Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski/John Ventura (left) president of Courtesy Motor Sales Inc., which includes Courtesy Ford Lincoln Kia and Courtesy Chrysler Dodge Jeep Nissan, talks with sales consultant Joe Kennedy, at the 2400 Pleasant Valley Blvd. showroom.

Born and raised in Altoona, John Ventura has always worked in his family’s business.

“When I got my driver’s license, I started to work in the car business. I worked here through high school and college.  My first job was washing cars part time when I was in high school,” Ventura said.

Today, Ventura, 61, who grew up in the Mount Carmel area, is president of Courtesy Motors, which includes Courtesy Ford Lincoln Kia and Courtesy Chrysler Dodge Jeep Nissan.

The business was started by John’s older brother, Lou, in 1964 at 1632 Pleasant Valley Blvd. Shortly thereafter, his older brother, Joe, joined the business.

Ventura said he liked the auto business because it gave him an opportunity to help people.

“You get to help a lot of people. You are able to fulfill their needs. Almost everybody has a car, and everybody needs a car. We do a lot of things. We find them the right car and help them get discounts. We help them make the right decisions,” Ventura said. “You tell us what you want, and we try to find it for you.”

The business changed over the years as various franchises were added, but Ventura said in a way the auto business hasn’t changed much in his 45 years.

“There are still people with needs, and we try to fulfill them. The products are better, but it is all about people (and) trying to make the customer as happy as possible by fulfilling their needs,” Ventura said. “The internet is new. We have advertised in the Altoona Mirror for decades. It is still shopping, but the way you shop may change. Forty years ago, you would look at the paper or drive around and look on the lots. It is all about the customer and the people; in that respect, nothing has changed.”

Courtesy Motors has been successful because of its employees.

“The longtime employees that have been here have absolutely been pivotal in customer satisfaction. The staff has been the reason for our success. Some guys have been here 25 or 30 years. We have a very stable and consistent staff that focuses on customer satisfaction,” Ventura said.

Jim Hetrick, a sales manager, has worked at Courtesy Chrysler Dodge Jeep Nissan for more than 33 years.

“(Ventura) is very hands on. He talks to people if there is a problem instead of passing it on to the sales department or service department. His door is always open; he will talk to you if you need something,” Hetrick said.

Ventura, who graduated from Penn State with a degree in business in 1976, has diversified his business interests.

He is general partner of both Jethro’s Restaurant and the Altoona Grand Hotel.

Ventura said he has always enjoyed eating at Jethro’s — dubbed “The Place for Ribs” — since it opened in February 1982. The business went up for sale about 20 years ago.

“A group of us started talking, and we thought it would be a good investment, and it has been. Jethro’s is like a landmark in that it has survived a lot of the chains,” Ventura said.

“We offer home cooking and affordable prices. We try to fulfill the customers’ needs, wants and their appetites,” he said.

Ventura is good to work for, said manager Georgette Clark, who has worked at Jethro’s for 16 years.

“He is very easy to get along with. When he wants something done, he tells us what he wants done. He is easy to talk to if we have any issues. He is approachable,” Clark said.

Ventura entered the hotel business in 2014 when he and a group of local business people purchased the Ramada Altoona Conference Center.

“I already had an interest in this for about 20 years because of its place in the community. It has always been a landmark since it opened. I was approached by the owner, so I decided to buy it and restore it to something that could be used by the community,” Ventura said.

The facility opened in 1973 as the Sheraton Motor Inn.

“It was the only full-service hotel in Altoona when it opened; it was the first and only full-service hotel that has been in this town,” Ventura said.

Ventura and his group have poured a lot of money into renovating the hotel.

“We remodeled it, added new soft goods like pillows, lights, heating and air conditioning, even the silverware. We did a lot of remodeling and painting. It is an ongoing project; we keep updating things,” Ventura said.

The Altoona Grand Hotel is doing very well.

“The community has been very receptive. Online booking has been helpful in getting our name out there. We do events, weddings, meetings and conferences. We also host family get-togethers. We have between 5,000 and 6,000 square feet of banquet space and three restaurants. We have holiday buffets for Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving and Mother’s Day. We had 450 people for a New Years Eve party,” Ventura said.

Ventura plays a key role in the local business community, said Joe Hurd, president/CEO of the Blair County Chamber of Commerce.

“Blair County has prospered in large part because of the willingness of a handful of business people to invest in our community for more than just personal gain. John Ventura is one of those people,” Hurd said.

Fulfilling and satisfying the needs of customers is the key to business success.

“This is a small town. If you are not doing the right thing by your customers, you won’t have them anymore,” Ventura said.

He also said it is important to support the community.

“We try to donate to just about everybody. We try to support a lot of local organizations, to be as generous as possible in everything we do,” Ventura said.

Ventura said he expects his businesses to continue to grow and prosper, and he has no immediate plans to retire.

“I enjoy what I am doing. It is a challenge, and it is enjoyable to go out and see progress. I like to see customers being happy,” Ventura said. “I’ve always tried to be as fair as possible in anything I did.”

Mirror Staff Writer Walt Frank is at 946-7467.

THE VENTURA FILE

Name: John Ventura

Age: 61

Position: President of Courtesy Motors and general partner in Jethro’s Restaurant and Altoona Grand Hotel

Education: 1972 graduate of Bishop Guilfoyle High School, 1976 graduate of Penn State with a degree in business.

Family: Wife, Kristi; sons: J.T. and Blaise; and daughter, Nicholle.

Quote: “You need to be in sales full time. It is impossible to be in sales part time. You need to be devoted.”