The dealership, solely owned by Mr. Charlie Gilchrist since 1995, is a well recognized fixture in the surrounding communities. Employing we...ll over 100 persons, Southwest Ford is among the largest employers in the area. The dealership stresses active participation in community events and charitable activities and makes many contributions of both time and money to such endeavors. Such attention to both community and business has paid off in terms of recognition on local and national levels. Included among the awards of merit are the prestigious Ford Distinguished Achievement Award, the President’s Award and the North American Customer Excellence Award.