Employee Spotlight: Tanner Hutchins, Sales Manager at Ruge’s Chevrolet

Tanner Hutchins, Sales Manager at Ruge’s Chevrolet in Millbrook, says the best part about his work are the people. Not only does he enjoy being around his colleagues, but he also appreciates the opportunity to interact with customers old and new.

After graduating from Red Hook High School, Tanner went to University of New Hampshire to study business. It was there that he first developed an understanding of everything from operations and marketing to sales and service.

Tanner and his fiancee Megan (also of Red Hook) are getting married next year, and we’re all excited for them. We caught up with him to learn more:

Tell us about your first experiences with vehicles.

My passion when I was younger was motocross racing. I suppose that would have been my first experience learning about the way vehicles are made and best put to work. The courses offer jumps, hills, and sharp turns, so it’s very challenging and really fun both for the racers and the spectators.

Tell us about your pets!

We have a golden retriever, Tucker, who I adopted when he was just 10 weeks old…as anyone who’s done that knows, it’s a LOT of work in the beginning when you have a puppy. It’s getting easier all the time (he’s 5 months old now), and eventually I hope he’ll be able to start coming to work with me. He’s already made it to social media because he did come to the store one day and someone snapped a photo of him driving a Colorado! And of course my cat Mia, who is 8 years old, might get jealous if I don’t mention her too! When I first brought Tucker home, she was definitely not a fan. He likes her but she still doesn’t really have much use for him. But it’s working out – she has learned how to stay away from him, and he’s learned to leave her alone!

What’s your favorite vehicle at Ruge’s?

Hands-down, my favorite is the Silverado. I’ve always driven one myself, and it’s been great. It’s got room for everything and all kinds of features; it fits my needs and doesn’t ever disappoint.

If you could take a road trip anywhere, where would you go and why?

I’d probably go to Utah, in a Silverado. I’ve been there before and it’s beautiful. When I graduated high school a friend of mine traveled with me throughout the whole western part of the country, which was the first time I had been to many of the states out there. Since I was young, I’ve gone to Colorado every year to go skiing and also in the summers, but that trip after graduation was my first time exploring other areas. And Utah was just awesome; I’d love to take another road trip out there if I get the time.

What do you like to do when you do have free time?

Megan and I are always chasing Tucker and Mia around of course, and now with the warmer weather I hope to get out on the motorcycle and also to golf; I usually play at Red Hook Golf Club. Ruge’s sponsors all kinds of golf outings so I typically volunteer to go – it’s always a great time out there.

What makes you most proud of your team at Ruge’s?

We have a lot of fun together; it’s a hardworking group of people and we’re all a really tight team. They make every day at work something to look forward to.

And I also love that Ruge’s has been so involved in the community, and that our team really gets behind our company’s efforts to support all kinds of causes, events, and initiatives. It’s a reminder that we’re all part of something bigger.

What do you most love about your customers?

I love that they come back over and over again, giving us a chance to get to know them and their families and experiences through the years. It means alot to have those relationships with people, and we’ve got many customers who represent generations of families who have been coming to Ruge’s, and also new customers who have just recently moved to the area. It’s fun to talk with all of them.

Reach out to Tanner Hutchins anytime by emailing [email protected] or calling 845.219.5147.