Employee Celebrates 50 Years At Harford Co. Auto Group

BEL AIR, MD — In the summer of 1976, a 16-year-old boy walked into Jones Junction to apply for a job cleaning vehicles. Five decades later, that same employee recently celebrated 50 years of service with the business.

Larry Kropff began working for the company on June 22, 1976, right after he turned 16. He had seen a newspaper advertisement searching for someone to help clean vehicles.

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After impressing managers with his work ethic and attention to detail, he was hired and began what has become a lifelong career, company leaders say. In the years that followed, Kropff climbed the ladder and more than a decade ago, he was promoted to general manager.

"Few people have had a greater impact on Jones Junction than Larry Kropff," Danny Jones, chief executive officer of Jones Junction, told Patch. "For 50 years, he has embodied everything this company stands for— hard work, integrity, loyalty and putting customers first. Larry has helped shape our culture and our success, and we are incredibly grateful for his leadership and friendship."

Kropff not only fulfills a leadership role with the company, but also mentors others.

"Larry's story is one of the great success stories in our company's history. He started here as a teenager and earned every opportunity through dedication, perseverance and a genuine commitment to people. He has mentored countless employees and helped build Jones Junction into the organization it is today," Bryan Kilby, president of Jones Junction, said.

The company noted that not many automotive industry professionals can say they spent 50 years at the same company like Kropff can.

“Never stop trying to learn. I have been fortunate to have a lot of great mentors along the way, but whatever you are hired to do even if it’s to dig a ditch then you dig the best ditch you can every day no matter what," Kropff advised others.

As far as his future, Kropff told Patch that he has no intentions to retire anytime soon.

“The job here at Jones Junction quit being a job for me a long time ago - it is like going from one home to another every day, you just fit. No thoughts of retirement at all, there's much more to see the company do and achieve," Kropff said.