Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Cornville, Maine. My parents were off-the-grid homesteaders back in the 1970s. We lived half a mile into the woods on a goat farm with solar power and a composting toilet. In spring, the river would flood and we sometimes had to canoe out to get to school.

That’s quite a childhood. What was it like growing up that way?

Honestly, I didn’t realize how unusual it was at the time. It was just normal life for me. My dad built almost everything himself—our solar system, our sauna, even the composting toilet. Before we had electricity for a television, he actually rigged one up to a bicycle generator and pedaled it to watch the news. Looking back, it was pretty amazing.

What did you study in college?

I studied plant and soil sciences at UMass Amherst. At the time I wanted to go into soil remediation—using plants to clean contaminated soil. I was pretty focused on environmental work and sustainable agriculture.

So how did you end up in the car business?

Completely by accident. My neighbor in Portland was a surgeon and one day he said, “You should be in sales.” I laughed and said, “Absolutely not.” But he convinced me to at least try it. I walked into a Toyota dealership to apply and they interviewed me on the spot. I was wearing dirty landscaping clothes and Carhartts. They hired me that day.

What did you like about sales once you started?

I realized I’m a people person. I love talking with people and helping them solve problems. Later, when I moved into finance in the dealership, I found I really liked the puzzle aspect of it—working through credit situations, helping someone who has been turned down elsewhere find a path forward. Sometimes people have been told “no” or made to feel embarrassed about their finances. If you can help them get approved and get a reliable vehicle, it makes a big difference.

What do you like about Scarborough?

The natural beauty stands out immediately—the marsh, the coastline, beautiful places to kayak and walk. It’s gorgeous. But I also like seeing the town evolve. For a long time, Scarborough felt like a place people drove through. Now there are more places to gather and more activity with developments like The Downs and businesses around the Haigis Parkway area. It feels like the town is developing more of a center and a sense of community.

You’ve become very involved in networking locally. Why is that important to you?

I genuinely enjoy bringing people together. Through groups like TBD and other networking organizations, I get to meet local business owners and connect people who might not otherwise meet. In a way, it’s the same thing I enjoy about the car business—helping people connect and solve problems together.

How did you become involved with the Scarborough TBD networking group?

I was attending the Portland group regularly and the organizer encouraged me to get involved with the Scarborough chapter since I work here. Now I help run the meetings alongside Andy Jacques of Owls Eye Media. We moved it to a weekly format and have been working to grow participation and encourage more referrals among local businesses.

What does Glen Reed bring to the dealership as someone who grew up in Scarborough?

Everyone knows Glen. We call him “Mr. Scarborough.” People trust him and respect him because he’s spent decades serving the community through the fire department, volunteering, and just being involved everywhere. He genuinely cares about people.