"Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be
looking for it." Henry David Thoreau
In July I had the privilege of digitally recording a piece
of history - a 3 1/2-hour conversation between Mr. James A.
Ziegler and a true living legend, Mr. Irving Silver.
These two men have been very close friends for many years
and they possess a mutual admiration and respect for one
another that is genuine and extremely powerful.
Jim and Irving discussed many topics, including the
attitude, sales techniques, processes and work ethic that
both men utilized to reach the level of success that they
have in their careers and in their lives. When the shoot
ended, we had no clue that 3 1/2 hours had passed.
If people will simply listen to what these two men have to
say, this content has the potential to change lives forever.
It has mine.
<<View preview video clips from the conversation>> http://autosaleshalloffame.com/Vids.htm
It is my sincere honor to introduce you to:
Mr. Irving Silver
Living in Sullivan County, NY, Irving Silver sold his first
automobile in 1934 at the age of 16. Earlier he had
purchased a Model T pick-up truck for 8.00. He restored the
old truck and drove it for a while, then sold it for 16.00.
Mr. Silver stated, "That's when I knew it. I told myself
that when I grew up I was going to sell cars."
On December 7th, 1941, a young Irving Silver heard over the
radio that the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor. On April
6th, 1942 he arrived at Fort Dix, New Jersey and enlisted in
the United States Army. He then proceeded to Fort Bragg, NC
for Basic Training and received the rank of Corporal due to
his knowledge of diesel engines. He trained exclusively on
landing craft and during combat operations he operated an
LCM, (landing craft medium).
Mr. Silver was involved in military operations in New
Guinea, Guadalcanal, Okinawa, Iwo Gima and the Philippine
Islands.
In October of 1944 he took part in the largest Naval battle
that the world has ever seen, The Battle of Leyte Gulf.
One day as the Allied Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy
were engaged in heavy naval combat, Mr. Silver and his crew
members observed two disabled U.S. PT Boats.
He and his crew navigated their LCM, (joined by another
LCM), out to the disabled vessels and the battle, ran cables
underneath the two vessels and successfully towed both
vessels out of harms way.
Mr. Silver landed on the Philippine Islands ten days before
General MacArthur did. His mission was to assist the
Filipino Guerillas in establishing listening posts in
Mindanao in preparation for the impending troop landings.
Mindanao was fully occupied by the Japanese.
On December 30th, while preparing for a planned landing at
Mindoro on the Western end of the Philippine Islands, Mr.
Silver and his crew observed a 200' long "PT Tender",
(munitions supply ship for PT Boats), that had been struck
by a Japanese Kamikaze aircraft. The ship was on fire and
was adrift approximately 300 yards off-shore. The craft was
also fully stocked with torpedoes and other highly explosive
munitions. Mr. Silver and his crew navigated their LCM,
(joined by another LCM), out to the burning ship. He and his
crew boarded the highly volatile vessel and rescued over 100
injured Sailors.
In early 1945 General Douglas MacArthur personally awarded
Irving Silver with The Bronze Star Medal for "Heroic
achievement in connection with military operations against
the enemy." General MacArthur also gave Mr. Silver a
Battlefield Commission from the rank of Corporal to the rank
of Captain.
Also in early 1945 after returning from WWII, Mr. Silver
took out a bank loan for 3500.00, purchased a business
license in Albany, NY and opened Hasbrouck Tavern in
Woodburn, NY.
It was a small building that he built by hand and was
located out in the woods in Sullivan County, NY. He
purchased an old Chevy for 35.00, painted "Hasbrouck Tavern
- Dine and Dance" across the back and parked it in front of
the tavern.
Mr. Silver stated, "The Tavern was my first experience with
successful marketing. We hung posters and handed out flyers
all over the place that read, 'Hasbrouck Tavern - Come and
see the Hillbillies Square Dance.' New York people from the
Bronx and Brooklyn had no idea what square dances were, but
they were curious."
On opening night, the Silvers could not accommodate all of
the people that showed up.
Later that year he and his bride of four years Ronnie, left
upstate New York and traveled to Atlanta, Georgia. For a
while he was in the jewelry business before he decided that
he didn't want to travel anymore. Given his long time love
for cars, Mr. Silver wanted to sell them.
Mr. Silver went to several dealerships in and around Atlanta
in search of a sales position. He stated that he had a
difficult time landing a job until Lander Motors decided to
"give him a shot." He began to speak about his early
experiences at Lander when he was asked, "Why was it so hard
to land a job at a dealership?" Mr. Silver replied with a
chuckle, "I was the first Jewish car salesman ever in the
history of Atlanta."
1946 - In his first 22 months as a salesman at Lander Motors
in Atlanta, Irving Silver delivered 235 new cars, 15 trucks
and 70 used vehicles. (Good thing they decided to "give him
a shot").
In 1949, he became the first auto salesman in Atlanta to
make over 50,000 in one year.
Over the next few years he became the number one salesman in
the country for Dodge and Plymouth.
In the 1960's he was the number one Nash Rambler salesman in
the country and became a member of the Chevrolet "Legion of
Leaders."
In the late 1980's he became the number one Jaguar salesman
in the WORLD, delivering over 837 Jaguars in less than 3
years. A record that has never been broken.
Due to an injury Mr. Silver "retired" from Troncalli in
1989. At 78 years of age, he was back in the saddle in 1995
returning to work at Troncalli.
Mr. Silver had a top gross of 21,000.00 in a single day.
(Commission, not sales).
Mr. Silver is the founder of the first Automotive Sales
Institute which was accredited by the State of Georgia, he
led the board for over 47 years.
He was also director of the Antique Automobile Club of
America - Southeastern Region.
Irving never looked back. Over the years he would sell cars
to the sons, daughters and grandchildren of his customers
dating back to 1949. He personally sold over 100 million
worth of automobiles before he stopped keeping track.
Charlie Troncalli, head of Troncalli Jaguar, Lincoln-Mercury
and Saab wrote: "...he has more than earned the title of
'legend.'" A Jaguar trade publication referred to him as
"Sterling" Silver.
AND...
To top it all off, in 1965 Mr. Silver had an idea for an
invention. The turbine operated wet/dry shaver. He holds the
patent on it. Due to the fact that his shaver is turbine
operated, it sucks the cut whiskers into a canister which
means they won't float around in outer space. Today, every
time an astronaut inside the Space Station shaves, he
utilizes Mr. Silver's shaver.
The entire conversation is now available as a two DVD set!
View photos, letters, videos and more at: http://AutoSalesHallofFame.com
JC Hurst is the IT/Internet Marketing Director for The
Ziegler Corporations. You may contact JC at: jchurst@zieglersupersystems.com
or 1.800.726.0510
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