Click on one of the people below to find out more information.
Blue was born in Muncie, Indiana and resides in Weymouth. He's a Silver Lab, and is actually brown, so don't ask us why his master, Dale Lathrop, named him "Blue."
Most everybody asks if he is a Weimarainer, but he is in fact a Labrador Retriever. He doesn't bite but he does have a Licker License, and he's not afraid to use it, especially if you smell like peanut butter. Sometimes, when he's really excited, he wags his tail so hard that he falls over!
Relative to his salary, he is Planet's most productive team member...so after a "ruff" day, when he conks out in Dale's office we just let this sleeping dog lie.
Lauri was born in New York and now lives in Plymouth. (Her name is pronounced just like it looks, if you speak Dutch.) Lauri's name has more vowels than anyone on the Planet team (eight) and that's before you factor her middle name (Eileen) for a bonus four. Curiously, her folks left the "e" off of Lauri.
Lauri is one of many women on the Planet team, and very unlike the typical salesman. Before joining Planet Subaru, Lauri owned an art gallery. She is a self described "artistic, free-spirited hippy chick." She rides a unicycle and a Harley Davidson Sportster 1200, but not at the same time.
Deb Brewster, Internet Sales Manager, lives in Plymouth with her husband, a Brewster who traces his lineage to the Mayflower. Deb holds a Masters Degree in Biochemistry.
She has two athletic daughters that share her love of rowing. Just prior to joining Planet in 2003, she owned her own business as a doula helping mothers through childbirth. (Deb really loves to "help people out.")
We asked her to join our team after she bought a Forester to
transport her rowing shell. Now she has several Subaru's for the whole
family! She is representative of the Planet philosophy of
attracting team members from outside the car business.
Bob was born and raised in Brockton and now lives in Duxbury. He loves
golf even though his scores do not return the affection.
He has a
Huskie/Australian Shepherd mix who loves to pull sleds full of
boomerangs and kangaroos.
Bob has a Bachelors Degree in
Electronics from the Wentworth Institute. Before joining Planet in 2006, he
sold electronics components. He likes working with Subaru customers
much more; they get a lot more excited about Subaru's than his former
clients did about flux capacitors!
Bob drives a Outback and his wife drives a Legacy.
Anthony lives in Rockland with his wife and four children. He has worked
on Subarus for nearly thirty years and helped open Planet Subaru in 1998. He is Planet's Shop Foreman.
If Anthony can't fix it,
nobody can. He is recognized nationally for his knowledge and
abilities. When the engineers at Subaru headquarters in New Jersey are
stumped, they call Anthony. Sometimes they even drive up to have him
look at a car.
Christa grew up in Florida and now lives in Weymouth. She studied
Interior Design in school. She loves the beach, movies, and fishing. Christa joined Planet in 2005.
Steve was born in Hanover and now lives in Plymouth. He camps with his
wife and four kids for a week at a time in a small RV; his wife tells
him that he enjoys these trips.
Steve has spent his entire 30-year career in Subaru parts and helped open Planet Subaru in 1998.
Chrissy's duties
include
preparing the large volume of complicated paperwork required to purchase
a
car. Chrissy is very conscientious, detailed-oriented, and perfectly
suited to the exacting requirements of the position. She joined Planet in 2003.
Nick is a Hanover native and lives here now. He was born in a house, so eager was he to jump into his new life that there was no time to go to the hospital. You'll see this same gusto in his passion for surfing. He surfs locally, year round, even during the winter in the icy Arctic waters of the North Atlantic. He is a "shaper," making his own surfboards.
Among his many duties, Nick fuels the inventory, rearranges the lot, clears snow off the cars, and generally helps lighten the load for his colleagues. Nick drives a Subaru Outback.
Derek Duggan lives in Plymouth. He has one daughter, who is the apple
of his eye. When not working on Planet Subaru's, he works on his own.
If
you see a blue WRX on Route 3 with
fancy wings, wheels, and other performance parts, it's probably Derek on
his way to work.
Derek joined Planet in 2004. His blood type is 10W30.
Amy grew up in Halifax and now lives in Hingham. Before coming to Planet, Amy was a Pharmacy Technician so she knows how important it is to sweat the details. Also, she is very good at counting small things.
Amy has a gentle demeanor that makes her a joy to work with.
Amy has a Boxer/Lab mix named "Murphy" and a Basset Hound that all the gearheads at Planet call "Low Rider" but she calls "Dayzee."
David Gardner, Purchase Partner since 2006, grew up on the
South Shore and recently purchased his first home in Weymouth. David
graduated from Boston University with a degree in Broadcasting &
Film and
took off for Hollywood. He actually lived on the same hill as the
Hollywood
sign.
David enjoys long walks with his dog, and meeting new people.
David came to our Planet in 2006. He drives a Subaru Legacy.
