Mark Gagne
Owner
Mark developed a love of cars at an early age, having received Hot Rod magazines for Christmas and spending his high school years in shop class and working on his 1969 Camaro. After high school, Mark attended UNH, where he received his BS in Business Administration. Promptly after graduation, he secured a position as a financial advisor in New York. After a few years and realizing that wasn't his dream, he returned home and got a position at a local Audi dealer as the "oil change kid" and loved every minute of it. He worked at the dealership for several years before moving on to a performance shop, tuning Audi's and Volkswagen's. Another few years passed and he decided it was time to take the leap and open his own shop.
Mark started East Coast European, LLC in 2006. the idea was to provide dealership level automotive repairs at a discounted rate, all while having a personal and friendly atmosphere. East Coast European started in a single bay of an industrial complex in Greenland, NH and now is a 4 bay standalone building in North Hampton. East Coast European moved to North Hampton in 2019 and changed their name to East Coast Automotive Sales & Service, to encompass all makes and models, not just European vehicles. Mark also wanted to start offering vehicles for sale as well as servicing them. It has always been a dream for Mark to have a shop on Rt. 1, and now he is living that dream!
Dillon started working for East Coast after graduating with a degree in Business Management from Keene State in 2009. After an internship with East Coast between Junior & Senior year, he realized there was potential for a long term career. Dillon enjoyed the work, the cars and the people. Having known Mark his whole life, since they are cousins, it was an easy decision!
Although his official title is Service Advisor, he wears many hats here. Between answering phones, creating estimates, scheduling appointments, helping with the day to day operations, and ordering parts, he is a busy guy! His favorite aspect of working at East Coast Automotive is being able to make connections with the customers, and being able to give them a unique and welcoming experience. Dillon has had the pleasure of meeting so many great people through working here at East Coast. He also really enjoys being able to work alongside some very talented mechanics, that are equally wonderful people. They make work fun, and that always helps!
If Dillon didn't work at East Coast, you might find him in Real Estate. He is a licensed Real Estate agent for the State of New Hampshire! Thank you Dillon for all you do here at East Coast Automotive!
Dillon Dickey
Service Advisor
Colby Garcia
Service Writer
Colby comes to East Coast with a sales and customer service background and has been working in customer service for years.
Like a lot of us, Colby got into car from watching Fast and Furious, specifically The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo drift. He also rode dirt bikes growing up.
So far, Colby like the environment as well as the people I work with and the customers of East Coast.
If he wasn’t working at East Coast he would be coaching hockey or fishing!
Welcome to the team, Colby! We’re happy to have you here!
Keith came to East Coast Automotive in September of 2022 after 20 years as a Master Guild technician and Assistant Shop Foreman at a local Audi dealership.
Keith first got into cars around the time he started driving. Between working on his dad's 1978 Trans Am with him, and modifying his first car, he knew this was the path he wanted to take. He took a tech class sophomore year of high school, and attended MST for automotive junior and senior year of high school. After that, Keith attended UTI in Chicago and graduated in 2002. UTI offered an undergrad program in specific manufacturers. Keith chose Audi, due to their racing heritage and performance aspects. Upon completion of 3 month program, he moved back to New Hampshire and began working at the Audi dealership, where he met Mark!
Keith eventually decided he wanted to be able to run a shop, and the timing was perfect for Mark to be able to offer that to him. After years of taking about it, Keith left the dealership life and came to East Coast. Keith really loves the laid back atmosphere, and how well they get along and work together.
If Keith wasn't a technician, you could probably find him working for his dad at his window company!
Keith Martin
Shop Foreman
Justice Brown
Technician
Justice came to East Coast Automotive after being recommended by his shop teacher at Portsmouth High School. He began as being a part time shop assistant in May of 2018. One short month later, he became full time. Justice watched and learned and eventually made his way from shop assistant to technician. His favorite part of working at East Coast is constantly having to think critically and problem solve. Being one of the youngest member of the team, he is often referred to as Jr., an endearing nickname given by Mark.
Justice has been into cars since he was a kid, but it wasn't until his second year in shop class that he considered making a career out of it.
If Justice wasn't part of the team at East Coast, you would probably find him as a technician in the Navy!
C
Cooper has been with East Coast Automotive since August of 2023. He started his first year at Seacoast School of Technology for Auto Mechanics in the fall of 2023, and just recently graduated in May of 2024. Cooper has been into cars since he was a very small child. Cooper and his dad started working on cars together when he was around 8 years old. He's been going to races with his dad since he was born, and his favorite place to visit is Lime Rock.
So far, Cooper's favorite thing about working at East Coast is the family feel to the shop, he already feels like he's worked there forever! He also is loving the opportunity to work in a specialized shop, on some pretty awesome cars.
If he wasn't working at East Coast, he would probably be working as a technician at Audi.
Cooper Schofield
Technician
Brant joined the team just last week and is settling in nicely. He comes to us as a Master Guild technician with just over 20 years of Audi experience. He also has is HVE certification, meaning he can service hybrid and electric vehicles!
Brant has been into cars, bikes & anything with a motor for as long as he can remember. His favorite thing about East Coast (so far) is the chill work environment and laid back atmosphere.
If he wasn’t working at East Coast, he’d probably be living on the beach or a boat, renting out jet ski’s and paddle boards 🤙🏼
Brant Geyer
Technician
Chloe
Morale Booster
Chloe is a 14 year-old rescue pup who joined the East Coast team in May of 2010. She was adopted from the NHSPCA after being found as a stray in Alabama. Chloe is a Catahoula/Beagle mix whose defining characteristics include double dew claws on both hind feet and one ground-glass blue eye and one brown eye.
At the shop, you can typically find Chloe on the couch in Mark’s office, sitting behind the desk helping Dillon, or stretched out in a sunbeam on the showroom floor.
When she is not keeping the guys company at the shop, Chloe enjoys time dozing on the couch at home. She also loves chewing on her bone and playing with her family and her little sister, Lola.
Lola is a 2-year-old puppy who came onboard at East Coast in April of 2023. She was adopted from Motley Mutts Rescue after being rescued in Mississippi. Lola is almost half lab, with some pit bull, boxer and American Bulldog sprinkled in. Her defining features are her amber-colored eyes and her goofy smile. She is an excellent jumper and a speedy runner.
At the shop, you can catch Lola playing with Tater Tot, or helping Dillon behind the desk with her sister Chloe. This summer, Lola is spending most of her time at home while her mom is on summer break so they can continue to work on training and deterring puppy behaviors.
Some of Lola’s favorite things to do include going on adventures in the car, walking with mom each morning, watching the squirrels and chipmunks (and dreaming of catching one), and chewing on anything she is allowed to (especially the treat-filled Kongs her mom makes for her).
Lola
Morale Booster
Tater Tot
Morale Booster
Tater Tot was born in Texas in the spring of 2023. He and his siblings were deemed the "auto litter" (fitting right?) and his first name was Mercury. He was transported north to Gal's Best Pal, a rescue out of Massachusetts, and was being fostered in Saugus. Keith and his wife Paige adopted him in July for their daughter's 7th birthday and chose to rename him Tater Tor since his color resembled the delicious food so much! He is incredibly smart, but also very timid. And boy is he fast! He loves to run and play with the other dogs here at East Coast and his sibling at home, Leonitus. We are so happy to have him as a part of our crew here at East Coast Automotive!
