Blog

Nothing is more important to the Balise group than supporting our local communities and furthering the relationships we have created over the years. In Rhode Island, one of our most cherished relationships is the one we have with Hasbro Children's Hospital. So when our Balise team heard there was an opportunity to enhance the experience for patients in a tangible way, we jumped at it. For more than 20 years, Hasbro Children’s has offered ride-on vehicles for patients, including a ride-on tractor and an SUV, to cruise to the operating room in style. However, the hospital’s current offerings were growing older and could use a refresh. In fact, it was brought to our attention that in addition to a refresh, there was also a high-volume request from patients for a pink vehicle. On Wednesday, June 27th, Balise made those dreams a reality, delivering a beautiful pink Chevrolet Camaro to the Hospital. In addition, Balise we threw in a matching black Chevrolet Silverado to be parked at our newly created "Balise Garage". Upon delivery, they were an instant hit with the kids. “We know that no matter the procedure, kids and their families are usually nervous before surgery, which makes it wonderful to see them smiling as they drive down the hallway,” said Francois I. Luks, MD, PhD, Hasbro Children’s Hospital’s pediatric surgeon- in-chief. “We’ve had a number of patients ask for a pink car to use, and we didn’t have one until now. That Balise went the extra mile to gift us cars that will appeal to all children underscores their commitment to our hospital and to our patients. We are grateful for their support.” The new Camaro and Silverado will be parked in the hospital’s pre- and post-anesthesia care units, giving patients a total of four vehicles to choose from. “It’s important to us that our partnership continues to enhance the experience of the patients and families who rely on Hasbro Children’s Hospital for their care,” said Balise Motor Sales owner and CEO, Jeb Balise. “Knowing these ride-on vehicles will provide joy during an otherwise stressful time means the world to us.” We look forward to many future opportunities to support the growing needs of Hasbro Children's Hospital and are honored to have been a part of such a special occasion. To read the full press release, click here.

For almost as long as there's been hockey in Springfield, whether it be the Falcons or the Thunderbirds, there's been the Balise Auto Power Play. It's something fans have come to know and love. A Balise Auto Power Play gives our Springfield Thunderbirds a man advantage, and there is nothing that gets the fans excited like a Balise Auto Power Play goal. This year, we thought we'd use our man advantage to give someone else in our community an advantage. For each Springfield Thunderbirds goal scored on the Balise Auto Power Play (a power play goal scored on home ice at the Mass Mutual Center), Balise Motor Sales donated $100 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampden County — an organization dedicated to the mentoring and development of youth in our local communities. And the hard work of our Thunderbirds paid off! They scored 30 regular season power play goals at home, totaling a $3,000 donation to BBBS Hampden County. A check presentation was held on Saturday, April 14th during Fan Appreciation Weekend to commemorate the fundraising effort. Before the game, Brian Houser, General Manager of Balise Hyundai in Springfield, along with Chris Thompson of the Springfield Thunderbirds, presented a giant check to David Beturne, Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampden County. “We are extremely grateful to Balise Auto for supporting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampden County. This generous donation from Balise will go a long way in helping us provide a Big Brother or Big Sister volunteer to more children who need and want one," said Beturne. "Thank you for being such a great neighbor and for investing in our community’s future." The Thunderbirds finished up their 2017-2018 season with a record of 32-36-5-2 and spent their last game of the season surrounded by 6,793 fans for the team's ninth sellout at the MassMutual Center this season. Next year, Springfield will host the 2019 AHL All-Star events, marking another great accomplishment for the team in their second year.

Dating back to 2015, Balise Subaru has selected Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Providence, RI as their local beneficiary for the Subaru “Share the Love” campaign – and after three years, has raised nearly $100,000 on behalf of the local hospital. During the national campaign, Subaru of American donates $250 for every Subaru purchased or leased to the charity of the customer’s choice. Over the course of the 2017 “Share the Love” campaign, $28,076 was raised for the Hospital. Reaching such a fundraising goal as this wouldn’t be possible without our amazing Balise customers who have shown an amazing passion to fund their local community organizations. “Subaru’s ‘Share the Love’ campaign is one of our favorite times of the year as it allows our team at Balise Subaru to use their skills selling vehicles to support the local community,” said Jeb Balise, Owner and CEO of Balise Motor Sales. “The more cars we sell, the more money we raise, and we are grateful to our customers for rallying with us on behalf of Hasbro Children’s Hospital for a third consecutive year.” The funds will aid in funding patient care, medical equipment, and future research. “We could not be more grateful to Balise Subaru for once again choosing our hospital as their local beneficiary, and for their customers’ response to supporting our work,” said Margaret M. Van Bree, MHA, DrPH, president of Rhode Island Hospital and Hasbro Children’s Hospital. “So much of the care we provide is made possible thanks to philanthropy and a community that cares deeply for children; this gift will have a direct impact on our patients and their families.” In addition to the annual “Share the Love” campaign, Balise has also donated other funds and supplies to a variety of departments and programs within the hospital such as The Tomorrow Fund and the Palliative Care Program. With each donation, Balise strives to continue the lasting partnership we’ve forged with Hasbro Children’s Hospital and enrich the lives of each patient and their families.