Dennis hails from Hanover. In a former life, for several decades, he
supervised the facilities at the iconic Boston Garden, home of many
Celtics and Bruins championships. He was responsible for changing the
floor to suit the variety of different sports and events held there. As
for the home court advantage afforded to the Celtics by the notoriously
uneven parquet floor, Dennis winks, "I don't know a thing about it."
Dennis
and Deb Brewster comprise the internet sales team that serves those who
begin their Subaru search through the internet.
Stephen lives in Marshfield. As Business Manager, his duties include
finding the best finance options and administering the paperwork when
you take delivery of your new car.
He grew up in Louisville,
Kentucky, which may explain why people say he offers service with
southern hospitality. He loves to go fishing.
Stephen was diagnosed
with Multiple Sclerosis in 2000 but he stays healthy and active chasing
around his FOUR kids.
Stephen came to our Planet in 2008.
James Greene, (that's Greene with an "E"), now owns a condo in JP, where he grew up. He comes to Planet with degrees in Math and Political Science from Villanova; while there he worked as a Sports Editor for the school's newspaper. James spent his earlier years working for some of Boston's most prominent political leaders, including Senators Ted Kennedy and John Kerry, and Boston Mayor Tom Menino.
James is an avid Boston sports fan. He drives a Subaru Legacy sedan.
Jamie Kelly grew up in Boston and now lives in Stoughton. When not
turning wrenches, he loves art, especially drawing. He has a chihuahua.
Jamie
came to our Planet in 2006. He drives an Impreza WRX Sedan.
Dale Lathrop, General Sales Manager, lives on a lake in
Weymouth and is extremely fond of fishing and catching lobsters. He grew
up in
upstate New York, and he earned an engineering degree from Clarkson
University.
Dale owns a retriever he named Blue, even though the dog is brown. Fortunately, the dog doesn't understand English well enough to get confused.
Since joining us in 2002 as a Purchase Partner, Dale has
risen through the ranks because of his warmth and work ethic, for which
he
thanks his Mom and Dad. Dale and his folks have owned TEN (!) Subarus through the years.
Rob lives in Pembroke. He loves to watch sports (especially the Red
Sox) with his wife. He also collects sports memorabilia such as
jerseys.
He likes tatoos and has an elaborate jungle scene on his
left arm. He came to our Planet in 2000.
Debbie lives in Plympton. She has one daughter with her husband Eric,
who also works in the automotive industry. She joined Planet right
after we opened in 1998.
She is a member of a local womens'
investment club. Debbie is such a sweetie that you would be honored to
count her among your friends.
Kurt lives in Weymouth. Kurt first learned how to work on cars in his
backyard, decades ago, as a teen. He is very good with his hands.
Earlier in his career, after earning a degree in Applied Science, he was
a Surgical Assistant in an operating room. When not nursing Subaru's
back to health, you'll find him skiing on the slopes.
Kurt came to our Planet in 2007.
Nikki was born and raised in Hawaii and now lives in Bridgewater. She
moved to Massachusetts for the weather. She came to our Planet in 2003.
She brings to Planet a
big dollop of Hawaiian sunshine in her smile and cheery manner. She
played basketball competively in Hawaii for the Pahoa Daggers.
Steve Merrill lives in Hanson with his wife, young son, and a hound dog named Elvis. Just kidding...that would be a good name for hound dog, but his real name is Charlie.
Steve was quite an athlete: he played baseball, lacrosse, hockey, and even semi-pro football. Fortunate for ailing Subaru's everywhere, Steve ultimately chose vehicle engineering over athletics.
When he was
14, he rebuilt a 1969 Dart Custom. Now, after a long day turning
wrenches on Subaru's, he goes home and turns wrenches on a 1967
Coronet. "Do what you love and never work a day in your life."
Steve came to our Planet in 2005.
Like the rest of the special team at Planet, Jeff is very different than
the typical "car guy." A few things you might not expect:
--Jeff
is a tree hugger and a strict vegetarian. He is a Big Brothers/Big Sisters volunteer.
--He was trained in
Executive Protection at the SigArms Academy. He has a Class-A (Large
Capacity) License to Carry Concealed Firearms issued by the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts.
--He thinks people would get along better if
more Democrats spent some time at the firing range and more Republicans
had gay friends.
--He made sure his first wife, Julie, was his
"trophy wife." Marrying her was the best thing he ever did.
They've been married over ten years and live in Milton.
--Jeff
is very proud of the special people that he has attracted to Planet
Subaru who offer an experience that is so different than the typical
dealership. He really believes that the nice guys (and gals) can finish
first in life.
John grew up in Virginia and now lives in Milton. He opened Planet Subaru with his brother, Jeff, in 1998. Jeff lets John have the "Supreme Commander" title so John can think he's the real boss, even though he isn't. In addition to his responsibilities at Planet Subaru, John also manages our sister store, Planet Chrysler Jeep Dodge in Franklin.
John and his husband have two very athletic boys, adopted from Russia. When he's not at work, you'll find him trying to keep up, if just barely, with Kyle and Dan.
