1946 – 2026 Watching Steinbach Grow – Banman sells share of Fairway to Loeppky

MAY 8, 1996—A decade to the day after Bob Banman sold an automobile partnership to Ron Loeppky, the two got together to strike another deal.

On May 1, Loeppky moved downtown to Fairway Ford, where he became partner and general manager of the dealership Banman bought just last June.

Banman, still splitting his time between Steinbach and business interests in California, welcomes the infusion of youth his new partner brings to the business.

“The car business is a demanding industry needing the vim and vigor of youth. Ron is 15 years younger than I am, and is where I was 15 years ago. He has the enthusiasm and spark that this dealership really needs.”

Banman, who now becomes secretary-treasurer of Fairway Ford, said he is lucky to have found a partner of Loeppky’s calibre.

For Loeppky, it will be a move from the import car business, at Eastern Nissan, where he has sold his partnership to Peter Loewen, to a North American domestic line at Fairway.

For the time being, Fairway Ford will continue to sell cars, small trucks and the Bluebird bus line at its Main Street location. In the future, Loeppky said they may again consider going back into the big truck business.

There will be little change in the day-to-day operation for the 45-member sales and service staff at Fairway, Loeppky said.

In the latest ownership shuffle at two of Steinbach’s dealerships, Lawrence Senkiw moves from general manager to the sales manager’s position with Fairway, while Banman’s new partner takes over as general manager.

Eastern Nissan sales manager Peter Loewen replaces Loeppky as a partner with Peter Funk in that dealership.