Owning and servicing a vehicle from Friendly Acura in Middletown has a multitude of benefits. A new, state-of-the-art facility. A drive-in service center. A café and refreshment bar. MyFriendly Rewards. Market-based pricing. All of that is great, but it really comes down to one thing: our people.
But we don’t have just “people”. We have professional product experts whose knowledge, expertise, and (most importantly) friendliness truly make Friendly Acura a unique place. It’s our Friendly Staff that gives us the ability to deliver the type of exceptional customer experience you expect from Friendly.
At Friendly Acura, our goal is to make your ownership and service experience as enjoyable as possible. From the front desk and the sales floor, to the finance office and service bays, we work together as a team every step of the way to ensure you have the absolute best customer experience.
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Colin O'Brien
General Manager
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Colin O'Brien
General Manager
I’ve been with the Friendly Auto Group since 1998, where I started in the Parts Department at our Honda location, from parts to service, service to sales, sales to finance, and a few odd-jobs in between. I can say that I have been blessed to have chosen such a great organization that understands that their employees are the company’s greatest asset, promotes teamwork, and allows the employee to follow their dreams.
When it comes to cars, I’m an enthusiast to say the least. If it has wheels and an engine I’m interested in it, and the rarer the better. I enjoy the auto industry all the way through, from design to R&D to the retail end, all of it intrigues me. I collect rare automobiles and motorcycles and thoroughly enjoy the Acura product, especially 1997 Integra Type R and NSX that I currently own.
If I am not in the office you can find me traveling all around to motorsport events, or staying local and spending time with my family and friends. Some of my personal interests include music, cooking, ballin’, or just some good old relaxing.
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Ken Wyskida
General Sales Manager
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Ken Wyskida
General Sales Manager
I have lived in the Hudson Valley for the past 39 years and currently reside in Wappingers Falls with my beautiful wife and two children. We are huge hockey and baseball fans (Go Rangers and Yankees!) and spend our free time traveling to see our son’s hockey games and our daughter’s theatre performances.
I made the transition from big box retail to the automotive retail business in 2006 and spent the first 11 years of my career with the same automotive group. I am honored to now be a part of the most respected automotive group in the Hudson Valley, the Friendly Auto Group, where I look forward to spending the rest of my career learning and growing with the organization.
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Brad Ackerson
Sales Manager
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Brad Ackerson
Sales Manager
In a nutshell, I’m a car guy, specifically a classic car guy. I’ve been hooked since I was 14 years old, when my dad and I rebuilt a 1972 Mustang from the ground up. (That’s probably when I realized that I was NOT going to be an archaeologist!) One day, I plan to build a car with my own kids, so we can go cruisin’ around car shows on the weekends. Speaking of bucket list items, I’d also really like to go sky diving one day.
After growing up building things in the garage, construction was a natural choice as my first career. After an injury on the job in 2003, I shifted my focus back to cars and starting working in sales at a local car dealership. Since then, I’ve worked in sales, sales management, and finance in a wide range of dealership. From exotics to luxury, domestic to import, luxury to economy, I’ve worked them all. My aim is to live life to the fullest by taking advantage of every opportunity I get to put smiles on faces, and that’s what drives me at work every day.
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Conrad Miller
Sales Manager
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Conrad Miller
Sales Manager
The thing most people don’t know about me is that I was born in London, England. However, everyone knows I’m a true-blue Yankees fan. Another interesting fact, the first new car I ever bought was a 1990 Honda Accord EX 5-speed with a Champagne exterior and Burgundy interior.
Since I joined the car business in 2004, I’ve worked exclusively with Acura and Honda, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. If I wasn’t working with cars, though, I’d probably be teaching grammar school.
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Ray Laureano
Finance Manager
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Ray Laureano
Finance Manager
I’m a huge Yankees fan, but I love reading (and talking) about all things baseball. When I’m not working, I love to cook and catch a movie or two with my friends.
