Knowledge of the Company should be of interest to every employee. Therefore, we are including a brief history in this Policy Handbook.
July 7, 1962 - Walt Stein, President of Clintonville Servicenter, Inc., leased the Sohio station at the corner of Dunedin and High Street in Columbus, Ohio, from the Standard Oil Company of Ohio and called it Clintonville Sohio. The business operated successfully and profitably through the next six years.
1968 - The Mobile Brake Service was purchased and operated as a separate business with Herb Derwent acting as Manager and Operator.
June 4, 1968 - Clintonville Sohio was incorporated under the name of Clintonville Servicenter, Inc., and Charley Walker, who had been with Clintonville Sohio since its formation, was made a stockholder.
1970 - Ken Washington, owner of Bexley Sohio, and Walt Stein, owner of Clintonville Servicenter, Inc. and Mobile Brake Service, decided to purchase the property at 585 Oakland Park, Columbus, Ohio and build the existing facility at that location.
July 1971 - The facility was completed, and the Company began doing business. At this time, Ken Washington and Herb Derwent became stockholders in the Company.
Mobile Brake Service and Bexley Sohio were sold to the corporation and their assets became a part of Clintonville Servicenter, Inc. In the new facility the company’s DBA was introduced as, "Clintonville Automotive Repair Service", and from the first letter of each of the words has evolved the current identification of "C.A.R.S".
June 1976 - Upon graduation from college, Ron Stein joined the Company on a full-time basis and assumed Ken Washington's duties as Service Manager in 1977.
1981 - The Mobile Brake Service was discontinued due to lack of demand for their services and the high cost of operation.
1982 - The "ARCO" gas station on the corner of Indianola and Oakland Park, which we call "The Annex", was purchased. The gasoline tanks were removed, and we began using the existing three bay building for overflow service work and as a fast-lube operation.
January 1987 - As the business grew it became necessary to add a third Service Advisor. Mark Onosko, who had been a technician with the company since 1977, joined Charley and Ron at the Service counter.
December 31, 1994 - After thirty-two years as head of the Company, Walt Stein retired, and Ron Stein assumed his duties as President.
August 2002 - David Stein, Walt’s grandson and Ron’s son, began working full-time for the company after spending a small amount of time in the “corporate world”.
December 31, 2002 - Charley Walker, the young mechanic that Walt hired when he bought the original filling station, retired after 41 years of service. At that time David moved to a Service Advisor position working alongside Mark and Steve.
November 2005 - Paul Marquardt, who joined the company in early 2002 as a technician, took on the position of Service Advisor.
August 2007 - David Stein decided to leave the Company and begin his own business venture with a college friend. At that time Les Walters joined the team as a Service Advisor with Mark and Paul.
February 2009 - Walt Stein, founder of Clintonville Servicenter Inc., succumbed to a long battle with cancer. Walt was a true visionary in the automotive service industry and the driving force behind C.A.R.S. Without his unwavering dedication and high ethical values C.A.R.S. would not exist. He will be greatly missed.
April 2010 - Paul Marquardt became the Executive Vice President of the Company in preparation for the planned retirement of Ron Stein in 2012. Paul shares the business and customer service philosophies that Walt and Ron subscribed to which have allowed C.A.R.S. to earn the reputation of being both honest and fair.
June 1, 2012 - Ron Stein, after 41 years of full and part-time employment, retired as President of the Company. He spends the colder months in Florida enjoying the many fishing and scuba diving opportunities that the climate provides.
June 1, 2012 - Paul Marquardt assumed the duties of President and Owner of the Corporation,
November 2014 - Les Walter assumed the role of Service Manager
December 2015 - Jim Funk, who began working for the Company as a Technician in August 1971, retired after almost 44.5 years. Jim was, and still is, a trusted advisor for Paul and his impact on the Company over the years cannot be fully stated.
November 2016 - Lynette Van Arsdale, Walt’s daughter and Ron’s sister, retired from the Office Manager role after 38 years and Erica Deutch took over the position. Erica began working for the Company as a Cashier in August of 2010
September 2018 - Gary Fast joined the Company at the counter as a Service Advisor.
October 2020 - Les Walters left the Company to pursue an opportunity closer to his home. At this time Gary Fast was promoted to Service Manager.
June 1, 2023 - Erica Deutch became Paul’s Second in Command and began the process of learning how the Service portion of the business operates with the long-term goal of her becoming the next owner of the Business when the time comes for Paul to possibly retire in 2033.