Meet Our Staff Members at Donley Ford Lincoln of Mt. Vernon

Ben Sponsler joined Donley Auto Group in 2011 having started his career with us as Finance Manager at Donley Ford Lincoln of Mt Vernon,  He has also served as General Sales Manager at Donley Ford Lincoln of Ashland from 2017 - 2018 and assumed the role of Sales Operations Director in August 2019 to present.

Ben and his wife Niki, have two daughters and one son and reside in Ashland, Ohio.  Both have deep family roots in the Ashland community having been raised there and are graduates of Ashland High School and of Ashland University.  They enjoy camaraderie with friends, golf and quality family time.  Niki is also a certified yoga instruction in Ashland.

Ben is a great asset to our team and strives to ensure that our customers always receive the best experience and walk away knowing they've Discovered the Donley Difference!

Aaron Sponsler is a Sales Operations Director with Donley Auto Group.  He first joined the Donley Team as a was boy when our service building was located on Union Street in downtown Ashland.  And he's since held nearly every position in the Auto Group. 

Aaron is married to Tia and they've been together for 20 years.  They reside in Ashland, Ohio with their two children Preston (11) and Louella (7 months).  Preston shares Aaron's love of baseball and Louella loves to jibber jabber. 

Aaron and Tia are also the owners of the 180 year old landmark - Olivesburg General Store and have recently establish a non-profit.  

Aaron can be found at home with his family, at the OGS hosting a beer tasting or in his own garage when he has down time from Donley

Aaron is a great asset and leader to our team!

Joel Tanner has a tenure of four years with Donley Auto Group having returned to our team as our Fixed Operations Director in 2017.  Prior to his return, Joel has spent 20 years in the automotive industry, much of which was with a Wards Top 100 Dealer.  He brings great expertise and is driven to make our dealership service experience the best in the Heart of Ohio!

Joel is a native of Ashland, Ohio where he was born and raised.  He, along with his wife Jenine, their two children and their four dogs,  reside in Medina now and have strong connections to Cleveland having also lived in that area for many years. 

In Ashland, Joel was instrumental in helping launch the S.P.A.R.K.E  (Students Preparing for and Acquiring Real-world Knowledge and Experience) Program at Ashland County West Holmes Career Center.   And he shares that he is passionate about supporting United Way and the Animal Protection League.

His hobbies include golf, playing guitar and wood working.  He is a member of the Woodworkers Guild of America.

We are fortunate to have Joel as a member of our team!  We appreciate his dedication to our company and to help our customers truly Discover the Donley Difference!

Mark Everly joined our Donley team in 1997.  His combined experience, including 6 years at other dealerships, is 27 years in automotive. Which makes him a great asset to our team!

 Mark was born and raised in Marion County, Ohio.  He and his wife Michelle, currently reside in Ashland, Ohio.  He enjoys traveling to visit family in Texas and Florida and spends much of his spare time cheering on nieces and nephews who participate in local extracurricular activities.  In addition to staying busy with family activities, Mark is an avid Columbus Bluejackets fan and takes in as many games as possible in a season!

 Mark brings strong work ethic, leadership and great organization to our team.  He is instrumental in making things run smoothly in our dealerships and helping make the Donley Difference a great experience for our customers!

Jeff Myers returned to our Donley Auto Group Team in 2017 after 15 years away and working elsewhere in automotive.  With a total of 38 years in the automotive industry, Jeff is currently our General Sales Manager at Donley Ford Lincoln of Mt Vernon. 

Jeff is originally from Lexington, Ohio.  He and his wife reside in Lexington where they own and operate a horse farm.  Much of his spare time is spent working on the farm and he loves the time he spends doing so.   Jeff and his wife have 3 daughters and 1 granddaughter.  

Jeff enjoys being a returning member of our Donley Auto Group team!  With a total of nearly 10 years with us, he is a great fit to lead our Mt. Vernon sales team!

Brad Bennett joined Donley Auto Group as Sales Manager at Donley Ford Lincoln of Mt Vernon in January 2020.  He brings with him 24 years of automotive experience. 

Originally from Croton, OH, he and his wife now call Centerburg, Ohio home.  He is a graduate of Northridge High School and of Marietta College.  Brad and his wife, Tanya have been married 24 years and have a 13 year old daughter and 4 year old Golden Retriever. Most of his free time is spent with family but he does enjoy traveling and golf and is a member of the Mount Vernon Country Club.   He and his wife support St. Jude's Children Hospital and the ASPCA.  As a family, they find it important to lend their help at local animal shelters and Humane Society.