Balise Collision Repair in Rhode Island, USA was named the 2017 Toyota Certified Collision “Shop of the Year” Triple Crown winner. Balise Motor Sales, headquartered in Western Massachusetts, is honored and proud to accept the award and congratulate the collision repair team on their outstanding achievement among the automotive community. The award presented by Toyota Motor Sales, USA recognizes the collision repair facility for high standards in customer satisfaction but also for specific productivity metrics within the collision repair industry. Balise Collision Repair was pegged against the largest volume dealers in the country – and won! “This is so special for us as it is a true team award,” said Brian Stone, Collision Director of Balise Collision Centers in Rhode Island. “The award reflects the hard work of everyone from our Collision techs, Refinish techs, Detailers, CSR’s, Appraisers, Parts associates, and management – every single person on our team, everyone’s included in this. I’m so proud and fortunate to be a part of this success.” The team at Balise Collision RI has also been a Toyota Excellence Award winner for the last 3 consecutive years. Balise Collision has been a Toyota Certified Collision Repair Center since 2010 and is also certified for 19 other manufacturers (Honda, Acura, Volkswagen, Nissan, Infinity, GMC, Buick, Cadillac, Hyundai, Ford (Aluminum Cert), Kia, Chrysler, Ram, Mopar, Dodge, Fiat, SRT, Jeep, Subaru. As well as I-CAR Gold Class) Balise Collision Repair RI was also picked as the only pilot shop to be a Certified Collision Center for Subaru in the state of Rhode Island. Another Balise Collision RI location will be opening on Quaker Lane in West Warwick in November 2018. The shop will be geared towards fast-track repairs and exceptional cycle times.

After over a year of hype, the newest Balise Car Wash location is officially open in West Springfield, MA on Wayside Avenue. The buzz around the opening has been electric, with hundreds of excited customers showing up on-site to get a peek at the new wash. “We’ve had customers show up every day asking if we’re open,” says Matt Masulli, site-manager of Balise Riverdale Car Wash. Loyal Balise Car Washers will recognize him from Columbus Ave location where he’s been since it opened in 2015. He’ll be making the move to Riverdale. “They see us test-washing cars and they can’t wait to try it themselves.” Mr. Dick Shields, owner of Donut Dip, received the first official car wash at Balise Riverdale Car Wash this afternoon in exchange for a dozen of his warm, fresh donuts. He was followed close behind by his son, Paul, in the brand new (Balise-purchased) Donut Dip van. Both vehicles sparkled as they exited the 130-foot tunnel. The newest location touts impressive new SpinLite® Car Wash Equipment and technology and Underbody Turbo Wash. We can't wait for everyone to try it out! Balise invites the public to join us through the end of the month for our Love Your Car event where everyone will receive a FREE upgrade to Ultimate Wash to celebrate the opening. A huge thank you to the Town of West Springfield, Mayor Reichelt, Dick and Paul Shields, members of the West of the River Chamber (Agawam/West Springfield), local businesses and the media for joining us for our ribbon-cutting ceremony.

