Valley Ford sale to Keller now official

A sale between two Hanford car dealerships, Valley Ford and Keller Motors, has been finalized, bringing to a close a deal that's been in discussion for a decade. Keller Motors purchased Valley Ford earlier this year, but the deal didn't officially close until this week.

The deal has been in discussion on and off for the past 10 years, but the timing of the agreement didn't come together until April when Jon Keller, owner of Keller Motors, and Gary Ryan, founding father of Valley Ford, signed a deal with each other.

Afterward, Ford Motor Co. gave the deal a final stamp of approval.

The deal hasn't had a big impact on Valley Ford. The name of Ryan's former dealership remains the same -- Valley Ford -- and most of its 65 employees were expected to keep their jobs, according to previous reports.

Officials at Keller Motors declined to comment. Multiple attempts to contact Ryan this morning were unsuccessful.

(Aug. 8, 2008)