Brad has quickly become a very important part of our Donley Team and we appreciate him very much!

Jayme Giffin has spent his entire 15 year automotive career with Donley Auto Group and is presently a Sales & Leasing Consultant at Donley Ford Lincoln of Mt Vernon as well as our Inventory Coordinator for our entire Auto Group. 

 He and his wife reside in Centerburg, Ohio and have 4 daughters. 

 Jayme enjoys outdoor activities best and attending various sporting events.

 He is a great asset to our Donley Auto Group team and we appreciate all that he does!

Rob Ball, Sales & Leasing Consultant, has 31 years in the automotive industry and all have been right here in Mt Vernon, OH.  He has been with Donley Ford Lincoln of Mt Vernon since it was acquired by Donley Auto Group in 2001. 

Rob is a native of Mt. Vernon and he and his wife, Robin, raised their sons and daughter here. Their eldest son is a previous Donley Auto Group team member having worked in Finance.   Their youngest son is a junior at Mt Vernon Senior High School and daughter teaches 3rd grade in Naples, FL.   And they have been blessed with two grandchildren ages 13 and 11.

Rob shares that golf has been a big part of his life and friendships!  He is an avid OSU Buckeyes fan as well as a big fan of Cleveland Browns and Cleveland Indians.  He feels strongly about supporting Food For The Hungry of Knox County.

Rob has great relationships with his customers and works hard for them!  He enjoys his job and it's reflected in some great customers and friendships.  We appreciate his commitment to Donley Auto Group!

Brian Antill joined our Donley Auto Group team as a Sales & Leasing consultant in 2007, where he remains one of our top sales team members. 

Brian is a native of Mt. Vernon, OH and resides there still.  He enjoys golfing, bowling, fishing and hunting.  And is proud to be a part of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks local lodge in Mt Vernon - BPOE #140

Brian works hard to get his customers a great deal on a vehicle that suits their needs.  And his customers appreciate him as do all of us at Donley Auto Group!

Jim Casebolt began his career in automotive when joining Donley Auto Group in 2012.  He has been a Sales & Leasing Consultant at Donley Ford Lincoln of Mt Vernon the entire time.  He has built great customer relations in that time and enjoys the opportunity to get to know his customers.

In his down time, Jim shares that he enjoys time with his girlfriend and time at his parent's farm, working on projects there and being with his nephews and sister.  But the thing he enjoys most is watching his son play football at Siena Heights University!  He also takes in games at Fredericktown and East Knox High Schools when he can.

Jim is a graduate of East Knox High School and of Marietta College.  He presently resides in Fredericktown, Ohio. 

Jim has built a strong customer base with Donley Ford Lincoln of Mt Vernon and works very hard for those customers.  We are fortunate to have him on our team!

Shane Robertson joined the Donley Auto Group Team in early 2018, bringing with him over 30 years of Ford parts experience and understanding.  He is our Parts Manager at Donley Ford Lincoln of Mt Vernon

Shane is originally from Mansfield, Ohio.  But he and his wife have called Loudonville, Ohio their home for the past 12 years.  They're family includes 3 sons and 2 daughters.  Family time is how he enjoys spending his spare time.

If you have a need for your Ford car and are searching for the right parts, Shane is your guy!  He knows Ford products and we are fortunate to have him on the Donley Team!

Leah Fields joined Donley Auto Group in an administrative role to the Service Department at Donley Ford Lincoln of Mt Vernon in 2012.  She's since received certification in Ford Parts while helping in the Parts Department and has returned to our Service Department as a certified Service Advisor and Warranty Administrator.  She shares that she's very appreciative of what she's learned about the intricacy of Ford parts and service and loves helping customers and co-workers find resolutions to meet their automotive needs.  

She is recently married to her husband Malcolm (who is a Service Technician at Donley Ford Lincoln of Mt. Vernon) and enjoys being a dog-mom to her fur-baby, Mya.  She also enjoys caring for her many houseplants, camping and summertime outdoor activities

Tina Beaver joined the Donley Auto Group Team over 10 years ago.   She did leave our group for about 3 years to be on maternity leave and a stay at home parent.  But was eager to return when the time was right.  She is and has always been a Service Advisor at Donley Ford Lincoln of Mt Vernon.  Tina shares that she "loves working with customers" and helping them with their vehicle service needs.  It makes her day to see them leave with a big smile on their face!

