a dealership lot, those components may be easy to overlook. But they are an important reminder that every vehicle represents an enormous amount of engineering, manufacturing and human effort. Before a customer ever sits behind the wheel, thousands of people have already contributed to that vehicle. Sharonville is one part of that incredible process. A Legacy Measured in People The history of a manufacturing facility can be measured in years, square footage and production numbers. But we think the most meaningful measurement is people. Today, more than 2,000 employees work at the Sharonville plant. That means more than 2,000 people bringing their skills, experience and dedication to work. It also means thousands of family members, friends and community members connected to the facility. That is what makes a place like Sharonville so much more than a factory. It is a community. And Family Day offered a wonderful reminder of that. A Day Worth Celebrating Being invited to Family Day gave our team the opportunity to experience the pride that exists within the Sharonville community. It was a chance for employees to share their workplace with their families and for everyone to celebrate the people who make the plant what it is. For Mt. Orab Ford, it was also an opportunity to say something simple but important: We see you. We appreciate you. And we are proud of what you do. We sell Ford vehicles every day, but we don't build them ourselves. The people at Sharonville and thousands of other Ford facilities around the country are the ones doing that work. Their dedication is something we are grateful for. Proud of the Past. Excited for the Future. There is a reason the word "legacy" matters when talking about Sharonville. A legacy isn't simply something that belongs to the past. It is something people continue. Every employee who walks through the doors today becomes part of a story that began in 1958. Every transmission produced adds another chapter. Every family connected to the plant becomes part of its community. And every Ford vehicle that eventually benefits from the work happening inside Sharonville carries a small piece of that legacy with it. That is something worth being proud of. Thank You for Building the Future Mt. Orab Ford is proud to represent Ford in our community. We are proud to sell Ford vehicles. And after our visit to Sharonville Family Day, we have an even greater appreciation for the people who make those vehicles possible. To everyone at the Sharonville Transmission Plant, thank you for being part of Ford's story and for continuing to write the next chapter. Your work matters. Your dedication matters. And the legacy you are building matters. We are proud to represent the finished product, but we are even more proud to recognize the people behind it. Nearly seven decades of history brought Ford and Sharonville to where they are today. The people who work there are what will carry that story forward.

The automotive industry is changing quickly, and today's dealership looks very different from the traditional image many people may have in mind. That was one of the topics discussed when Mark Williams Auto Group recently returned to the University of Cincinnati to meet with freshman business students. Charlie Watson, Marketing Director for Mark Williams Auto Group, and Josh Williams, General Manager of Queen City Ford and Vice President of Mark Williams Auto Group, shared their experiences and provided students with an inside look at the business of automotive retail. During the afternoon, the students learned about the various components that make up a dealership operation. Sales, service, marketing, customer communication, lead management, and other departments all play important roles, and each must work together to create a successful customer experience. Charlie and Josh also discussed the business side of automotive retail, including where dealership revenue comes from and how dealerships work to attract customers in an increasingly competitive marketplace. One of the biggest areas of change is technology. Artificial intelligence is becoming a growing part of the automotive business. Dealerships are exploring ways to use AI for marketing, communication, lead follow-up, data analysis, customer engagement, and internal processes. As these tools continue to develop, businesses must determine how to incorporate technology while still maintaining the human side of customer service. That made the topic particularly relevant for a group of business students preparing to enter the workforce. The students had plenty of questions throughout the discussion, creating an interactive conversation rather than simply a presentation. Charlie and Josh were able to share real examples from their careers while giving students a better understanding of what happens behind the scenes at an automotive group. The visit also connects directly to a project the students are completing for their coursework. Students will be conducting a SWOT analysis of Mark Williams Auto Group, examining the organization's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. They will then present their findings to the group. The project gives students an opportunity to take concepts they are learning in class and apply them to an actual business. It also gives Mark Williams Auto Group the chance to hear fresh observations from students who are looking at the company from an outside perspective. Experiences like this are an important part of connecting education with the business world. Students can learn about an industry directly from professionals working in it, while businesses can engage with the next generation of talent and hear new ideas. Mark Williams Auto Group is grateful to the University of Cincinnati for inviting the team back to campus. We enjoyed the conversation, appreciated the students' thoughtful questions, and are looking forward to seeing the results of their SWOT analysis.