James Leslie Dandy, a prominent and prosperous young representative of the automobile business in Utica, is the president of the Mohawk Valley Motors, Incorporated, which he organized in 1920. He was born at Morley, St. Lawrence county, New York, on the 16th of October, 1890, his parents being Joseph Henry and Julia Sophelia (Teuton) Dandy, who still reside at that place. The father has retired from business.
In the acquirement of an education James Leslie Dandy attended the grade and high schools of Canton and Ogdensburg, in his native county, and subsequently pursued a course of study in a business college of Rochester, New York. He gained his initial experience in the business world as salesman with the Yawman & Erbe Manufacturing company of Rochester, which he represented in that city and in Chicago as salesman and system expert during the years 1910 and 1911. Through the three succeeding years, as the representative of several large furniture manufacturing concerns of Grand Rapids, Michigan, he opened and developed territory all over the United States, manifesting exceptional ability as a salesman and organizer. It was in 1914 that he embarked in the automobile business with the Cadillac Motor Company at Ogdensburg, St. Lawrence county, New York, while in the following year he opened a small garage at Potsdam, in the same county, where he developed an enterprise of extensive proportions and also built up a successful wholesale business in automobile accessories. He disposed of his interests, however, to serve the government as an instructor in automobile training schools during the period of the World war.
Following his arrival in Oneida county in 1919, Mr. Dandy was first associated with the Brockway Motor Truck Company of Utica. Later he accepted a position with the Stowell Motor Company as its wholesale manager in Syracuse, but soon returned to Utica as branch manager for the same concern. In 1920 he organized the Mohawk Valley Motors, Incorporated, and purchased the Hudson, Essex and Packard branch, but in the same year disposed of the Packard account and has since devoted his attention exclusively to the sale of Hudson and Essex cars, his territory embracing five counties in the Mohawk valley. The officers of the Mohawk Valley Motors, Incorporated, are as follows: James Leslie Dandy, president; Otis F. Dandy, vice president; and William Frederick Coogan, secretary and treasurer. James L. Dandy is thoroughly familiar with every phase of the automobile business and has met with well-merited success in his undertakings.
On the 7th of June, 1916, Mr. Dandy was married to Miss Ruth Nixon, daughter of Frank T. Nixon of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Mr. Dandy belongs to the Masonic order and is also a popular member of the Yahnundasis Golf Club, the Utica Golf and Country Club, the City Club of Utica and the Potsdam Country Club. He has never deviated from the course which the world regards as right in the relations between man and his fellowmen and has always held closely to the rules which govern strict integrity and unabating industry. He is a live factor in his adopted city and his genuine personal worth has won for him the stanch friendship of many.