Terry’s Ford of Peotone recently announced the addition of three new employees to its staff: sales associates Matt Swanson and Brianna Bunte and service adviser Fred Barrios.

Terry’s believes it’s important to hire people who grew up in and around Peotone because they’re not only familiar with the area, they’re familiar with the people who live here —Terry’s customers.

Swanson, 27, grew up in nearby Mokena, but plans to move to Peotone in the next few months. After earning a marketing degree from Governors State University, Swanson began selling auto parts. He started working in a dealership in 2019 and launched his career in auto sales the following year. He joined the team at Terry’s in February.

Terry Kunes, owner of Terry’s Ford of Peotone, calls Swanson a natural-born car salesman.

“There’s a lot to learn about how a dealership runs, and Matt caught on quickly,” Kunes said. “He’s also a great people person, and that is one thing you can’t teach.”

Originally from Beecher, Bunte now lives in Cedar Lake, Ind. Before working at Terry’s, she worked at the Beecher Veterinary Clinic and as a dog groomer at a few Petco locations. Bunte’s interest in cars might be genetic — her grandfather worked for Ford for almost 45 years.

“My family has a lot of car people,” she said.

While she plans to continue grooming dogs at home, Bunte is excited for her new opportunity at Terry’s. A self-described “people pleaser,” she says automotive sales is a perfect fit for her as a car lover.

“Brianna may be new here, but she treats every customer like an old friend,” Kunes said. “She’s a welcome addition to our sales team here at Terry’s Ford.”

Barrios is from Manteno and says he enjoys the small-town feel and downtown area of the place he calls home. In his younger years, Barrios worked as a union carpenter.

In 2014, he joined the automotive service industry and hasn’t looked back. Barrios recently joined Terry’s and loves working with his customers and the positive atmosphere at the dealership.

“Fred brings a lot of energy to the service department,” Kunes said. “He’s a problem solver and has a bright future here at the dealership.”

Terry’s Ford of Peotone sells new and used cars and services all makes and models of vehicles. For more information, visit Terrys.com