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Ashburton Toyota
Meet the team
Craig McDermid
Business Owner
My wife Kathie and I took ownership of Blenheim Toyota in 1990. Over the years I have taken ownership of South Canterbury Toyota, Rangiora Toyota, Kaiapoi Toyota and Ashburton Toyota. I split my time between them all, just as well I enjoy driving!
Will Hayde
Branch Manager
Will has come from a large background of sales and marketing. He is also from a big sporting family and has represented both his province and country in hockey. He has a huge understanding of the car industry and in his spare time is out and about trying to tire out his siberian husky.
Eddie Bakos
Senior Vehicle Sales Consultant
Eddie arrived from South Africa in June 2015 and started working for us in August. He worked for Mercedes Benz in Johannesburg for 12 years so has been able to transfer all his expertise to our branch. In his spare time he enjoys gardening and spending time with his grandchildren.
Robin McClimont
Vehicle Consultant
Robin has been with part of our team since 2017. As a sales consultant with over 30 years experience helping out Mid-Cantabrians, he is only too happy to discuss your vehicle requirements either at the store or can easily come out to you. When not at work he enjoys walking, cycling, travel and lots of family time.
Gareth Heywood
Service Manager
Gareth works as a dual Service Manager for Ashburton and South Canterbury Toyota. He has worked very hard to get into this position by completing an apprenticeship, being workshop foreman and being the first Toyota New Zealand Diagnostic Master Technician all completed at South Canterbury Toyota from 1997. Gareth is motorsport mad and spends time in a crew for a motorsports team. In his spare time he loves spending time with his wife and children.
Pam McIlwrick
Service Team Leader
Pam started at Ashburton Toyota in 2013. She enjoys gardening, Hot Rodding and spending time with her grandchildren.
Nicole Cavill
Service Advisor
Nicole started with us in February 2019. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her friends and camping, fishing and hunting down at Lake Benmore with her extended family and her big German Shepherd dog.
Daniel Trail
Service Foreman
Daniel joined our team as Service Foreman in January 2018, only a couple of months after moving to NZ from his hometown Perth in Scotland. Outside of work he enjoys motorcycling, hiking and camping.
Michael Cook
Technician
Born and bred in Ashburton Michael started with us in 2016, after working for TJM on the Gold Coast for 5 years. Previously he has worked for Nissan for 12 years. Outside of work he enjoys watching V8 car racing and rugby.
Ben Anger
Technician
Ben joined our team in September 2018, after making the move from Rangiora. In his spare time he likes spending time with his son and getting out for a spot of fishing and hunting.
Jarrod Ward
Apprentice Technician
Jarrod was born and raised in Ashburton and started his apprenticeship with us in November 2017. In his spare time, he enjoys fishing and riding motorbikes.
Marc Juantilla
Vehicle Detailer
Marc joined our team by completing gateway at AshColl. In his spare time he enjoys playing basketball.
Andrew Rattray
Parts Manager
Andrew has been with us since 1996 and has seen many changes in the dealership. In his spare time he plays golf and enjoys a spot of fishing. He is also a volunteer in the Ashburton Fire Brigade.
Sam Rodgers
Parts Consultant
Sam started with us in 2016 and since then has completed a parts apprenticeship. In his spare time he enjoys tinkering with his cars and spending time with friends.
Eddie Bakos
Business Manager
Eddie arrived from South Africa in June 2015 and started working for us in August. He worked for Mercedes Benz in Johannesburg for 12 years so has been able to transfer all his expertise to our branch. In his spare time he enjoys gardening and spending time with his grandchildren.
Aya Matsumoto
Administration
Aya started with us in September 2018 and has been living in New Zealand since 2000. In her spare time she enjoys gardening and spending time with her husband and dog.
Andy Wilson
Group General Manager Used Vehicles
Andy has a tremendous amount of experience in the Motor Industry beginning in the summer of 1990! After relinquishing the reigns of Branch Manager at South Canterbury Toyota in August 2018 he has taken on the well-deserved challenge of Group General Manager for Used Vehicles for the McDermid Group. This entails managing the used vehicle inventory for Blenheim, Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Ashburton and Timaru branches. Andy and his wife Helen have a very full social life which includes spending a great deal of time with their four grandchildren.
Talei Dickson
McDermid Group Admin Manager
Originally from a hospitality background Talei moved to South Canterbury in 1996 from Wellington. She had a brief stint at Lake Tekapo before joining our team as our Business Manager. She then moved into admin in 2004. In 2015 Talei became our Group Admin Manager when Rangiora & Ashburton Toyota joined our group of South Canterbury & Blenheim Toyota. In her spare time Talei doesn’t enjoy running but Chris Ward & Sharon Wood make her do it from time to time. She does enjoy water and snow skiing, sewing and spending time with her daughter.
Chris Ward
Customer Relations and Marketing
Chris was born and raised in Timaru before heading on a rather extended (12 year) OE. After seeing most of the 'other side of the world' Chris returned to Timaru in 2006 and joined our team 3 days later! Chris’s background before joining South Canterbury Toyota was mainly in the banking sector. She enjoys skiing, running, kayaking and spending time with her daughters.
