Meet Our Staff
Management
Claire Kultgen McDonald
President
Claire is a proud 4th generation BK family member. She started her career at the dealership in the early 90s washing cars, stocking parts, and selling cars in the summer while attending Baylor. After a 5-year career in the aviation industry in Maryland, she moved back to Waco. She spent 12 years learning and preparing for her leadership role at the dealership, before becoming President in March of 2021. Claire and her husband Theo have 2 daughters. In their free time they enjoy outdoor adventures, spending time on Lake Waco, and are members of Redeemer Presbyterian Church. Claire is currently on the boards of the Dr Pepper Museum and TSTC Foundation and is the current chairwoman of the TADA Texas Dealer Academy.
Mark Stewart
Vice President
Mark started in the car business in 1999 and has a background in sales, finance and insurance, advertising, and dealership management. He joined Bird-Kultgen Ford in 2018 and is best known for his trustworthy sales approach, commercials, and his care and motivation for his dealership team. Mark is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the dealership. He is also a fourth generation Wacoan, having graduated from Midway High School and Baylor University. He and his wife Amanda have two sons, Clayton and Zach. They attend First United Methodist Church of Waco and in their free time enjoy anything sports and cheering on the Baylor Bears. Sic 'Em.
Sales
Mike Kinser
New Vehicle Sales Manager
Mike joins us after a career at Alcoa. He loves spending time with his 19 year old son. They enjoy watching and playing baseball, football, soccer, and basketball together, and love cheering on the Baylor Bears and Dallas Cowboys. A TSTC graduate, Mike is excited about a new career in sales. He enjoys talking to people and helping them find the Ford that best meets their family needs.
Tim Pietsch
Pre-Owned Manager
Tim's passion for cars began as a child rebuilding projects with his dad. His TSTC degree is in auto body, and Tim worked for Dr Pepper for 11 years before joining BK in 2000. He's been a sales consultant, finance manager, and now manages the pre-owned department. "I love this business, the family that I work for, and I plan on retiring here."
Rachel Firasek
Sales Executive Assistant
Rachel is a Waco native that graduated from La Vega High School. She is married with 3 children and 2 grandbabies. She enjoys painting, baking and going to the beach. She has been in the automotive industry for over 18 years and enjoys taking on challenges.
Amanda Lesikar
Business Director
Amanda was born and raised in the Temple Belton area and currently lives in Troy with her husband and daughter. She is a 3rd generation automotive professional, and she was in the 3rd grade when she bought and sold her first car! She graduated from Southwestern University, and in her free time her family enjoys raising their small herd of cattle and spending time outdoors hunting, fishing, and shooting. Amanda likes meeting and helping new people every day, and she loves using her lifetime of automotive experience to help each customer with their unique needs and to get into a new car or truck.
Miguel Contreras
Business Manager
Miguel joined our team in 2016. He enjoys working with and meeting new people every day. When he is not at work, he loves spending time with his wife and daughter.
Vanessa Bounds
Internet Manager
Vanessa has been in the car business for 10 years as an internet sales director. She has two daughters that are her pride and joy. She loves going to the lake, being outdoors, and most of all spending time with her family.
Michael J. Knight
Fleet, Commercial, and Retail Sales
Mike brings 40+ years of experience to our team. Mike is from an Air Force family and has traveled all over the world and lived in the US and Spain. He joined the Air Force and completed a tour in Vietnam, and moved to Waco in 1969. Mr. Knight is a self-proclaimed sports fanatic and loves his Baylor Bears.
Rebecca Cantu
Marketing Manager
Rebecca joined our team in 2019 with over 8 years of marketing experience and 4 years of retail management. She and her husband have two spunky toddlers and enjoy doing anything outdoors; running, biking, swimming and camping in particular. Rebecca loves being part of the Bird-Kultgen team because of the great atmosphere and wonderful people.
Andrew Dahl
Sales Consultant
We are thrilled to welcome Andrew to our team to help our customers. Andrew and his beautiful wife Donna have been married for 21 years and have 4 children (2 boys and 2 girls) that keep them busy. In his free time Andrew enjoys a round of golf and spending time with his family.
