By Tim Unruh
It’s common for workers to receive thanks and hearty howdies from co-owner/vice president West McArthur as workdays commence at Salina’s Ford dealership.
The salty 69-year-old enjoys daily strolls through the 69,000-square-foot business at 3450 S. Ninth — the brand’s biggest seller in these parts — to marvel at the devoted humans who keep Long McArthur on top.
“I’m most proud of our employees. We sell more new Fords than anybody in Kansas,” he said. “ That’s because of the people we have in place. They’re the ones who make it happen.”
You may also spot a white-haired gentleman — co-owner and older brother North Roderick McArthur, 74, the company president. He’s prone to circling the dealership’s 11-plus acres to log steps in the interest of good health, and admire the overflowing automobile inventory.
Included these days are an extra 100 trucks to satisfy demand from year-end buyers, according to general manager Derek Lee.
“Historically, North and West have maintained really close relationships with their employees. They complement each other, and together, do a brilliant job making sure employees are appreciated,” said Debbie DeBiasse, North’s wife. She’s a retired Salina pediatrician.
While daily attendance is not required, the McArthur brothers are there as often as possible. That’s thanks to their deep sense of love and loyalty, an eagerness to mingle with a closely-knit staff and customers, and an unending drive to help move the family mission forward.
“Our dad (Rex) handed out the paychecks. He said ‘North, always thank a man for working for you. He can work anywhere and he made the decision to work for you,’ ” North R recalled. “We were told to ‘surround yourself with successful people, and you, too, shall be successful.’ ”
He’s the second McArthur proprietor to bear that first name, starting with grandfather North Clarence McArthur, the dealership’s original vice president and general manager when Long-McArthur was incorporated in January 1951. M.P. Long, majority stockholder at the time, served as president. After his death on Jan. 1, 1957. his son, M. Phillip Long, was elected president.
The Long family’s stock was sold in March 1963 to North C. (who became president), Rex. R. McArthur, and John Irwin Jr.
Long left the partnership and moved to Denver to open up some of his own dealerships, said Ashley McArthur, director of marketing and advertising at the dealership, and West’s daughter.
At some point over the past 75 years, the hyphen was dropped from the company name, but that’s about all that’s changed. Like always, the McArthurs are still proudly in charge, and in a celebratory mood as they commemorate this special anniversary.
“We want to pass on what was taught to us,” North R said. “We’re one family, enjoying working together.”
The McArthurs have actually been in the car business for more than 115 years, starting with H.A. McArthur, who began the family legacy in the town of Green, 73 miles as the crow flies, northeast of Salina. His son, North C, had been “selling Fords, or rather, fooling around in his father’s garage in Clay County,” since the early 20th Center, an old newspaper account reads.
H.A. McArthur stayed in Green, but North C migrated to Salina in the early 1930s, with his wife, Kate, and son Rex.
“He thought Green, Kansas, was never going anywhere. He moved to Salina because it was a bustling town,” West said
North C started at Healy Motors in the 200 block of North Santa Fe — now the headquarters of United Capital Management. The name changed to Kansas Motors and moved to 340 N. Santa Fe, where OCCK Transportation is based today.
Contrary to early concerns from elders, Long McArthur moved from downtown to south of Salina in April, 2001. Business blossomed even more.
“We moved out to the interstate (I-135) and it was excellent,” said West McArthur.
It was an exciting time to Meredith Gershon, North R and Debbie DeBiasse’s daughter, who was just 10 at the time.
“When we came out to see the progress, it was completely empty and I just remember being amazed at how huge the place was.” she said. “(Younger brother) Alex and I played tag in between the racks of the parts department before even a single bolt was on a shelf. It’s a very special memory and (today) I get that same feeling whenever I am rummaging through the parts department shelves.”
Five generations since Long McArthur’s humble beginning, no one’s for sure what old North McArthur might say after perusing his family’s Ford compound in south Salina. But family members are pretty sure they’d receive rousing approval from the founding boss.
“I think he’d be in awe,” said Ashley McArthur, a great-granddaughter who is among the fourth generation and one of many kinfolk involved in the family empire. A new generation of descendants is on the rise today.
“He’d have no idea what was once in the little building on Santa Fe Avenue, has grown to a business with 160 employees,” said Ashley, who has logged 25 years with the company; the first nine working with her grandpa, Rex McArthur.
There are many bonds at Long McArthur, she said, and family is among the strongest, all of whom were willing to make a grassroots start.
“It’s all about family, 100 percent,” Ashley said. “North’s and West’s children have all worked in the family business. If you were going to work at Long McArthur, you started in detailing and worked your way up. We have respect for every team member — from the people cleaning the cars to the people writing the contracts.”
McArthur kids all worked their way up, developing essential skills along the way.
“I would work the front desk tomorrow if they needed me. The fourth generation of upcoming leaders call all say the same,” Ashley said.
Nobody leap-frogged into management.
West was 13 when his car career began, “washing cars and taking out the trash.”
