Gettel Foundation Fuels our Success

Academy members and staff took time to honor our newest corporate sponsor.

When Mr. James Gettel, President and CEO of Gettel Automotive, arrived at the Academy yesterday, the room erupted in a standing ovation. The Gettel Foundation, Inc. is the philanthropic arm of Gettel Automotive, and they are as serious about giving back to their community as they are about quality automobiles. We are honored and humbled to have the Gettel Foundation as our newest corporate sponsor, and even moreso, to include them as part of the Academy community. Mr. Gettel is a busy man, but he made time to pay us a visit, and speak from the heart about why he chose the Academy as a beneficiary of their generosity. He was humble and funny and kind; in short, our kind of people. It was clear that he understands our mission and the need for programs such as the Academy.

We had a little surprise for him. Members Kevin Luckner and Ian Churchill presented him with an engraved clock with our words of gratitude, each of them taking a moment to share their recovery story and add their own personal words of gratitude. Ian concluded by inviting him to lunch and saying “you are one of us now.” We couldn’t be happier to add another seat at our table.

Pictured above are (left to right) Kevin Luckner, James Gettel and Ian Churchill.