Andrew Barnett
Sales Consultant
Andrew grew up in Katy, TX and then attended Blinn. He enjoys making people happy and satisfied with their car purchases. In his free time Andrew loves the Astros, enjoys hunting, fishing, going to concerts and having fires in his backyard. Also been in the car business for 7 years, and loves to golf on days off.
DJuandrae “Drae” Powell
Sales Consultant
Drae is a Waco native with a large family, he has 5 brothers, 4 sisters, and several nieces and nephews, he enjoys spending time with them outside of work. He is an Army Veteran and an excellent cook. He loves being a part of the Bird-Kultgen family and the opportunity to help new people every day.
James Wilkerson Jr.
Sales Consultant
James is a Texas native that loves hunting and fishing. He enjoys working at Bird Kultgen because he likes helping people obtain their goals. James and his wife, Jennifer, have 3 active boys that all currently attend Midway, where their parents met. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family, coaching baseball, and playing golf.
Bradley Young
Sales Consultant
Bradley is from Cameron, Texas and graduated from C.H. Yoe High School. He has two boys, loves exploring Texas, backroading, hunting and fishing. He enjoys his job because of the friendships he's developed from helping Central Texas families with their automotive needs for over 20 years.
Bobby Morgan
Sales Consultant
Robert (Bobby) Morgan is a U.S. Army veteran with a Master's in Business Administration, who has served in multiple capacities before retiring from Fort Hood, TX. He is originally from Long Beach, CA but now calls Woodway home. Bobby met his wife as a recruiter in Dallas and together they now have 3 kids (ages 13, 12 and 7) and 6 dogs. In his spare time, he enjoys kayaking on Lake Waco, watching old horror movies, and spending time with his family and his dogs.
Hudson Campbell
Sales Consultant
Hudson was born and raised in Waco, TX except for a brief sabbatical when he lived in Missouri with his mom. He graduated from Robinson High School. He loves his job because he loves working on cars and trucks. Outside of work he enjoys fishing and spending time with his friends and family, which includes a sister, step-sister and step-brother. Started off on the wash rack and worked his way up to sales.
Drew Chatman
Sales Consultant
Drew is originally from Nacogdoches, Texas and is the youngest of 14 children. He is a wonderful father of 2 girls and loves spending time with them and watching them grow. Outside of BK he is a DJ with his own company that plays events and local venues. He loves working at BK because of all the people he gets to help.
Tara Jones
Sales Consultant
Alvin Jackson
Make Ready Manager
Alvin is a University High School graduate and joined our team in 1995. He enjoys working here because it's like, "One big happy family." In his free time Alvin can be found fishing and watching the Dallas Cowboys.
Administrative
Jennifer Pitts
Accounting Manager
Jennifer came to us in 2007, has over 20 years of experience in the industry, and is a 1997 Texas State graduate. She has been married to her husband Kevin since 1998, and they have two wonderful children.
Stephanie Mirage
Accounts Payable
Stephanie is our accounts payable expert, and recently moved back home to Waco with her family after spending time in Missouri. She first joined us in 1996. She is happily married to her husband Tom and has three adult children. Stephanie is always happy to help wherever she can!
Mary Cervantez
Title Clerk
Mary has lots of great experience in the car business and brings a 6 year parts background and over 11 years of title experience to our team. She is the proud mother of three adult children. Her oldest son Aidna graduated from MCC, her son Aidrik is a welder, and her daughter Alasia is currently studying at MCC. In her free time, Mary loves cooking, fishing, and watching her daughter play softball.
Les Beane
Facilities
Les is responsible for keeping our facility looking sharp and ready for customer visits. When he's not at the dealership, he enjoys watching sports, bartending, catering, and cooking at the Baylor athletic facilities. Les and wife Gayla have two children, Les III and Ashanti and grandkids Lyrie and Alexis.
Linda Gonce
Operator
The voice of Bird-Kultgen, Linda joined us in 1983, her junior year of high school, and has been with the company for 38 years. Linda enjoys working for such a family oriented business, and enjoys spending time with her friends and family and nephew Colton.