I have been in the automotive business since 2005. In 2014, I started working in the Finance & Insurance office, helping customers drive the cars of their dreams.
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Joseph Gil
Forever On Our Team
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Joseph Gil
Forever On Our Team
Sadly, Joe passed away on October 30th, 2019. His warm smile, friendly demeanor, and caring heart will be sorely missed at Friendly Acura. He is forever a member of our team. Rest in peace, Joe.
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I returned to the beautiful Hudson Valley from sunny Florida back in 2002, and I’m glad to be home. I enjoy talking sports, playing golf, and driving cars.
I’ve been in the car business since 1994, and at this dealership since 2005. I love working at Friendly Acura, helping my clients with all their needs. In doing so, I’ve earned Acura’s Gold Master Senior Sales Representative designation. I’m also an Acura Certified NSX Specialist.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 2016
Acura Recognizes Sales Consultant Joseph Gil, at Friendly Acura of Middletown, With Gold Status
Middletown, NY, January 1st, 2016 Joseph Gil, a sales consultant with Friendly Acura of Middletown, 3475 Route 6, Middletown, N.Y. 10940, was recently honored by Acura, a division of American Honda Motor CO., Inc., for achieving Gold status in the 2015 Council of Sales Excellence. Joseph Gil was recognized for delivering exceptional client service, while demonstrating high levels of professionalism and sales leadership.
More than 2,400 Acura sales consultants participated in the program, which encourages and rewards top achievers across Acura’s dealership network, Joseph Gil was one of 349 sales consultants to earn the honor. The Council of Sales Excellence promotes professional excellence and celebrates top achievers who consistently excel in three key performance areas of sales, client satisfaction and professional development.
Joseph Gil earned membership in the Council of Sales Excellence for the 11th time and achieved Gold status for the 5th time. Joseph Gil is a valued team member at Friendly Acura of Middletown, where he has served Acura owners for 11 years.
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Ed Folkl
Sales Consultant
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Ed Folkl
Sales Consultant
I’m originally from northern New Jersey, but I have now lived in the Town of Wallkill for over 30 years. My wife works at Orange County Community College, and my son is a volunteer firefighter and a paramedic. When my son was growning up, I coached soccer and baseball, and I volunteered with the Boy Scouts. I’m a big fan of a wide variety of different foods, but you can give me a great ribeye steak any day of the week.
After I graduated from Saint Thomas Aquinas, I worked in marketing in the machine tool industry before beginning a career in the auto business in 2010. Because I’m such a people-person — and because I have such a strong appreciation for quality craftsmanship — a dealership like Friendly Acura is a perfect fit for me, and I’m looking forward to helping you find your next car!
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Ray Irizarry
Sales Consultant
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Ray Irizarry
Sales Consultant
Acura Council of Sales Excellence
PLATINUM Level
I grew up in the Hudson Valley, and I happy to still call it my home all these years later. I have a beautiful daughter, and she and I are die-hard fans of the Mets, Bulls, and Da Bears!
I’ve been in the car business since 2000, but I don’t consider myself a “car salesman”. I prefer “guy on your side” instead, since I love being able to help people in any way I can.
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"DJ" Jerome
Sales Consultant
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"DJ" Jerome
Sales Consultant
I’ve always enjoyed Orange County for its beauty. I recently moved to New Windsor with my wife and two daughters, and we love the fact that everything is so close to us. My family is also very happy that I’m at Friendly Acura.
I started my career in the car business in May of 2017 at a BMW dealership. A few months later, after being introduced to the Acura brand, I drove an RLX, and it was love at first sight. I’m really good with people, and what I enjoy the most is helping my customers find the right car for them.
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Gary Kaiser
Sales Consultant
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Gary Kaiser
Sales Consultant
I have a wonderful wife of 33 years, two grown children, and a collection of nearly a thousand vinyl records. When I’m not on test drives, I’m listening to everything from Frank Zappa and Pink Floyd to Cold Play and John Coltrain. Whether it’s sitting at home with my headphones on or sitting in the first row at a concert hall, I just love music.