Tina has two children and generally loves life!  She also has a fur baby (teacup Yorkie) named Tinker-Bell!  She enjoys camping and loves her permanent site on the Kokosing river - her "home away from home!"  She also enjoys taking her camper on the road to visit her second favorite destination - Myrtle Beach, SC.  She says "summertime is the best part of living in Ohio" and has made many memories in both camping destinations.  She is an avid Buckeyes fan and love watching and attending OSU football games (Go Bucks!)

Come see Tina for your service needs.  She'll do a great job, as she always does for her customers, and we're fortunate to have her on our team!

Kyle Spreng joined our Donley Auto Group in 2018 in our Part Department at Donley Ford Lincoln of Mt. Vernon where he does a great job assisting with parts needs for our Service Team and for customers.

Kyle is a full-time single father.  He is a native of Loudonville, Ohio where he still resides. In his spare time, he enjoys wood working and quality time spent with his daughter. 

Kyle is hard working and a very valued member of our team!

Judi Dickinson has been a part of our Donley Auto Group team since 2013.  Bringing several years of Marketing experience with her, she served as our Marketing Manager until December of 2019.  In January of 2020, she moved into her current role as Community Relations & Events Manager. 

Judi and her husband Chad reside in Ashland, Ohio where they raised their four children.  And have been blessed with six grandchildren that they are fortunate to have all be close by in Ashland to enjoy. 

Judi enjoys family time above all other things.  But also enjoys dancing, reading, cooking and boating.  And loves traveling!

She feels strongly about being involved in the community she lives in and all the communities that our dealerships are located in.  She is an alumna of Leadership Ashland and past member of the Leadership Ashland Steering committee. She also presently serves on the Board of Directors for Ashland Schine's Theatre and is very involved in her church. 

Her passion for these things and more, make her a great fit as our Community Relations & Events Manager!

Niki Walsh joined Donley Auto Group as our Marketing and BDC Manager in January, 2020.  She brings with her eight years experience in the automotive industry specializing in digital marketing, business development and internet sales.

Niki enjoys time with her 3 daughters, 1 rescue dog and 2 rescue cats.  Among their favorite things to do together is cooking and dancing around the kitchen while doing so!

She is passionate about supporting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and is an active member of the Fredericktown Music Boosters.

We appreciate the great experience and automotive marketing knowledge Niki brings with her and are glad to have her on our team!

Kendal Meyer joined Donley Auto Group in early 2018 in our BDC Department and is now enjoying an opportunity to help us as our Marketing Intern.  She is an honor roll student at Ashland University studying Marketing and Public Relations. 

Kendal and her sisters, Kaelyn and Klaire, are the daughters of Heath and Jill Meyer of Jeromesville, Ohio, where her family resides.

In her spare time, Kendal is a cheerleading advisor for Hillsdale Schools and enjoys camping, traveling and photography.

She shares that what she loves most about her job with Donley Auto Group is getting to meet new members of the community, make new connections and attend events.  She is also a supporter of United Way.

Kendal has a promising future in Marketing and we are fortunate to have her be part of our team and give her an opportunity to learn about the field she has chosen for her career.

Rachel Justice is our Graphic Designer and has been with Donley Auto Group since 2016.  She brings a vast understanding of art and design with her.

She is the oldest of nine children and grew up in the Ashland area.  She has loved art for as long as she can remember and shares that her family tease her that she "was born with a paint brush in her hand."  Her skills developed at a young as she began by painting storefront windows for area businesses in downtown Loudonville and Ashland.  She evolved and now paints area murals, book illustrations, live painting events and logo design, to name just a few.  She acquired her education in Graphic Design from North Central State College.  And has her own studio based at The Mosaic Church in Mansfield where she manages a community art room. She is strong in faith and feels she can share that in a visual way.  Rachel served on the Board for Ashland Care Center for six years.

She shared that a recent highlight for her was to paint the mural logos for Good Deed Entertainment including their subdivision logo - Crank the Robot, in downtown Ashland.

Rachel enjoys working at Donley and helping with Graphic Design and more!  And her skills are very much appreciated!

