we didn ’ t want any of that . But the more Poncho talked about the Canady team and after we got to meet them , I realized that it was a different situation . It just made sense . This goes beyond just adding one location for us . We ’ ve learned so much from them , and bringing Derek in on the leadership team has been unbelievably valuable . He brings fresh ideas to the table and a lot of experience . It was like we were missing something that we didn ’ t know we were missing . And now we ’ re just firing on all cylinders .”
After the contracts were signed and the acquisition was announced in February of 2024 , the team got down to the business of incorporating Canady into Happy ’ s operations , all of which took far less time than expected .
“ There was an immense amount of trust [ between parties ] that made the deal much faster and easier than most . We did the thing in like a month or a little bit less . It was fast ,” Ronnie stated .
“[ In terms of the integration ,] it does help that I ’ m here [ at Canady ] every day . Even though I ’ m working on Happy Trailers as a whole , I ’ m also here to support the Tulsa team ,” adds Derek , “ We ’ ve had the Happy team out here multiple times helping to integrate the new systems and processes . And honestly , by the time we reached March , it felt like we had everything down and now we are just flowing right with it .”
“ They [ the Canady staff ] are doing a great job ,” interjects Ronnie . “ I feel like they ’ ve been a part of the company for years even though it ’ s only been two and a half months . What has helped is that they were open-minded and willing to embrace change . The majority of the changes were small , like , ‘ Hey , here ’ s some extra paperwork . Here ’ s some new software that you ’ re going to have to learn .’ There weren ’ t wholesale changes across the board .”
The Role of Shared Values Both Derek and Ronnie also acknowledge that shared similar values also play a part in the organization ’ s seamless integration .
According to Derek , Happy ’ s values – “ Positively Happy ,” “ Extreme Customer Focus ,” “ Uncommonly Honest ,” and “ Professional Excellence ” – all aligned with Canady ’ s approach to business .
“ I would say that even though these are the core values of Happy Trailers , I ’ d lived these values before I even read them ,” quips Derek . “ Starting with ‘ Positively Happy ’: when a customer walks in , I greet them with a smile every single time . That sets the tone that , no matter what , you ’ re going to have a good day here .”
Derek continues , “ The ‘ Extreme Customer Focus ’ combined with the ‘ Uncommonly Honest ’ is something that Devon and I have tried to uphold . My grandfather would put the customer first in any and every situation . And that ’ s what was bred into Canady Trailers . We need to take care of our customers so they can share their experience with their friends and family as well .”
“ It comes down to having a servant ’ s heart . We ’ re here to serve people in their businesses to help them grow and succeed ,” concludes Derek . “ So ‘ Professional Excellence ’ touches on that too .”
Preserving a Legacy While Canady has assumed the Happy Trailers moniker in its online and in-store presence , the Canady name remains on the building as a testament to a legacy spanning three generations .
“ I don ’ t know of another trailer dealership with the strength of reputation that Canady did or does . We won ’ t pretend that the location was never Canady Trailers . People in the Tulsa area , and Oklahoma as a whole , respect the name . It ’ s a company that they and their fathers have been buying from for years . It ’ s a strong brand . We ’ ll keep it around to assure our customers that nothing is going to change ,” notes Ronnie .
We look forward to watching Derek , Ronnie , and the team build on their combined legacies . Whatever is ahead , the shared core values and mutual respect that led to their partnership meant to be will undoubtedly guide them to a prosperous future .
26 NATDA Magazine www . natda . org