By now, many of you know that the Held Bus Company that services both Wanamingo and
Kenyon has been sold to a company called Minnesota Coaches. Jon and Mary Held
have been running the family business for the past 18 years. Before that, he worked
with his father who owned Held Chevrolet, purported to be the longest running
Chevrolet dealership in the world at the time. Jon worked with his father, Howard at the
dealership, and his dad purchased the bus service and is still running it out of Kenyon.
On June 1, 1992, Jon and his dad decided to end their Chevrolet franchise. Jon began
selling vehicles on a lot where the new dollar store currently stands. They also serviced
all domestic vehicles in a full-service location downtown where Held Bus Company now
operates out of. They called it Held Auto Center. In that space, they employed three
mechanics, a parts man, and his mom and dad. Howard and Mardell Held operated the
location. That’s a real family business! He still worked at the bus company, too. In 2007
he went full time into the bus service, greeting students twice a day with the kids of
Kenyon-Wanamingo schools.
When Jon speaks, it is totally apparent that he loves being with the students on a daily
basis. The kids see Jon as a friend, not just a bus owner. There is a great “feel good”
article online at Kare 11 News about Jon and how he goes above and beyond in his job.
People tell me he is the first person to help out families in need and is a very generous
member of the community. He does special things for the kids like handing out a piece
of candy to his charges on Friday. Once a young boy asked Jon if he could try on his
“signature red hat”, and the next thing you know 144 students were proud owners of
their own red hats. “Best money I ever spent”, says Jon!
The parents were concerned last spring when they heard about a possible sale of Held
Bus Service. They wondered if their kids would have the same great experience with
another bus company, and many came to Jon to ask him about this. After a lot of
negotiating with Minnesota Coaches they finally settled on a deal. Jon and his crew of
experienced drivers would stay on as employees and Jon would retain ownership of the
building downtown. “At first, I wasn’t too sure about the way things were going”, he said.
“But now I believe things happen the way they were supposed to”. He even had to apply
for his job, and now gets a salary. So, this story has a happy ending. It will be business as
usual for Jon and his crew and I’m sure the kids who get to ride the bus are happy as well!