Collision Center
John Layne
Manager Collision Repair Center
John was born and raised in Waco, attended Midway, and graduated from Waco Christian before attending MCC and Hill College. He and his wife Emmylou have 3 sons, Dylan who is currently attending Texas Lutheran and playing on the tennis team, Dawson who is a baseball player at Midway High School, and Sawyer who is their 3 year old wild child. In his time, they enjoy mountain biking, rock climbing, baseball, fishing, hunting, and camping. John loves the pace of the collision repair business and meshing individuals with unique skills. He also loves the "Blue Collar Art" that is body work. We are glad to have John leading our team!
Kristen Landrum
Collision Center Office Coordinator
Kristen is a graduate from Robinson High School that helps keep the collision center running smoothly. She enjoys spending time with her family and her two children.
John Robbins
Collision Center Estimator
John graduated from John Brown University with a major in Business and a minor in Accounting. He enjoys working as a Collision Estimator because he gets to help people. He and his wife have 5 grown children and 3 grandchildren. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, working on old cars and traveling.
David Morgan
Collision Repair Center Technician
Dave is married and is the proud father of one son who is 23. He earned his degree from TSTI in auto mechanics and auto body, and has 34 years of experience in the industry. He is certified in chief EZ Liner, Car-O-Liner, and Spies Hecker Refinishing. We are thrilled to add another collision repair expert to our team. In his free time, he loves driving his Mustang GT.
Xavier Almanza
Collision Repair Center Technician
Xavier is a body shop detail technician. His close attention to detail, reliability, and work ethic make him an awesome addition to our body shop team. In his free time, Xavier enjoys his time with his family.
Randol Langdale
Collision Repair Center Refinish Technician
Randol brings 36 years of experience to our team and has been with us since 1996. His boys are his pride and joy. An avid runner, Randol also enjoys hunting, fishing, and music.
Carlos Correa
Paint Technician
Carlos was born in Modesto, California but was raised in Waco. He graduated from Texas State Technical College and enjoys working on cars, especially getting to make them look new again. In his free time he enjoys fishing, playing soccer and music.
Thaddaeus D. Iglehart II
Collision Center Estimator
Thaddaeus is a graduate from TSTC with an associates in Auto Body Management. He enjoys helping people and spending time outdoors biking and fishing. He is a proud father of his daughter, Scyler, and loves hanging out with her.
Laramie Jowers
Paint Technician
Laramie was born and raised right here in Waco, Tx and graduated from Midway High School. He has a brother Toby. Laramie enjoys working on cars and painting. He loves paint work and helping customers leave in vehicles that are repaired right. In his free time, he can be found listening to music and going to concerts.
Jordan Osorio
Collision Repair Center Technician
Jordan is a Waco native that graduated from Texas State Technical College. He is married with 3 beautiful daughters and one son. He enjoys repairing vehicles and being part of a great team. In his spare time, he loves spending time with his family and especially loves big family gatherings.
John Staley
Collision Repair Center Technician
John is a Waco native that graduated from Midway High School. He enjoys his work because of all the challenges it brings. Outside of work he enjoys ATV's and bonfires.
Kenneth Tucker
Collision Repair Center Technician
Kenneth (Kenny) graduated from Texas State Technical College and has a wife and two kids. He enjoys repairing cars and trucks and helping his teammates. Outside of work he enjoys fishing, raising cattle, and spending time with his family.
Cameron Vazquez
Collision Repair Center Technician
Cameron is a Waco native and has his Automotive Technician certification through Texas State Technical College. He enjoys working on vehicles and making them look better than they did when they came to the shop. In his spare time, he loves spending time with his wife and son and playing video games.
Duane Laverty
Production Assistant/CRC Parts
Duane is a Waco native, graduating from Midway High School before attending Stephen F. Austin University. He has a degree in communication and photojournalism and was a photographer for 26 years. He and his wife, Dawn enjoy making music together, hiking and playing with their pets.
Jose Monreal
CRC Technician
Jose is originally from Austin but graduated from Waco High school. He enjoys fixing cars and learning new things. In his spare time, he enjoys going to car shows and spending time with his two children.
Cody Pollard
CRC Technician
Cody graduated from Gatesville High School and now resides in Lorena. He enjoys working at BK because every day is different. He enjoys spending time with his wife and two kids. In his spare time he enjoys fishing, hunting, and working with his hands.