Dorea Kellem joined our Donley Auto Group Team in early 2019 and is our Internet Sales/BDC Specialist at Donley Ford Lincoln of Ashland.   Dorea brings with her great customer relations skills, learned through several prior years of owning her own local small business. 

Dorea is originally from Sandusky, Ohio but relocated to the Ashland area and is a graduate of Mapleton High School.  She has a daughter (age 5) and enjoys reading, hiking, softball and all things Fall & Summer related.  Especially when spending time with daughter, Raina.  She is an active member of Bethel Ashland Church and says she "enjoys sunsets, smiles, positive attitudes … and taking on a challenge!" 

Dorea is a great asset to our team as she gets along well with people and doesn't give up until she's gotten our customers connected with the right salesperson to put them in the right vehicle!

Cindy May joined our Donley Team in 2012 and has been a very important part of our Sales Team since!  She currently serves in the role of Internet Sales/BDC Specialist.  She brings prior automotive experience with her making her a great asset to our company!

Cindy graduated from Highland High School in Sparta, OH and has 2 sisters and 2 adult sons as well as 4 grandchildren.  She enjoys walking in the woods and a good social game of Texas Hold-em.  She especially loves and enjoys her 2 rescue Chocolate Lab Mix dogs.  She loves the Lord and is a strong woman of faith.

Cindy is a lifetime member of the ATA (Amateur Trapshooting Association) and is a previous Captain of the Ohio State Ladies Team.  

She loves to support community and does so by participating in the activities and sponsorships that Donley Ford of Galion supports.

We appreciate her dedication and all she does for our Donley Team!

Michelle Everly has been the Office Manager for Donley Auto Group since October, 2004.  She oversees administrative duties for all four of our locations. 

Michelle is a native of Shiloh, Ohio.  She and her husband Mark, reside in Ashland, Ohio presently.

Michelle is hardworking and a pleasure to work with!  We are fortunate to have her maintain the behind the scenes duties that she oversees for Donley Auto Group.

Montelle Smart joined our Donley Auto Group team in 2011 as an Office Clerk at Donley Ford of Shelby.  In January of 2020 she became our Human Resources Manager for our entire Auto Group.

 Montelle is a native of Shiloh, Ohio where she still resides with her 2 dogs, Levi and Baxter and cat - Kitty.  She enjoys time with her nieces (7 total) and nephews (3 total) and cheering them on their activities including hockey, soccer, dance, track, baseball, softball, football, cheerleading, twirling and more!  They keep her busy!  She enjoys the outdoors and is always looking for an opportunity to volunteer and lend a helping hand.

Montelle is a pleasure to work with and has proven herself to be a very hard working and appreciated member of our team!

Kirsten Manders joined our Donley Auto Group Team in 2018 and is a great asset to our group administrative team.  She is an Office Clerk assisting with administrative duties for all four of our locations.  She brings with her over 8 years of clerical experience.

She and her husband Kody, along with their cats Smol & Happy, live in Ashland, Ohio.  Originally from New London, Ohio area, she has been an Ashland resident for 2 years and is quite happy in the Ashland community.

She is an avid Magic the Gathering participant as well as enjoys video games and tabletop rpgs like Dungeons and Dragons.   She and her husband are supporters of and help out at the new Ashland Magic Card shop - Eldritch Bastion.

Kirsten is a pleasure to work with and we are fortunate to have her on our team!

Gina Koppler joined Donley Auto Group as  Title Clerk for all our locations in September, 2019.  She does a great job in assisting with the very important title work for our customers' vehicle purchases.

Originally from Procious, WV - Gina has called Ashland, Ohio home since 1994.  She and her husband Ryan (Service Technician at Donley Ford Lincoln of Ashland) have been married for 15 years and have one daughter and one granddaughter, age 7.  Together, they enjoy camping and driving their rail buggy with family and friends.

 We appreciate Gina's hard work and find her to be a great fit to our Donley Auto Group team!

Briar McQueen joined Donley Auto Group in 2016 and is our Office Clerk at Donley Ford Lincoln of Mt Vernon where she does an excellent job tending to administrative needs and customer service for that location.

Briar is a lifetime resident of Knox County - originally from Fredericktown, Ohio, she now calls Mt Vernon, Ohio home.  She enjoys the outdoors, - walking and hiking.  But especially enjoys weight training.

Briar is hard working and does a great job assisting with any task she's asked to assist with!  We appreciate her very much!