Meet Our Team

Beginning in High School, Jerry began to train on engine repair. After 3 years of High School Vo-Tech, he attended post-secondary education at a KY State Vocational Automotive School where he excelled to the top of his class, while also employed at a GM dealership as an apprentice. His superior skills led to an invitation to participate in VICA-Vocational Industrial Clubs of America. VICA invited Jerry to compete for a shot the number one Technician in the state and eventually the nation. After winning the regional, then KY statewide competitions, he advanced to compete against 51 other technicians from their respective states in the national competition. Jerry placed 4^th in the nation.

Upon graduation, Jerry received factory training through a local General Motors dealer where he was employed approximately 2 years. Jerry was offered a position with a local Ford dealership where he acquired factory Ford training over another 2-year period. Subsequently, he was offered an opportunity to factory train on Daewoo and Chrysler. After training extensively on all of these lines of cars through their respective manufacturers, Jerry was recruited to BMW & Mercedes-Benz of Bowling Green. He received extensive factory training with BMW, this included 3 months of onsite BMW Step School in Orlando, FL, intermittent weeks at BMW Spartanburg in Greer, SC, Cleveland, OH, Schaumburg, IL and Compton, CA, eventually becoming a BMW Master Technician. During the 7 years at the BMW dealership, the opportunity arose to work on the weekends at an independent shop, Plum Springs Garage. After working on the weekends for Plum Springs Garage, Bob Hayes, the owner, asked Jerry to work for him full time. This presented the opportunity to manage his own workflow as well as communicate with the customer about the vehicle being repaired. These opportunities were not possible at the dealership level.

Working at Plum Springs Garage for Bob Hayes provided knowledge and skill building not available through a corporate entity. Bob was a wealth of knowledge that could not be taught in a classroom, or in the confines of a dealership environment. After working with Bob for a little over a decade, Bob was killed in an accident, so Jerry took over Plum Springs Garage in May 2014.

Jerry has proven himself to be one of the best mechanics in the business. He has in-depth experience working with more than 20 lines of European Vehicles as well as Exotics and in the past 5 years Tesla. Jerry also has developed exemplary planning and development skills which has allowed him to personally create the shop of his dreams. After taking over Plum Springs Garage, he searched tirelessly for a building for 2 years, putting money away, eventually finding 5368 Scottsville Rd. Using his innate sense of efficiency, Jerry was able to lay out the design of the gorgeous shop that exists today. After months of research, meeting with equipment providers, and drafting different layouts, Plum Springs Garage became the vision it is today. Plum Springs Garage is furnished with the latest equipment, configured in the most optimal way to provide extremely efficient bays for our technicians. Plum Springs Garage was transformed into a state-of-the-art repair center. Focusing on European, Exotic and Tesla, has enabled the shop to continue to transform into a cutting-edge, modern service center. With the addition of the second shop, Jerry has done it again. Now we have room to grow, and service Bowling Green’s finest vehicles in a pristine shop, solely envisioned by Jerry.

After High School, Kelly fulfilled two enlistments in the US Army. Not long after returning to civilian life, she moved to Kentucky to pursue a life with Jerry. In 2003, she enrolled in WKU with a major of accounting. Upon graduation from WKU in the spring of 2008, she worked for a local corporation as a staff accountant for several years. Eventually Kelly had to step out of the workforce to care for her father, while running a very small tax preparing business part-time. In 2014, following a fatal accident involving the former owner, Bob Hayes, Kelly stepped into the role of running the business operations of Plum Springs Garage.

Kelly’s positions include all of the business operations from top to bottom. Plum Springs relies on her for more than we could list. In 2017, Kelly forged a partnership with a local non-profit Kentucky Kids On The Block. We are proud to continually sponsor the Kids On The Block Youth Board with a monthly automatic payment as well as offering a cash sponsorship of Jamie’s Shot Presented by Plum Springs Garage. This event is an annual golf scramble held in memory of Kids on the Block Co-founder Jamie Gaddie Higgins. In addition to donating monetarily, Kelly volunteers her time at each Kids On The Block event. 

If you are interested in learning more about this non-profit their website is located at kykob.org.

Lee is a cornerstone of Plum Springs Garage, bringing over 40 years of automotive experience and more than 20 years of dealership training as a service manager. Since joining us in 2016, his expertise in vehicle maintenance and repair, coupled with his strong leadership skills, has ensured top-quality service for our valued customers. Lee excels at keeping our workflow smooth, managing parts and inventory, and working up estimates, all while discussing them with customers. His unwavering dedication to customer care sets a high standard for our service team.

Lee has an extensive background in the automotive industry. His family owns and operates an auto repair center in Hartford, KY. He started his dealership career as a warranty administrator and was promoted to Service Manager within the year. Lee manages the technicians, handle customer relations, schedules appointments, prepares estimates, files warranty paperwork, and ensures industry compliance.

Lee is an invaluable asset to Plum Springs Garage! With his extensive experience and dedication, his ability to manage inventory, handle estimates, and maintain a high level of customer care truly sets him apart. His leadership skills and expertise in vehicle maintenance and repair make a significant difference in providing top-quality service for our valued customers.

On the weekends, Lee devotes many hours to his & his daughter’s race team, as well as maintaining the race cars. Owning a successful race team and spending time with his daughter has given him years of practical car knowledge that can’t be matched.

Doug has been a cornerstone of Plum Springs Garage since 1986, starting his career at the age of 18 under the mentorship of the original owner, Bill Curtis, and later Bob Hayes. These years of learning and training equipped Doug with a treasure trove of skills. His journey took him south to train and work at a Mercedes Dealership in Daytona Beach, where he further sharpened his skills. Returning home, Doug continued his career at Mercedes-Benz of Bowling Green, earning his Master Mercedes Technician certification. In the end, Doug came back to Plum Springs Garage to finish his career, bringing with him extensive experience with all European vehicles. His unwavering dedication and invaluable expertise make Doug an irreplaceable asset to our team.

George joined Plum Springs Garage in 2021, drawn to Bowling Green's vibrant car culture, he decided to move down south. Bringing a wealth of expertise from owning his own European Specialty Shop in West Virginia, George became an integral part of our team. George studied Auto Mechanics in High School followed by 2 years of Auto Mechanics Technology at United Technical Center. After graduating, George honed his skills at Star Motor Audi Clarksburg, earning both his Master Technician certification and ASE Master Certification. Over the years, he has gained extensive experience working on European and Exotic makes and models. Recently, George completed Hybrid/Electric Vehicle Safety Training. George's passion and dedication ensure that our customers receive top-notch service every time.



George is an avid car collector. His collection features Domestic as well as European vehicles. On the weekends, you can find George at the NCM Motorsports Park, Beech Bend Raceway, or one of the many car shows that Bowling Green offers. In the winter, you can find George working on his collection of vehicles. George’s love of cars and Bowling Green makes him a perfect fit for the Team at Plum Springs Garage.