Parts
James Buckingham
Parts Manager
James joined us back in 1995, and tells us he loves the family atmosphere at Bird-Kultgen. He's been married for a "very long time," has 2 grown children, and enjoys spending time on his farm taking care of his animals.
Jack Palmer
Parts Salesperson
Jack has been with Bird-Kultgen since 1972. Originally he unloaded our freight truck deliveries, but has spent the rest of his career working the front parts counter taking good care of our customers. If you are looking for a random part, Jack is your man.
Bobby Carrizales
Parts Salesperson
Bobby has lived in Waco his entire life. He is married with three lovely children, and is heavily involved in the city's little league baseball program. He has been with the dealership for over 32 years.
Richard Solano
Parts Salesperson
Richard has been on the Bird-Kultgen team for more than 37 years. He enjoys cycling and running at the dam. He enjoys watching the Dallas cowboys play.
Becky Kroll
Parts Salesperson
Becky has been with Bird-Kultgen for 26 years. She and her husband, Alton, of 43 years have four children, and five grandchildren. In her spare time, she loves to drag race, go horseback riding, and watching her grandchildren play.
Tony Carrizales
Parts Delivery
Tony was born and raised in Waco. He spends his time with his children and grandchildren. In his free time, he also loves to ride his motorcycle. Tony is the 4th member of the Carrizales family to also join the Bird-Kultgen family.
David Reed
Parts Salesperson
David is a "Car Guy" that loves being in the automotive industry and helping customers. He has a bachelors from Canadian Mennonite University and an associate in collision repair and refinishing from TSTC. His faith is an especially important part of his life and part of why he values the spirit of Bird Kultgen. In his spare time, he enjoys working on vintage cars and reading.
Annette Landrum
Parts Salesperson
Annette joined our team in 2014 after a career in management and HR with Lowes and PSG Security. She has 3 awesome children - Randy, Kristen, Jesse - and 2 beautiful grandbabies Mia and Zane. In their free time they love spending time together as a family, BBQing with friends, and watching their youngest compete in sports. Annette also loves traveling, being outdoors, watching movies, attending car shows, and shooting at the gun range.
Quick Lane
Robert Chollett
Quick Lane Manager
Robert has been in the automotive industry since 1998, when he started his career at Town West Ford as a lube tech. Over his career he has worked as a tech, service advisor, assistant parts manager, and service manager. In his spare time Robert loves camping, fishing, and spending time with his wife of 15 years, Jenny.
Mary Andrade
Quick Lane Advisor
Mary joined our team to help open our Quick Lane in 2015. She has been in the service field since 2012. She loves spending time with her three beautiful daughters, and when it's pretty they like to be outside at the park, feeding ducks, and doing garden work. Mary likes working at Bird Kultgen because of the family environment and enjoys treating our customers like family and helping them keep their vehicles in tip-top shape.
Tyler Douglas
Quick Lane Advisor
Tyler is originally from Glen Rose but now calls Waco his home. He attended school at TSTC and loves working with customers and helping them with their problems. Outside of work he enjoys spending time with his wife, Tiffany, son, Brody and daughter, Burkley. He also enjoys grilling, being outdoors and playing video games.
Aric Ingram
Quick Lane Technician
Aric is originally from California but has lived in Texas most of his life. He is a graduate from Texas State Technical College who enjoys tinkering with his truck. His favorite part about working at Bird-Kultgen is the family atmosphere.
Sebastian Barragan
Quick Lane Technician
Sebastian is a Waco native. He loves the wonderful team at Bird-Kultgen Ford and being able to serve the community as part of the team. In his free time, he enjoys walking in Cameron Park and eating Ice Cream.
Jose Guerrero
Quick Lane Technician
Jose graduated from Texas State Technical College and is a graduate of Waco High School. He enjoys his job because it allows him to relax and hang out with friends.
Aldo Angeles
Quick Lane Technician
Aldo is a Waco native who graduated from Waco High School. He enjoys working at Bird-Kultgen because of all the cars he gets to work on every day. When not at work he enjoys spending time with his friends and family. Also likes to work on his truck and enjoys to be out doing outdoor activities.
Beau Nelson
Quick Lane Technician
Beau is from San Marcos, Texas but currently attending TSTC and living in Waco. He enjoys working with his hands. In his spare time, he enjoys working on and modifying vehicles.
