Messenger Office Supply’s Carrie Adkins always leaves a smile and a giggle to lighten the day of folks at the administration building when she calls on the Paradise school district.

But what makes those customers call Carrie “awesome” is her ability to provide badly-needed furniture and office supplies on very short notice.

Kathy Cavender, secretary to the director of curriculum, explains it well:

“When we remodeled and moved the technology team in with us, we needed all new furniture for them. We had another office-supply company come out to get everything ordered in time for the start of  school.

“There seemed to be one more holdup after another, and they even sent out the wrong desk. Before we knew it, we were at the end of the first six weeks with NO furniture.

“Our superintendent said, ‘Call the Messenger.’

“I called Carrie. She had furniture delivered the next day.”

“How amazing is this?”

Providing just that kind of service to all our customers around Wise County is what Messenger Office Supply Manager Leisa Gage expects of her staff.

So when the educators at Paradise thank us for “all your hard work and dedication,” we appreciate the compliment but realize that we’re just doing our job.

Or as Kathy described Carrie: “She’s always on top of things.”

And that’s what puts a smile on our face.

On Being Recognized as One of 50 Visionary Dealers in the United States by Automotive News in the Trade Publication’s November 9 Edition.

In its November 9 edition, the auto-industry trade publication focused on James’ belief 31 years ago that “People want to see what they’re buying” as a reason for building a large inventory that would attract buyers from Dallas, Denton and Tarrant Counties while meeting the needs of his primary customers here in Wise.

“He was on the leading edge of the market trend that put Silverados and TrailBlazers into city folks’ driveways,” a longtime associate told Automotive News. “In the meantime he was drawing customers from adjacent rural counties who weren’t used to seeing a hillside covered with 300 trucks in a town of 4,000 people.”

Apparently it worked. By 1988, James Wood Motors led the nation in sales of GMC Truck products…and led it again in 1989.