Connect LA Honors Mitch Harmatz at Annual Business to Community Awards Event

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) July 17, 2009 -- July 20, 2009 – San Pedro, CA – Connect LA honored Mitch Harmatz, owner of Plaza Automotive Center in San Pedro, California, as part of its seventh annual Business to Community Awards Event on July 15, 2009. Connect LA recognizes small and medium-sized businesses for their contributions to nonprofit organizations. Plaza Automotive Center provides auto service and repair in San Pedro and the surrounding communities.

Harmatz was nominated by Gloria Lockhart, president and chief executive officer of Toberman Neighborhood Center, for being a humanitarian business owner and for his outstanding service as a member of the Center’s Board of Trustees. The mission of Toberman Neighborhood Center is to provide individuals, families, and neighboring communities with educational tools and opportunities that empower people to grow toward moral, spiritual, and economic independence.

“Mitch gives his heart and soul to whatever he believes in, and he believes in supporting nonprofits in this community,” said Lockhart. “Mitch is always thinking of ways to help Toberman. During the holidays Mitch put out a wagon at his station and collected canned goods for our food pantry. He is always generous with his time and continues to provide financial support. This is our way of saying, ‘Thank you, Mitch, for all that you do for San Pedro.’”

Toberman Neighborhood Center is a member of Plaza Automotive Center’s Share Our Success community outreach program. Harmatz donates one percent of his San Pedro auto service and repair center’s gross receipts to local nonprofit organizations like Toberman Neighborhood Center so they can raise money for their many deserving causes.

“Our mission as a local business is to create a legacy of service in our community, and part of what I do is to make sure that local non-profits understand that they are partners in the business community,” said Harmatz. “Without successful local businesses there are no jobs and no funds for non-profits. Non-profits must be committed to creating a pathway for economic independence, and by partnering with the business community they can increase the odds of success. Independence is about jobs and education. Any honor I receive is a reflection of the hard work of the people I work with and those who support our business.”

Harmatz’ commitment to community service is rivaled only by the San Pedro auto service and repair he provides to his customers every day. His Comprehensive Car Care Program gives his valuable customers unparalleled service that ensures their vehicles are safe and consistently maintained. Key components of the program are predicting their auto service needs in San Pedro based on carefully maintained service records, helping customers plan ahead with automated service notifications, preventing problems before they happen, and prolonging the life of a vehicle with regular maintenance.

Located in the Park Plaza shopping center, Plaza Automotive Center provides auto service and repair in San Pedro for domestic and imports, including:
• Tire service
• Air conditioning service and repair
• Diagnostic services
• Brake services
• Heating and cooling system services and repair
• Transmission flush and fuel injection services
• Clutch, strut, and shock replacement and repair
• Electrical services
• Batteries and starting systems
• Tune-ups and oil changes

As the premier provider of auto service and repair in San Pedro, Plaza Automotive Center looks forward to serving both the community and its clients with outstanding service. “We want to help our community partners succeed and give our clients the superior, comprehensive automotive service they deserve,” Harmatz said. “Our goal is to help the people of the San Pedro community in any way we can, whether that’s donating money to a local nonprofit or providing the best auto service and repair in San Pedro.”

For more information about San Pedro auto service and repair, call 310.831.2888 or visit Plaza Automotive Center online at www.parkplazaautomotive.com.

About Plaza Automotive Center:

Plaza Automotive Center is locally owned and managed in San Pedro, California. Since 2001, Plaza Automotive Center’s commitment to its customers and community has gone beyond auto service and repair in San Pedro. As an active member of the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce, San Pedro Lions Club, and the Rotary Club of San Pedro, Plaza Automotive Center is committed to giving back to the community it serves. The company’s Share Our Success program reached its philanthropic goal in 2008 by donating over $10,000 to its community partners.

More information can be found online at http://www.parkplazaautomotive.com