As a boy, North R spent time “sweeping the lot and picking up cigarette butts.”
Nothing came easy for the McArthurs, Ashley said. There were no handouts.
“We all worked after school and on weekends. Most of us paid for our first cars.” she said. “We all grew up with those principles.”
No one is above difficult duty, North R said.
“Never ask an employee to do anything that you haven’t done, or wouldn’t be willing to do yourself,” he added.
Being an employee was good training, West said.
“My father said ‘if you have worked in the different departments, you can sympathize and relate to what your employees are doing,’ ” he said.
Some offspring are involved in other McArthur endeavors, such as West’s second oldest, Courtney Hurd.
“She and her husband, Darrin Hurd, are getting ready to own Kawasaki of Salina, the dealership they have been operating for the past 10 years.
West’ s youngest, Taylor, and her husband, Luke Vanderloo, oversee the operations of a corporation that includes a leasing company, landscape company, and a sign company in Salina.
“We all get along. Michael (West’s son), Meredith (North’s daughter) and I, still go to Ford meetings,” she said.
Workdays can be like family reunions.
“I think, we all have the same morals and values. We’re very lucky that we’re on the same page,” Ashley said. “It’s worked out very well for us. It’s a very strong bond, and we will keep it alive because of that bond.”
Personally, West and North don’t have to worry as much about making ends meet, and daily chores are handled by staff.
“I open the mail and sign the checks,” West said, and if weather permits, his wardrobe includes shorts and flip-flops.
Contributions are priceless, regardless of whether the team members share DNA.
Case in point: Derek Lee, who was introduced to the business selling cars for a short while in the mid-1990s. He returned in 2000 as served in the role of general sales manager and general manager in the 25 years since.
“My experience is not unique,” Lee said, mentioning a significant number of employees who have worked there 30 to 50 years or more.
“Derek’s played a very big role,” West McArthur said.
Kinship lured Lee back.
“The McArthurs treat everybody at the dealership like family,” Lee said. “The culture this creates has kept them in business and helped them thrive. The McArthur family members, both current and future generations, remain steadfast in supporting our efforts as we adapt to the constantly evolving landscape of the car business.”
Ditto that, said Ashley McArthur, and a great deal of credit goes to the GM.
“Derek’s a great leader. We’re so blessed to have him as part of our team. He’s a mentor of mine,” she said. “He sees things from a different perspective. That’s how we’ve gotten through a lot of hard times. During COVID, our dealership thrived. We weren’t going to participate in the negativity.”
Innovation is paramount, said Ashley McArthur, whose job includes marketing, activities, and connecting with the community.
“We do a lot of events outside of the norm,” she said.
Long Mac was one of the first dealers to team up with college athletes through the Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) program, The Live From the Lot concert series books country music artists to perform at the dealership.
“The Performance line of vehicles has turned out to be amazing for us; something the other car dealers weren’t doing,” Ashley said. “Long McArthur is very female friendly. I actually go around to different conferences to talk about what we’ve done to accommodate different hours, and having women in authority.”
Those values are what convinced her to stay in the family business rather than pursue a career as a television news anchor after attended the University of Kansas, Kansas Wesleyan University and K-State.
“We were doing so much giving back,” Ashley said. “It was pulling on my heart strings. I chose to stay in Salina rather than going to a bigger city.”
Her brother, Michael McArthur, works in the sales department to provide leads on the Internet in conjunction with the sales department and follow up to make sure customers are contacted in a timely manner, DeBiasse said
Two of North and Debbie’s kids did the same.
“Some of us have spouses in the dealership as well,” Ashley McArthur said.
Meredith Gershon returned to Salina three years ago, and works in the dealership’s business department doing dealer trades, ordering, and inventory control.
“She works with Derek Lee on ordering new cars,” DeBiasse said.
In her 27 years of “living in the car business with my husband, I have enjoyed every minute of it,” she said. “This business affects the whole family. It takes everybody there to make the machine run.”
Her son, Alex Gershon, moved back five to six years ago to work with his father North R., in Long McArthur’s finance and insurance departments.
“Everyone in the family who works at the dealership, has important roles, DeBiasse said.
Family is the reason Alex is at Long McArthur.
“I get to work with my dad and see him everyday,” he said. “Keeping Long McArthur family owned also keeps it grounded in our core principles, and keeps all of our customers part of that family. The Long McArthur family is why I choose to stay at Long McArthur. “
Togetherness is power at Long Mac.
“You have to have a united front,” Ashley said. “It would be easy for two quarreling people to tear this business apart, but we’ve got enough checks and balances that we’re going to be here a long time.”
The anniversary “is a huge moment for our family. We’re going to be one of 20 dealerships who can stay they’ve made it 75 years.”
Michael McArthur’s goal going forward: “Always be willing to adapt to the changing needs of our clients. The car industry is always changing and Long McArthur will always be willing to make the investment to keep our lead as one of the top Ford dealerships in the Midwest.”
Factoid: Watch for special anniversary celebrations at Long McArthur throughout 2026.