After spending 43 years in the Maritime Industry, I needed a change and decided to pursue my dream of selling cars. And when it came to choosing which brand to work with, Acura was an obvious choice. The quality, craftsmanship, and innovations of the Acura product is consistently beyond my expectations, which makes my job that much easier.
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Nick Cirelli
Parts Manager
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Nick Cirelli
Parts Manager
I live in Middletown with my beautiful wife. Together, we have 6 young adults, 1 very handsome grandson, an awesome dog, and a fluffy cat. We like going to the beach on our days off. Otherwise, we’re just stayin’ home relaxing by the pool.
I’ve been in the automotive business since 1980, having worked with an incredible array of makes and manufacturers, both domestic and import.
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Ed Hartwell
Service Manager
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Ed Hartwell
Service Manager
I started out as a young boy wanting to take everything apart to see how it worked, then evolving on to learn about cars from my uncle. It was clear early on I’d wind up seeking a career in the automotive field. My first big decision following high school was to enlist in the United States Army and take on multiple jobs as a power generation mechanic, battalion tool custodian, and wheeled vehicle mechanic. The skills I was taught in discipline, hard work ethic, and time management skills paved the way for getting through college, and onto working full time as a dealership technician in the late 1990s.
Through the next several years I learned just how critical customer satisfaction is to our success. I adopted a model of transparency and owning responsibility for the work I performed on customer vehicles. Now, it’s up to me and my team in the Friendly Acura Service Department to do what we can to impress you!
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Phil Fusco
Service Advisor
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Phil Fusco
Service Advisor
I have lived in the Hudson Valley all my life and reside in Poughkeepsie currently. I spend a lot of my time outdoors hiking and photographing. I graduated high school with a passion for art and a goal to pursue photography. I have done freelance photography at a professional level for many years. It has allowed me to travel quite a bit around the country. I am an avid cyclist and a big motorsport enthusiast. You can find me at various types of races or car gatherings with my camera.
I have been in the automotive industry since 2010, first working as a technician at Friendly Honda. From there I moved to a specialty shop focusing on higher end cars such as Chevrolet Corvettes, BMWs, Mercedes Benz, Porsche and Ferrari.
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Naomi Forter
Service Advisor
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Naomi Forter
Service Advisor
I love being outdoors, and my favorite this to do is running. But when the New Jersey Devils or Manchester United are on TV, I’m parked on the couch with a hot pizza! I also enjoy reading novels and watching classic movies (Goodfellas is one of my all-time favorites).
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Angela Hauck
Service Advisor
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Angela Hauck
Service Advisor
Angela is originally from Slate Hill, right down the road from where Friendly Acura is! She’s a self-described truck girl who loves chocolate ice cream, horses, and catchin’ rays on the beach.
She started her automotive career in 1992 as a service advisor. Car technology has changed a lot since then, but her knowledge of it has not. Her friendly demeanor and vast experience makes her a great asset at Friendly Acura.
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Pat Constantine
Technical Advisor
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Pat Constantine
Technical Advisor
In my world, my family is first. I have a wonderful wife Stephanie, 4 children, and numerous animals that make my house a home. I enjoy being around them and doing projects on my property. Luckily, I have friends who are always willing to lend a helping hand, as I do the same in return.
I started with Friendly Honda in the mid 1990’s, and it’s been my home ever since. Being a master “A” tech, my skills have earned me a position as a Technical Adviser for Friendly Auto Group. As cars become more complicated with internal electronics, the modern day auto technician has to be very skilled and well versed with computers as well as standard tools, so I enjoy working with younger technicians and watching them grow with my guidance. I look forward to many more years with this great company, and I’m excited about what our future holds for the Friendly Team.
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Ryan Feeley
Service Technician
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Ryan Feeley
Service Technician
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Todd Husson
Service Technician
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Todd Husson
Service Technician
I’ve been in Orange County my whole life, and I enjoy spending time with family and friends. I love football, and I’m a diehard Green Bay Packers fan. I also enjoy hiking various spots in the Hudson Valley and visiting local craft beer breweries.
