CARY, N.C. — The newest Mr. Transmission/Milex Complete Auto Care franchisee is a sales leadership and business development veteran who hopes to translate his success in those fields to the automotive maintenance and repair business.
"I think the addition of a Mr. Transmission/Milex franchise to Cary will be a great fit to the area," Steve Sargent, the new franchisee, said.
"We bring the credibility and many advantages of a national brand to the market, and that will be a tremendous benefit for customers in the area. I've always had an interest in vehicles and think we will be a one-stop shop for any kind of automotive or transmission repair needs."
The Mr. Transmission/Milex store in Cary — located in the former Bowden Street Automotive shop near downtown Cary — is the third franchise of its kind in North Carolina and the first in the Raleigh-Durham area, according to Moran Industries Inc., the brands' franchisor.
The others are in Winston-Salem and Matthews.
"We have great expectations of our newest franchise location in Cary and what it will mean for customers in the area," Moran President Peter Baldine said.
"Steve is very detail oriented and focused on providing exceptional customer service. His honest approach in working with customers is consistent with Moran's company values."
Mr. Sargent is joining the automotive aftermarket after an extensive career in sales leadership and business development, primarily in pharmaceutical sales, Moran said. He also has experience in business ownership through establishing a hospital consulting firm earlier in his career.
The new franchise opened for business March 1, Moran said. Mr. Sargent retained all the employees of the former store and plans to hire several additional shop assistants.
Milex Complete Auto Care locations offer a wide range of automotive maintenance services, including oil changes, brake and tune-up services, heating/cooling and fuel system checks, etc.
Many Milex locations are paired with Moran's Mr. Transmission franchise business.
Mr. Sargent is one of several new Milex/Mr. Transmission franchisees who have opened or are in the process of opening stores in several key markets, including Winston-Salem, N.C., Tampa, Fla; Bear, Del.; Dallas and Las Vegas.
Moran has as yet not identified the franchisees in those markets.