Miguel Enriquez
Quick Lane Technician
Miguel is a Waco native that graduated from Waco High School. He is currently attending TSTC and is very passionate about cars. He enjoys soccer, football, and playing guitar outside of work.
Cord Lott
Quick Lane Technician
Cord is from Fort Worth but currently attending TSTC and living in Waco. He enjoys working at BK Ford because of the atmosphere and his love for working on vehicles. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with friends and working on his car.
Alex Wilkinson
Quick Lane Technician
Alex is from Whitney, Texas and enjoys working with his hands. He enjoys spending time with his dog, Axel and riding his Harley. He enjoys working at BK because it allows him to learn and expand his technical knowledge.
Alberto Saledo, Jr.
Quick Lane Technician
Alex lives in Waco and is currently attending Texas State Technical College. He enjoys learning how vehicles work and using that knowledge to help people. In his spare time, he enjoys hanging out with friends, playing video games, building computers, and working on cars.
Michael Whisenhunt
Quick Lane Technician
Service
Jon Taft
Service Manager
Born in Temple and raised in College Station, Jon is an AGGIE at heart. He earned his automotive degree from LTI in Dallas, TX and has been in the automotive industry ever since. He joined the Bird-Kultgen team in 2016. He enjoys helping customers with his expert advice on their vehicles every day and loves spending time with his wife Keri, his son Bentley and his baby girl Swayzie.
Ashley Murray
Assistant Service Manager
Ashley is from Atlanta, Georgia and graduated from the University of Georgia in 2005. He loves meeting new people, taking on challenges, and helping others. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife, son, and their two dogs. He also enjoys going to car shows and races.
Steven Farris
Service Advisor
Steven is a master auto tech from Smithville, Texas and has a wife and 2 children. He enjoys interacting with customers and helping them get back on the road safely. Outside of work, he likes spending time with his family, fishing and auto racing.
Ray Dollins
Service Advisor
Ray is originally from Rising Star, Texas but now calls Waco his home. He enjoys meeting new people and helping to solve their automotive problems. Outside of work he enjoys spending time with his wife and two dogs. He also enjoys hiking and hunting.
Jake Hill
Service Advisor
Jake was born, raised, and graduated from China Springs. His wife and two kids and two dogs still live in China Springs. Jake loves talking to people and being a father. In his spare time, he enjoys working on old trucks and spending time with his family.
Angie Daily
Service Office Coordinator
Angie is originally from Wichita, KS but has been in Texas so long she calls it home. She is a mother of 3 beautiful girls and 2 active granddaughters. In her spare time, she enjoys being with her girls, volunteering at church, and is currently going back to school for family counseling.
Jessica Allen
Business Development Coordinator
Jessica graduated from Midway High School and is currently attending MCC. She enjoys the family atmosphere that makes coming to work fun. She loves her position because she gets to help so many people. Outside of work she enjoys art/painting canvases, traveling and spending time with her God babies.
Eduardo Esteban
Business Development Coordinator
Eduardo is originally from Corona, California and recently moved to Waco. He enjoys spending time with family and exploring Waco. He is a certified Lifeguard and former Water Polo player. He enjoys working at BK because he likes helping people.
Richard Crane
Shuttle Driver
Richard joined the team in 1993 and loves shuttling our customers wherever they need to go. He enjoys spending time with his Bird-Kultgen family and home family, fishing, and watching the Dallas Cowboys play.
Keith Cosby
Shop Assistant
Keith joined the Bird-Kultgen team in 1975. His talents and awesome personality make him well known as the friendly face of BK. He enjoys all good conversations, visiting friends, and spending as much time as possible with his adorable granddaughters.
Stephen Long
Shop Foreman
Steve attended school at TSTC and joined BK in 2005. He is a master tech and 2008 employee of the year. His oldest son, Charlton, is in the Air Force and his youngest son, Sterling, is in the Marine Corps. In his free time he enjoys his Bullitt Mustang and racecars, motorcycles, and traveling with his wife, Ines.
Wesley Leggett
Lead Service Technician
Wesley literally started his mechanical career as a boy- as soon as he could pull a starter string. He took mechanic classes in high school and college and now works at Bird-Kultgen with his dad and stepdad. "I am still amazed at the family-type environment here every day." Wesley got married in August of 2020 and has a son named Mason.
