Tilleman Motor Co.: A 40-year family business

The roots and branches of Havre's Tilleman Motor Co. spread from a Chinook NFL player to his son, who worked as a chemical engineer, with the company serving the Hi-Line for more than 40 years. 

"I think my dad and I are both the kind of people that if you need to put a flag at the top of the mountain we'll charge up the hill and get it done," Craig Tilleman said.

Mike Tilleman, original owner and Craig Tilleman's father, started Tilleman Motor Co. in 1977, shortly after retiring from the NFL and moving back home to Chinook. He was born in Chinook, raised on a ranch outside of Zurich and graduated from Chinook High School. Tilleman played for the University of Montana Grizzlies in the 1960s, where he was a second team All-Big Sky Conference selection in both seasons he played. 

He signed with the Minnesota Vikings when they picked him in the 1965 NFL draft.

Tilleman played for four different NFL teams during his professional career; the Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Houston Oilers and the Atlanta Falcons, where he finished his career.

Craig Tilleman added that one of his earliest memories of his father was when he was in second grade and his father wanting him to come to Saturday practices. 

Mike Tilleman moved back to Chinook planning to get into the real estate business but saw a Chevrolet dealership in Chinook was for sale and decided to purchase the business, Craig Tilleman said. 

In 1979, Mike Tilleman bought his second dealership, a Chevrolet dealership in Havre and closed his dealership in Chinook. In 1981, he moved the Havre business to its present location and a few years later obtained the rights to start selling Buicks and GMC vehicles, growing the business over the years. Tilleman now has four different locations; Tilleman Motor Co., Tilleman Hi-Line Dodge, Tilleman Equipment and Red's Auto Electric.

Craig Tilleman said that he played some football himself back in his younger years, playing as an offensive guard, unlike his father who played as a defensive tackle and nose tackle while in the NFL. He added that he started attending Havre Public Schools in fifth grade and graduated from Havre High School.

While attending high school, his first job was working for his father washing cars, he said.

He said that when he was younger, he talked with his father about the dealership business and remembers his father talking often about the business. But after graduating from high school, he left Havre to attend Georgia State University in Atlanta, later moving to Atlanta's Georgia Institute of Technology, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering with honors. His career in chemical engineering took him to South Carolina, Washington and Texas.

In 1998, though, his father called him and asked him to move back to take over the family business, Tilleman said. He added that his father at the time wanted to either sell the store or turn it over to somebody, and he stepped in. 

He said that, in the beginning, it was a little strange for him because he last worked there as a car washer back in high school and many of the employees, the sales team, he worked with were still there.

"I kind of felt a little insecure about it. I use to wash cars for the salesmen, now I am their boss," he said.

A lot of on-the-job learning was involved, but his father was always there as a good resource if he needed any help, he said. His father still works at Tilleman, he added, and he still works closely with him.

"I respect his opinions and he respects my opinions," he said.

He added that it's good working with his father.

"I don't know if he'll ever retire. He's 75, he's kind of cut out to work," Tilleman said.

Tilleman said he has two siblings, a sister, Suzanne, and a brother, Chris. He added that his brother worked for his dad for a brief time in high school but has gone on to have a career working for Dell Computer Company. His sister did not work for the family business and now teaches in the business school at UM.

Some of the biggest changes he has seen with the business since it started was the introduction of computers and online shopping as well as the complexity and regulations involved with the dealership business, Craig Tilleman said.

It's a lot more complex, he said. It takes 20 sheets of paper to sell a car. For example, previously he would be able to give a customer a $2,000 to $3,000 rebate, but now every rebate is specific to the individual vehicle, specific to VIN, make and model. He added that all the additional regulations make since in the business but it has complicated the business.

With the introduction of computers and the need for security of his customers, he said, a dealership needs firewalls are antivirus protection to assure a customers information is secure.

Online shopping has also affected every aspect of retail, he said, although it's impact is felt much less in smaller, closer communities because in these areas communities have more customer loyalty and know the money will be going back to the community.

"I think one of the biggest life lessons is probably that it's all about the people that work with you," he said. "How successful you are is dependent on the people that are with that are on your team."

He added that he has a great team at Tilleman Motor Co., employing about 100 people and a large number of his employees working for his family for 35 years. He added that his employees are extremely competent and Tilleman Motors invests a lot in their employees training.

He said a cousin also works for him, although he tries not to hire family to work together, the family dynamic changing how the work environment is. 

"You got to give it 100 percent every day. You get what you put into it," he said, adding that he always goes to work wanting to do better than the day before.

Tilleman said that he has five children, but they don't seem to have any interest in working at the dealership. But he is not concerned.

"I wasn't going to step in for my dad when I left," he said.

He doesn't know what the future brings for his family, but he is excited to see.

"I think, growing up, you've got to find your own way," he said. "I think kids just need to find their way. If it's a good fit when they are growing up, it's a good fit."

He added that he has heard a number of stories about family businesses where parents' children work for them a little and decided it's not for them.

"You've got to like what you do," he said.

Tilleman added that his family's business over the years has also had a large impact on the community. His father started the Northern Lights Athletic Scholarship Foundation in 2004, which has donated more than a million dollars to Montana State University Northern. The foundation's feature event is the Legend for Lights Pheasant Jamboree, where people get to hunt with friends, family and national sports legends. He added that his family has also been involved with a number of other community organizations over the years, such as the Hill County 4-H.

"The community has been good to us and we try to give back as much as we can," he said.