General Manager, writer, squeaky wheel
We've never done a formal survey, but we're pretty sure employees with backgrounds like Stace's are uncommon in this industry: he has a Master's Degree in English, was once an intern at MAD magazine and worked in advertising for a decade pitching everything from low, low airfares to pharmaceuticals you can't live without. So what's he doing here?
As Black Horse's Operations Manager, Stace oversees the day-to-day action in the garage. Additionally he manages the marketing of the company and the annual Wheels & Wings event. And as a Triumph TR6 owner for close to 20 years, he knows his way around vintage cars. While he's not qualified to turn a wrench at Black Horse, he's a great road-tester and will usually find a few items for the mechanics to fine tune before we hand the keys back to a customer.
Have a question about service at Black Horse or how Alfred E. Neuman takes his coffee? Email Stace at stace@blackhorsegarage.com.
How does your background benefit Black Horse customers?
"I bring skills and knowledge from my past experiences that are valuable to helping run Black Horse. We're making processes more efficient, improving our value to customers, and ensuring Black Horse is more visible in the industry. The mechanics have been very open to suggestions and changes from 'the new guy.' They see my sincere passion for the cars and willingness to learn; that buys me a lot of credibility. And if a discussion of Herman Melville ever breaks out over lunch, there's plenty I can add."
How does working here differ from "the corporate world"?
"Aside from the great hours compared to advertising, it's liberating to work where compromises are kept to a minimum. We have to be profitable to stay in business, but that's not the priority. We ask ourselves: Are we doing the job correctly? Will our customers be happy when they get behind the wheel? Occasionally our mechanics have to redo a job if we're not satisfied. It takes away from the bottom line, but releasing only the best work adds to our long-term reputation."