Caegan Michaels
Lead Service Technician
Caegan is originally from Comanche, Oklahoma, and has a degree from Texas State Technical College. He specializes in diesel repair and diesel performance. He enjoys solving problems, working on cars, and proclaims to be a Mustang Enthusiast. When he's not at work he enjoys spending time with his daughter and his wife, who is currently carrying their new baby.
Justin Hostetler
Senior Master Technician
Justin is originally from Pennsylvania, lived in Nebraska for 7 years, and graduated from Southeast Community College. Outside of work he likes going to the lake, hunting, fishing, shooting, going to car shows/races. Justin loves working on cars/trucks because it’s always a different problem and helps him learn more.
C.J. Huber
Senior Master Technician
C.J. is originally from Cincinnati and graduated from Southern State Community College. He enjoys working at BK because he likes working with his hands, problem solving and the great environment. In his spare time, he likes to golf, hunt, and fish.
Mark Yaussi
Senior Master Technician
Mark loves helping customers fix their Fords. We've been lucky enough to have him since mid 2007. When not working, he goes Jeeping across the Texas Hill Country with his family.
Ryver Head
Service Technician
Ryver is a New Mexico native. He has over 8 years of automotive repair experience. In his free time, he enjoys off-roading and motocross as well as other motorsports.
Bobby Moran
Service Technician
Bobby Moran joined us in August of 2014. He is a recent newlywed to his bride Carolynn and they have one son JD. Bobby's brother Randy is also a technician in our service department, and their dad David was also a technician here for many years. In his free time Bobby enjoys shooting, fishing, and bowling.
Tyler Niswanger
Service Technician
Tyler comes from a background running his own lighting business that he started in 2010. He was looking for a career change and his best friend and BK technician Wesley Leggett brought him to our team. Tyler has always enjoyed working on cars, and he has worked hard to learn how to the skills needed to keep our customers happy and running well. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and friends and family riding ATVs and listening to music.
Randy Moran
Service Technician
Randy has been with us since 1998. Randy has been married for 10 happy years, has 2 beautiful daughters and a son. On his free time, he enjoys watching any and all sports, particularly those Baylor Bears, and LOVES to BBQ.
James Webb
Service Technician
James is from Waco and graduated from Midway High School. He enjoys his job because it gets him out of the house. When he's not at work he enjoys building things, golfing, and partying.
Andy Rajkumar
Service Technician
Andy is from the twin islands of Trinidad and Tobago. He and his wife have three daughters. Andy loves working on engines and driving new cars. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his family and going on road trips.
Richard Smith
Service Technician
Richard is originally from Fort Stockton but now resides in Hewitt. He is a graduate from TSTC and likes restoring old cars and trucks. He enjoys working at Bird-Kultgen because he gets to help people with their car problems. Richard has a wife, two daughters and a grandson.
Jeremy Rey
Service Technician
Jeremy is a proud Waco native and Waco High graduate. He has over 12 years of experience helping customers keep their cars safe and running right. In his free time, he loves creating music and playing bass guitar.
Corey Tinnin
Mobile Service Technician
Corey is originally from Dallas, Texas and enjoys being able to help people. Outside of work he likes to spend time with family and friends.
Ben Reed
Service Technician
Ben is from Waco, Texas and has his degree from Texas State Technical College. He enjoys working at BK because there is always something new and the automotive industry is constantly changing. He claims to have started in this industry at age 8 when he started collecting Hot Wheels. In his spare time, he enjoys car shows, cooking and hanging out with friends and family.
Ines Potter Long
Service Support
All the way from the beautiful state of Colorado, Ines joined the BK Ford team in 2015 and is loving it. She loves to ride motorcycles with her husband Steve, who is a technician in our service department. She also has a deep love for animals. Ines helps shuttle customers and helps increase productivity.
Dusty Ives
Fixed Ops Administrator
Dusty was born and raised in Waco, Texas. She is married with 3 boys, 1 girl and a dog named Yoshi. She is a Midway and MCC alumnus and loves her career. She enjoys providing knowledge and expertise to the dealership and its customers. In her spare time, she enjoys riding dirt bikes.
Kody Franklin