Russ Hudson is the founder and owner of Hudson Automotive GRiP Auto & Tire.

Born in Penticton, BC, Russ grew up in Cloverdale and graduated from Lord Tweedsmuir High School in 1984. He spent the next four years in an apprentice training program and working at a small garage in Clayton to become a Red Seal Canadian Certified Technician/Mechanic at the young age of 21.

After working a few more years at Cloverdale Shell, Russ decided to open his own shop in Langley in March of 1991. It was a very small humble beginning with only one bay beside the Bunsmaster Bakery on the Langley Bypass, but with strong determination and great customer service, the business grew quickly and expanded into neighbouring bays twice. By the summer of 2001, the business needed the next step, and that was moving into its current location at the corner of the Langley Bypass and Fraser Hwy. Since then, 4 additional bays were added to make it 9 in total.

Something that Russ learned from his many hours of business training and programs was that to be successful, he had to move out of the bays and off the front counter, and into a management role. He has been able to find and train some of the best technicians and service advisors around. And empowering them to be the best that they can be has allowed the business to continue to thrive and grow. You may not see Russ every time you visit the shop now, but he sees everything that happens on a daily basis and makes sure each and every customer receives the highest level of customer service possible.

Russ is also a proud member of the Elite Pro Service, a network of 90 Automotive Shops across Canada and the USA, which strives to be the best in every way. He travels 3 times a year to visit other members shops and give them strategic advice on improving their businesses. The experiences are invaluable to Russ and is always a highlight of his year.

He also serves on the Kwantlen Polytechnic University apprenticeship advisory board for the Automotive Service Technician training program, and previously served on an automotive advisory board at British Columbia Institute of Technology. He has been a longtime board member of the Automotive Retailers Association, a trade group representing the needs of automotive-related businesses in B.C., this has involved him with many meetings regarding Air Care and Government Inspection Programs.

Married with three young boys, Russ is an avid hockey fan, enjoys golfing, and is a muscle car owner and restorer. “We’re proud to be the Top Shop in our area and offer the best warranty and best service in our industry,” Russ says.