After an illustrious career spanning over five decades, Bob Elliott bids farewell as he embarks on a well-deserved retirement.
Starting work as an apprentice plant fitter at the age of 15, Bob decided that a career in sales may be better suited to his skills so after completing a five year apprenticeship, he took on the role of junior Foden salesman for the South Yorkshire area.
In summer 1983, Pelican, at the time Foden dealer in West Yorkshire, took over the Sheffield Foden dealer and Bob transferred to Pelican. His time with Pelican began on 30th September 1983, when he arrived and immediately secured to sale of a Foden tipper to JE Waters in Doncaster. Little did he know that this marked the beginning of an enduring partnership.
Over the next 30 years, Bob sold over 1,000 Foden trucks; a brand of truck that was never the easiest selling proposition. With the demise of Foden in 2006, Bob immediately got on with selling replacement brand Hino and then BMC for the short time that Pelican held the importership.
However BMC was the vital stepping stone that took Pelican to Yutong and, despite never having sold a coach before, Bob secured his place in history by making Pelican’s very first Yutong coach sale to Cropley Coaches of a Euro 5 TC12.
In 2016, Bob was appointed Sales Manager – a position he held until 2022 when he decided to take semi-retirement and the opportunity to spend more time riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle. However he continued to make a significant contribution, covering sales for Scotland selling 32 coaches in 18 months.
“Through 54 years of continuous employment, Bob’s work ethic and loyalty have left an indelible mark on Pelican. His remarkable achievement of never being out of work speaks volumes about his dedication and resilience. As Bob hands over to Dale Ogg in Scotland, he reflects on his journey:”
Thank you for giving me the opportunity of full-time employment all my working life, giving me a solid base and enabling me to build the foundations to bring up my family. I couldn’t have asked to work for a better company!
Pelican Chairman Bob Crump has worked with Bob since his first day at Pelican and shared his sentiments about Bob’s retirement saying:
Bob has been an integral part of the Pelican family for 40 years, I will miss him and will always be grateful for his character, work ethic and dedication and I wish him a long and happy retirement. He will be missed by colleagues and customers alike.
Please join us in congratulating Bob on his retirement and wishing him all the best in his future endeavours
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