Courtesy photo
GWACC Family Business of the Year Award
Marano & Sons Auto Sales, located in Garwood, NJ, was awarded the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce (GWACC) ‘Family Business of the Year Award’ during its 75th Anniversary Award Gala held on April 30th. The event brought together business leaders, community members, and elected officials to honor the achievements of the Chamber and its members. In all, 180 were there to enjoy the evening.
Written by Ralph Marano Sr:
In 1952, at the age of 5, I moved from Newark to Garwood with my parents. I grew up in Garwood, went to school here and high school in Clark. ALJ is where I started my career when I took auto shop. That’s when they offered work programs and options to students who did not want to pursue a college education. In May 22, 1965, I won the Plymouth Trouble Shooting Contest in the State of New Jersey. In 1965 I worked for a VW Agency through a Work Study Program. Upon graduation in 1965 I got a job as a mechanic for Sears Roebuck Automotive Center for $2 an hour when minimum wage was $1.35 an hour. I worked my way up to store manager while also working nights and weekends with my father selling cars at a small car lot in Sewaren, NJ.
I have always had a passion for cars. I had my first car at 12 years old. It was a 1947 Ford.
In 1968 I married my high school sweetheart (Adeline) and we had 2 sons (Jim & Ralph Jr). Today we all work together in our family business Marano & Sons Auto Sales, Inc., which we opened in 1976 at 507 South Avenue, Garwood, NJ on a part time basis. After being seriously injured in an automobile accident in 1978 I was forced to give up my job as manager at Sears and pursue my career in car sales full time in 1981.
I worked along with my wife and a longtime employee, Mike Tango, who started with me at the age of 16 and has become a part of the Marano Family and still works for us today at the age of 56. When our boys were old enough to clean cars, they joined in to help make this business a family success. By 1996 both sons had graduated college and decided to make the family business their choice of career. More space was needed for everyone to explore what he did best. This was the beginning of an additional location at 150 South Ave, Garwood, NJ. Although both sons can handle every aspect of the family business, each son has his own special interests and preferences. Both Jim and Ralph Jr share my enthusiasm for cars and now our grandson Nicholas has become a part of Marano & Sons.
You can find Ralph Jr along with Mike Tango at our original 507 South Avenue location specializing in trucks and SUV’s while Jim along with Ralph Sr and Nicholas are at 150 South Ave which specializes predominantly in cars. My wife Adeline runs the office along with long time employee Ryane Brennan and in between classes or vacation breaks our granddaughter Madison helps out.
Both boys have gifted us with 6 beautiful grandchildren, Nicholas, Victoria, Samantha, Madison, Courtney, and Cole. It is not unusual to see any one of them in the office at any time. All four girls are currently in college pursuing specific careers and Cole has just started high school and hopefully he will join all the Marano men in the future.
We never dreamed starting out in 1976 on a small lot with 4 cars in a .7-square mile town we would grow to be such a success and be such an asset to the community. We are proud of what we can do for the community. Marano & Sons has been honored with the Accomplished Professional Community Contributor Award and the Education Foundation People Make a Difference Award and now this honor. We also give 2 scholarships to students graduating from ALJ High School and are not going to college but are pursuing a trade.
It gives us great pleasure as a family to give back to the community and hope our family is able to preserve our legacy for years to come.
GWACC (Greater Westfield Area Chamber of Commerce)
For over 75 years, the GWACC has been connecting commerce and community. The GWACC promotes the economic prosperity of businesses primarily in Clark, Fanwood, Garwood, Mountainside, Scotch Plains and Westfield. It is the largest association of businesses and nonprofits in our area. Members include business owners, professionals, managers and operators. Membership cultivates the opportunity to build relationships, partner, make referrals, increase business, attend networking sessions that support the community. For more information visit gwaccnj.com.
