One of the struggles in life is the search for one’s purpose. For some people, it comes easy. They have a clear passion and ambition for something and go after it with everything they’ve got. Others may never find that one true calling. They may go through different careers, different hobbies, and different passions but never find that one thing that just clicks. Marianne Williamson once said, “The wise person doesn’t ask, “What have I achieved?” but rather, “What have I contributed?”. For the family ownership of Russell Auto, their contribution to the automotive community was clear early on.
Russell Auto has been a part of the Manchester, New Hampshire, community for over 50 years. It is a transmission repair shop handed down from father to son and is now run by the third generation. This year, Tory Russell took over as the owner, and he plans to continue the success of his predecessors. The business has seen many accomplishments throughout its history, and the company continues to contribute to growing the automotive industry.
Let’s get some background – Wesley Russell opened Russell Auto on May 1, 1965, as a transmission repair shop. He had a successful career in the automotive industry, running a branch of Portland Transmission Exchange from 1957 until the opening of Russell Auto. He felt he could do things a little bit differently than other shops at the time, and he developed systems and methods that were beneficial in generating better workflow and creating a happy customer experience. These systems and processes were so good, in fact, that others in the industry – such as Certified Transmission – adopted them as well.
Wayne Russell, Wesley’s son, started his education to become an engineer. He completed 1 1/2 years of college when he realized his father needed his assistance at the shop. He started working for his father and acquired the business in September 1997, allowing his father to retire. Wayne had an intense drive to advance his knowledge and skills in the automotive industry and began attending seminars. He’s been an active member of ATRA since 1978. This quickly evolved into collaborating with major companies like Lubrizol and Exxon Mobil for collaboration of development of new and improved products.
One such collaboration involved performing analysis work for Allison transmissions, which became Wayne’s specialty. He was a member of Exxon Mobil’s project team, and Wayne appreciates the knowledge acquired during that time. He was involved in making changes to transmission fluid formulation and confessed, “The more I learn about transmission fluid, the less I know. It is very complex.” He added, “Lubrizol is a brilliant company, and working with them has made a lasting impression, for sure.”
Wayne has also worked closely with Dennis Madden at ATRA and several other industry experts to improve transmission filters. As contamination became a huge problem by the early 2000s, the team successfully developed an improved transmission filter. In late 2010, the patent for this newly designed filter – Trans-Protector NTZ – was drafted on Wayne’s kitchen table. Subsequently, the filter made it to manufacturing and was a success in the market. However, the filter manufacturer halted production, and the team has had challenges with finding a new manufacturer. Nevertheless, Wayne continues pushing forward to improve automotive parts and is a vital asset in this industry.
Wayne has also made changes within his business as he faced new challenges. New competition within the industry requires creativity. He had to determine a creative solution for standing out from the rest. He began offering a 3-year / 100,000-Mile Warranty with his transmission builds. It was not a solution that went as smoothly as he hoped it would. He was surprised by the difficulty in making the rebuilt transmissions last through the warranty period. Around 2008, he saw a substantial number of warranty repairs coming back into the shop. He stated, “Warranty issues were killing me. I lost a lot of sleep over this problem.”
He dove into determining the main failure points of these warranty repairs and determined that most of them came back with torque converter failures. He invested in torque converter remanufacturing equipment and training to create a dependable product that ultimately solved the warranty issues for Russell Auto. He purchased a TCRS tester for testing the torque converters before installation, which was a game changer for his company. Their investment of time, training, and money in building torque converters in-house significantly decreased the amount of warranty work and, in turn, increased the company’s profit margin and customer satisfaction.
Wayne is involved in several automotive groups, so it’s fitting that he’s also extensively involved with ATRA. As I mentioned earlier, he has worked side-by-side with Dennis Madden, the now-retired CEO of ATRA, in conducting research and development of automotive products. He’s also been involved with the ATRA Northeast Chapter since 1978. He first became a director, then President for several years, and is the current chapter Vice-President. Wayne is a well-known and respected member of the ATRA community and has been recognized as the Allison consultant for over 30 years. His passion for the automotive industry is evident through his dedication to improving products and sharing his knowledge with others.
Russell Auto specializes in classic car repair. This niche can be difficult as finding parts for older vehicles has become almost impossible. Coordinating bay space for these time-consuming repairs can be challenging, but not doing so can potentially cost the shop in the long run. The staff at Russell Auto have come up with a creative approach to resolving this issue – they do not keep the vehicle for the entirety of the transmission rebuild. For example, they recently worked on a 1969 Charger that needed a transmission rebuild. Instead of keeping the car on a lift for the entire time of the repair process, the staff removed the transmission, and the customer then towed the vehicle to storage until it was time for the installation. This has become a successful solution to tying up lift space – they definitely know how to evaluate and solve problems.
The transmission industry is changing rapidly, and Russell Auto has continued to change with it. They have made a name for themselves in the automotive community and will continue to do so for many years to come. The Russell Family has passed their extensive experience, knowledge, and skills down through the generations to keep the company thriving. Wayne’s nephew, Tory, began working in the family business at an early age. He learned the ins and outs of the business and showed an interest in taking ownership when the time came. As of January 1, 2022, Tory Russell is now the owner and operator of Russell Auto. Under his leadership, they will continue to provide excellent customer service and push onward in improving the industry.
The Russell family seems to have a purpose for serving others, and they have wholeheartedly achieved that through their business and contributions to the community. Their customers rave over the quality of work the company produces and the family atmosphere fostered by the company’s “Customer-first” service culture.
Have you ever wondered how shops are chosen for this column? We know there are many deserving ATRA shops out there – you might be one of them. Sometimes, we hear about shops and their unique stories through the grapevine. However, most of the time, we end up being detectives. We ask our industry contacts for recommendations, and then we contact the shops they’ve suggested.
You’re invited to tell us about an ATRA shop that you think has an interesting story to tell – maybe your own shop. There’s no cost. It just takes about an hour for a telephone interview and a visit by our photographer. We’ll do all the heavy lifting. To get the ball rolling, send an email to Ruben at rvera@atra.com.