As a technician, I have over ten years experience repairing and working with Acura vehicles.
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Dan Wetrhus
Service Technician
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Dan Wetrhus
Service Technician
When I’m not working on Acuras, I love riding quads through the mud, drag racing (legally, or course), and bowling. Believe it or not, I’m actually fairly good at bowling, with three “300” games under my belt.
In high school, I was an Orange-Ulster BOCES auto tech student. After I graduated, I started at a Honda dealership in 2010, first doing just simple oil changes and tire rotations. But since then, I’ve worked my way up to being a Certified Technician with certifications with both Honda and Acura.
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Samantha Figueroa
Sales Receptionist
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Samantha Figueroa
Sales Receptionist
I’ve lived in the Hudson Valley my whole life. If I’m not at home watching a movie, I’m usually out driving to new places to see!
Before I started at Friendly, I was a receptionist at a spa for over 6 years, but I really wanted a change of pace. I was actually eyeing a reception job in a dealership but an opportunity seemed like it would never arrived. When I finally did get the chance to come work at Friendly Acura I was ecstatic! Now I can actually say I truly love going to work.
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Soleil La Moore
Sales Receptionist
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Soleil La Moore
Sales Receptionist
I’m originally from Goshen, but I’ve also lived in California wine country and the lovely island of Hawaii! When I’m not busy being a customer service superstar, I enjoy wine tasting (Chardonnay is my favorite) and site seeing.
I went to school for massage therapy because I love helping people, and one day I hope to have a massage therapy practice of my own. While this is my first job in the car business, I’m great with people, and I’m eager to help you during your next visit to Friendly Acura!
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Zaire Mincey
Sales Receptionist
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Zaire Mincey
Sales Receptionist
I’ve been living in Middletown since 2007, and I love the peace of mind that living here has brought to me and my family. In my freetime, I love reading, dancing, and singing. As long as I’m spending time with my family, I’m happy!
I love working with people, and I enjoy the dynamic nature of the automotive business. I like to take ownership of my responsibilities at work so I’m always at my best, and my past management experience is a testament to that. Down the road, my goal is to be a GYN doctor.
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Vanessa Navarro
Sales Receptionist
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Vanessa Navarro
Sales Receptionist
I’m the oldest of 6, with 4 sisters and 1 brother, and my family and I are very close. We also have 2 German Shepherds — Smokey and Bear — who are such sweet and lovable dogs! I love drawing and sketching in my free time, and my favorite movie of all-time is The Nightmare Before Christmas.
In the past, I’ve worked as a daycare worker, and I loved working with children. I’m definitely a people-person, and I’m a great listener, so working here at Friendly Acura is a natural fit for me!
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Jose Carranza
Parts Delivery Coordinator
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Jose Carranza
Parts Delivery Coordinator
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Gina DeLucia Dapp
Office Manager
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Gina DeLucia Dapp
Office Manager
I’ve always been a city girl who loves living in the country. I enjoy singing, reading, puzzles, and a good crime drama. I also enjoy many sports, but I would say NASCAR is my favorite. That said, time with my family is always the best part of my days.
I’ve been in the automotive field since my High School days, where I took Auto Shop. I helped out at my dad’s shop in the Bronx before settling in at a large dealer group in Westchester. The Friendly Auto Group has a wonderful team of people working for them, and I’m excited to be a part of the Friendly Family.
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Diana Cirelli
Motor Vehicle
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Diana Cirelli
Motor Vehicle
I live locally with my husband, Nick, along with our pitbull Sampson and our cat Mindy. I love singing, sewing, and snow globes. I also enjoy scary movies — The Exorcist is my all-time favorite!
I’ve been in the automotive business since for over 30 years, having worked as a receptionist, a service advisor, and a title clerk at various points in my career.