At Balise, we love our TBirds! Whether it’s a night out for the department, or sharing with our fans on social media, we love supporting our local sports team. Over the next month (December and January), we have a whole bunch of fun events planned in partnership with the Springfield Thunderbirds. You won’t want to miss! Balise Night @ the Thunderbirds Saturday, December 16 th @ 7:05pm While our TBirds take on the Hartford Wolfpack at the Thunderdome, we’ll be celebrating the holiday season with a little Balise flair. The first 1,500 fans will receive a limited-edition Boomer Claus Ornament! Stop by our table on the concourse to visit with Squeaky Balise, our mascot; spin the prize wheel for tons of giveaway items; and learn more about upcoming Balise/TBirds events! Meet the Players @ Balise Nissan of West Springfield Monday, December 18 th @ 5pm Did you know our brand-new Balise Nissan dealership on Riverdale Street in West Springfield is officially open? Well we’re inviting you to come check it out on Monday, 12/18 as we host a couple of Thunderbirds players for signings and photos. Squeaky and Boomer will also be present and handing out some goodies! Meet the Players @ Balise Hyundai Wednesday, January 3 rd @ 5pm Just because you attended on 12/18 doesn’t mean you should miss our second “Meet the Players” event at Balise Hyundai in January. We’ll be hosting more players and having more fun than ever so make sure you come out and join us! For every customer who test drives a Hyundai that night, you’ll receive tickets to the Thunderbirds game on 1/26! Balise Car Wash Night @ the Thunderbirds Friday, January 26 th @ 7:05pm For the third consecutive year, we’re hosting Balise Car Wash Night at the Thunderbirds and inviting all of our car wash fanatics. Individual wash giveaways, 50% off detailing services and one person will even walk away with one-year of FREE unlimited washes. Notably, we'll be celebrating the GRAND OPENING of our newest location, Balise Riverdale Car Wash. You won’t want to miss it!

Have you been on the South end of Riverdale Street in West Springfield over the last few months? Well, if you have, you’ve probably seen a lot of dealership construction—including the construction of the all-new Balise Nissan of West Springfield. Now, the construction is finally complete and our brand-new dealership is open for business! We couldn’t be happier to be out of a sales trailer, but there’s a lot more to the story. You’ll notice the all-new Balise Nissan looks a bit different than the Nissan dealerships you may be used to seeing around the area (Curry Nissan, Lia Nissan, etc.) The reason why is that Balise Nissan is one of the first dealership’s in the country to tote the new Nissan NREDI (Nissan Retail Environment Design) 2.0 initiative. We’re the first dealer in the northeast region to construct a dealership using the new design. The new dealership features a variety of amazing offerings meant to enhance the retail experience as well as overall customer experience. From top to bottom, the dealership has been given a modern facelift far different from the previously inhabited Jerry Rome Nissan store. The entranceway includes a featured vehicle car pad and plenty of room for display vehicles. The store also features a spacious shared sales and service lounge with the to-be-expected complimentary hot beverages, television and internet access. The store also features design center and a Nissan Personalization Studio created for customers to take control of their buying experience and to discover the perfect vehicle for them right inside our dealership. For those with busy work and family lives, our new dealership features a private children’s area as well as a quiet lounge for those needing to get work done. We truly feel our new store, coupled with a solid team of Nissan professionals (some new, and some of your favorite from the old Jerry Rome Nissan store) is going to provide customers the experience they want and the service they deserve. Come in and see for yourself—we look forward to seeing you!

For the third consecutive year, Balise Subaru will partner with Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island for the annual Subaru Share the Love Event. For every new Subaru purchased or leased between campaign dates of November 16, 2017 and January 2, 2018, Subaru of America will donate $250 to the purchaser’s choice of charities. Since 2008, Share the Love has donated more than $94 million to charity—including over 660 local charities like Balise beneficiary, Hasbro Children’s Hospital. Over the course of the Share the Love partnership, Balise Subaru has raised nearly $70,000 for Hasbro Children’s Hospital. These funds have been critical to supporting patient care, maintaining medical equipment and expanding research opportunities. Our Balise team is thankful for the support of our Subaru customers in supporting the local hospital. “In addition to the incredible ways a gift of this size can advance hospital goals, I’m most amazed with the way this campaign brings our community together,” said Noah Cahillane, General Manager of Balise Subaru. “We love our hometown and our state, and giving back is always a priority for us. To see our customers joining us in this endeavor—year after year—it is quite special.” Hasbro Children Hospital has the only pediatric emergency department, Level 1 Trauma Center, pediatric critical care teams, and 24-hour ambulance in the region, but also provides services dedicated to making a sometimes long-term hospital stay easier for family members of patients. In the last year, the Balise organization has also supported other hospital services such as The Tomorrow Fund and the hospital’s Partial Hospital Program through a variety of fundraising efforts—including hosting Billy Gilman at Balise Toyota last January. We hope the 2017 Share the Love event will bring even more funds and additional awareness to the great work of Hasbro Children’s Hospital.

