Buick Club of America  
 Central Ohio Chapter

Director
John Marsh

Officers and contacts

Member Showcase

Meet Ralph Recchie

Family
Wife Lindsay and daughter Lillian "Lilly" (pictured)

Cars
Current Buick-project is a 1975 LeSabre Custom Convertible (pictured). Everyday drivers are always Buicks; I drive a 1995 Roadmaster Estate Wagon (LT1 V8) and my wife drives a 2003 Rendezvous CX. I am also (slowly) restoring two non-Buicks; a 1965 Bentley S3 and a 1979 Mercedes 6.9. Ultimately I would still love to have an early Riviera, as time, space and money permit.

Why Buicks?
My father was the General Manager of Saeger Buick. I really grew up around the Buick dealership. I worked there on Saturdays from the time I was 12 until I was out of high school. It was my summer job for 5 years as well. I worked in parts, service, used cars, business office, car rental and so on. My favorite job was working the auto shows because I new the product line inside and out. This kept the commissioned sales people on the showroom floor while I handed out their business cards to "shoppers" at the show. Although I really love (all) cars and would love to collect more, I never even considered a collection that did not primarily focus on Buicks.

What is your favorite Buick story?
The Buick I bought twice. Shortly before Saeger Buick was sold to Haydocy, I purchased at wholesale a 1989 Park Ave. Ultra (then 8 years old) from the used car dept. The car had slight front hood and headlight damage but otherwise was a beautiful and absolutely loaded car. The kids at the Columbus Public School's Northwest Career Center repaired and painted the damaged area with fantastic results.

A year or so later my friend Mark Hatch was running for Lt. Governor with Bruce Douglas. I took a few months out of my real estate sales life to travel with Mark everyday meeting people in every nook and cranny of the state. In every trip, regardless of winter weather we zig zagged the state in my now 9-year-old Park Ave. which now had well over 100,000 miles on it and looked like new. Although the campaign was unsuccessful, Mark fell in love with my Park Ave. after spending 3 months in it everyday. I reluctantly agreed to sell it to him under the condition that when he was finished with it, I had the opportunity to buy it back. Mark and his entire family really loved that car and treated it at least as well as I did.

A few years later Mark was ready for more of a utility vehicle for his family and called to see if I wanted to buy it back. I did not even flinch. The car now had over 150,000 miles was 12 years old, looked perfect and drove beautifully. I even took it on major vacations as it was still the most comfortable, reliable and efficient (31 mpg hwy) of any car I have ever owned. A few years later I sold the car and really do regret it. Every once in awhile I remember the car and wonder if I really should have done that. I actually know where the car is and that it is still running fine...maybe I will have the chance someday to buy it a third time.

Do you belong to any other clubs?
Other organizations, but no other automobile clubs. I have a hard time imagining a car club that is more inclusive, friendly and fun than the Central Ohio Chapter of the BCA.

What are your hobbies?
I love history and antiquity and seem to gravitate to them no matter what. My hobbies are our c.1877 house, 30-50 year old cars, wooden boats, antique collectables and furniture and travel. I know that travel seems out of place here, but I really love going places that have a history, the deeper that history the better. You will rarely find my heading off to the beach if there is some more historical endeavor to be found.

What do you do for a living?
I am the Director of Real Estate Development & Analysis for The Ohio State University. We oversee the real estate holdings and needs of the University's main campus, 5 regional campuses and dozens of facilities across the state (even some elsewhere in the nation).

See our other member showcases.