Michelle grew up in Randolph and now lives in Whitman. She married the "boy next door,"
literally...her husband Don lived right
next door. They have three kids and a
Keeshond, which is a dog that looks just like a teddy bear.
Before joining Planet, Michelle was a
stay-at-home mother. She describes this
time as an "eight year vacation," which tells you something about how much she
enjoys being a mom.
Jim lives in Whitman. He picked up his sunny disposition and ready
smile growing up in the small town of Smithville, Ohio. Jim loves to
work with his hands. He is an avid gardener and loves flowers. He also
plays bass guitar in a local band.
Jim came to our Planet in 2007.
Brett lives in Rockland with his wife and two darling little boys. Brett is a direct descendent of King Henry VIII (fifteen generations
ago.) Not suprisingly, he graduated from the University of
Massachusetts at Amherst with a degree in History. When he was 19, he
spent a year travelling through Europe. Brett is a born-again
Christian.
Brett came to our Planet in 2006.
Nate resides in Boston
with his wife. He joined us in 1999 and has also been a
Sales Manager and Business Manager at Planet. In his spare time, he is
an amateur astronomer and member of the International Dark Sky Association. He drives
a
Subaru Impreza Outback Sport, the latest in a long line of cool Subarus that he has owned over the years.
Matt grew up on the beach in Marshfield and now lives in Hanson.
Growing up, he spent a lot of time surfing (and shivering, as you would
know if you've ever taken a dip, even in the summer time, in the frigid
North Atlantic water off the coast of Massachusetts.)
Early in
his career, he was an Emergency Medical Technician. Before he joined
Planet, he was a chef at some of the South Shore's best known gourmet
restaurants. Even now, he loves to experiment in the kitchen.
Matt
loves to serve. He says the best part of working at Planet is the
thrill he gets when people are excited about their experiences here.
Matt came to our Planet in 2007.
David was born in Needham and now lives in Norfolk. He drives past a lot of other dealerships every day to work at Planet because of the special way we do business.
He wanted to be a doctor when he grew up. He has the warm, endearing, competent manner of a medical professional, so we think of him as our Doctor of Automology.
The craziest thing he ever did was
to spend a summer in Greece and Italy spending the proceeds from the sale of the 1979 Datsun 310 that his dad had bought for him.
He has three kids. His two favorite hobbies are bike riding and cooking, and the size of his belly is determined by the which one he spends more time on. (He says the cooking is winning right now).
Travis is originally from Florida and now lives in Boston. He is an
owner of Planet Subaru and helped open the dealership in 1998. As
Un-Controller, he supervises the accounting and office teams. He has a
B.S.B.A.degree from the University of Central Florida.
He has an
identical twin brother, Trevor, that freaks us out when he visits from
Florida because it's like we're seeing double!
Larry grew up in Braintree and now resides in Marshfield. Like nearly
all of our salespeople, Larry came to Planet with absolutely no
experience in the car business. Formerly, he sold medical equipment and
supplies. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Business from Northeastern University.
He loves to cook; it gives him a break from the
demands of a life that includes raising three boys. His greatest
aspiration in life is to be a "good family man."
The craziest
thing he ever did was to take a 55 foot swan dive from a cliff in
Jamaica where scenes were filmed for "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea."
Bonface lives in Taunton. Originally from Nairobi, Kenya, Bonface's
journey to Planet Subaru was long and inspiring. He came to the United
States in pursuit of the "American Dream." He came to our Planet in 2006.
The mens' and
womens' marathon world record holders hail from Kenya, so when Bonface
joined the staff, the amateur running team was thrilled to hear that
they would have a Kenyan ringer. Alas, Bonface is an excellent
technician but not much of a runner.
Bonface drives a Subaru Outback.
Joe is a Dorchester native and now resides in Marshfield. After buying a Legacy here, he was so impressed with the Planet Way that he joined the team!
He is an avid golfer and once parred the course at Canton's Wampatuck Country Club with a 72 score.
Before coming to Planet, he worked for non-profit organizations in development. Joe has a Bachelor's Degree in Communications from Bridgewater State University.
He married his high-school sweetheart and they have two boys just as committed to serving the community. One is pursuing a career in high school guidance counseling, the other is an ordnance officer in the US Army's 4th Infantry Division, with service in Afghanistan.
Corey Warren, Sales Manager/Subaru Guru, built a
home with a
big garage in Hanson to store his babies: a Subaru Legacy GT Spec B and
a
Chevrolet Corvette.
Brian lives where he was born, in East Bridgewater. As a teen, he cut his teeth on auto repair when he blew the engine in his Mercury Cougar and his mobility depended on figuring out how to install a new engine.
Brian graduated from the New England Institute of Technology with a degree in Automotive Science. He has been working on Subaru's exclusively since 2005.
Max lives in Rockland with two vocal Siamese cats. He grew up in
Quincy. He drives a WRX sedan.
Max came to our Planet in 2008.