On Thursday, November 9th at the MassMutual Center, Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts held their 12th annual Stock Market Competition. The event brought middle school and high school students together onto a simulated trade-floor where teams have 60 minutes to make as many trades and as much money as they can. Each team begins with $1 Million and every 60 seconds represents one day. The competition was established 12 years ago and featured only 73 students at the inaugural event. Now, the event has grown to include hundreds of students from 25 Western Massachusetts middle and high schools. Balise has been a major of this sponsor for nearly a decade. As a company, Balise prides itself on supporting community events that enhance the development of local youth. The JA Stock Market Challenge is one of the group's favorite events of the year as it gives student's real world business and financial experience. These students will grow to be the leaders of our community. "We want to take a minute to thank our three Platinum sponsors, Savage Arms, Balise, and Comcast who have all been with us for a while," noted the event's MC before the starting bell rang to open the trade floor. "Without them, this event would not exist so thank you." This year, our sponsorship supported West Springfield High School student teams are well as middle school students from St. Thomas the Apostle School. Team FYM from West Springfield High finished 15th and Team Terriers on Main Street finished 20th. Both teams increased their portfolios by more then 53%! Balise would like to thank the Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts for putting on such a fantastic event for these students and for allowing us to be a part of it year after year.

The annual Yuletree Jubilee holiday tree festival sponsored by the Red Thread Network begins at Balise Toyota in West Springfield on Friday, November 24 th and will run until Sunday, December 10 th. As in years past, local businesses and individuals decorate themed holiday trees and set them up in the Toyota showroom. Last year, the ice-skating snowman decorated by Burkhardt, Pizzanelli, PC and Once Upon a Child’s “Snuggle Up & Read” tree were two of our favorites! We can’t wait to see what participants will come up with this year. During the two-week event, raffle tickets are sold to attendees and at the end of the celebration, the trees and gifts underneath are raffled off. Tickets are 25 for $10 and are available Monday-Friday from 10am-6pm and Saturday & Sunday from 10am-6pm in the Balise Toyota showroom. As in year’s past, a number of days during the festival will feature entertainment from local organizations and fun holiday activities. We are really looking forward to the Irish Step Dancers of Cassin Academy on Friday, December 1 st at 7pm as well as the Alice Moore Bell Choir on Saturday, December 9 th! If you’re in the area, we encourage everyone to come out for this FREE tree festival and immerse yourselves in the magic of the holidays. Donations are always welcome and appreciated as all funds collected during the event will go towards supporting the West Springfield Arts Community. Thank you to our amazing partners and donors for helping Balise and Red Thread Network to put on such a heartwarming event. We couldn’t do any of this without you.

Over the last five months, three major hurricanes have hit areas of the Atlantic basin—Harvey, Irma, and Maria—each bringing with it mass fatalities and extensive devastation. Despite being a dealer group located in the Northeast, many of our Balise associates have family and friends in the areas affected by these storms. While we certainly care deeply about our associates, we also care about their loved ones. During the month of October, Balise Motor Sales came together as a company (and family) and began a fundraiser for Balise associates to support those effected. The team set a fundraising goal of $10,000 and Balise would match the first $10,000 at a rate of 2:1. In total, the group—made up of associates from Western Massachusetts, Cape Cod, Rhode Island and Fairfield, CT—donated a total of $14,000 to the Red Cross for Hurricane Disaster Relief. A check was presented to the American Red Cross for the total amount on Wednesday, November 1 st at the group’s Balise Kia dealership in West Springfield, MA. “We are thrilled to be able to provide such a substantial donation towards disaster relief after the tragic hurricanes of this summer and fall,” said Amy Roberts, Vice President of Human Resources for Balise Motor Sales. “Many of our associates have loved ones affected by these disasters so to come together as a company to raise this money to support them is quite special.” Although we know residents of areas hit by these storms still have a long journey ahead of them, but we hope the funds contributed by our Balise associates will help aid in even the smallest way. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone rebuilding their lives.

Thank you to our amazing customers for voting us "Best New Car Dealer", "Best Used Car Dealer" and "Best Auto Repair" in Western Massachusetts! Our team accepted all three awards last night at the Reader Raves 2018 dinner and awards ceremony held at The Log Cabin in Holyoke. The night was fabulous, celebrating the winners from a number of categories from food, to shopping and recommended services. The Republican and MassLive began this best-of poll eight years ago and this year, garnered 62,712 individual votes from readers across Western MA. We are honored to be winners (three times!) this year!