OUR STORY
FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS
The history of Dynamic began as a love story in Mr. John Partipilo’s hometown of Bari, Italy. John was known around town as a proficient mechanic with a curious mind for mechanical systems. His pursuit of an engineering degree ended when he withdrew from college to support his Family: his father was serving during World War II. After the war ended, a young American woman named Mary came to town to visit her relatives. Mary and John crossed paths and formed a strong connection, spending much of Mary’s three-month trip together. Before she had to return home, John knew Mary was the one, so he proposed, and they married soon after. To spend the rest of their lives together, John stayed back and spent three months saving up to immigrate to the United States.
Once in the US, John struggled to find work. He was motivated and had great mechanical skills, but he didn’t speak any English. After countless interviews, John finally got the luck he needed: he met a service manager who spoke Italian. John was hired and quickly became one of the top mechanics. However, he knew that true success in America meant he had to learn English. Mary taught him to the best of her ability, but John’s true breakthrough came when he began reading “Joke Books.” John would study the Superman comic book, associating words with images to piece the language together.
Meanwhile, at the dealership, John recognized significant business opportunities in the automatic transmission repair market. Therefore, in 1955, John began “Super Automatic Transmission Co,” whose namesake honored Superman: “The man who taught me how to read and write. I would never have been able to begin my business without him.” Super Automatic Transmission was founded on high quality, Customer service, and competitive pricing. It was soon recognized as one of the best shops in Chicago—the ongoing demand creating the need for four locations around Chicago. With the size increase, John also saw a rise in the number of “come-backs:” unhappy Customers returning underperforming products. John’s passion for finding value drove him to invest in additional quality control equipment. With the help of his Team, Super Automatic Transmissions began remanufacturing high-quality torque converters. After resolving these concerns, his entrepreneurial spirit kicked in. He knew he had created something the market desperately needed.
In 1965, Dynamic Manufacturing burst into the automatic transmission scene. Our rebuild process was more advanced than anyone else’s. The torque converters greatly reduced quality concerns, and word traveled so fast that Dynamic became the preferred torque converter around. Over the next years, Dynamic transformed from a local Chicago business into a statewide one, then a mid-west regional, and ultimately, a nationwide business. Dynamic continued to expand, but our big break came in 1985.
General Motors visited Dynamic to establish a torque converter re-manufacturing operation. In 1986, we earned our first project with GM. We poured our heart and soul into it and got the recognition to match. After two short years, we worked with GM and expanded to re-manufacturing transmissions by building a state-of-the-art production operation. When the program concluded, expectations were exceeded, so Dynamic was granted its first long-term program. In the following years, Dynamic earned the trust of many other North American Automotive OEMs.
Although Mr. Partipilo passed away in 2006, his legacy lives on through Dynamic. As the quintessential example of the American dream, he touched the lives of his Associates. Today, Dynamic is owned and operated by the Partipilo Family. President Nancy Partipilo (John’s daughter) leads the organization and continues his leadership style and principles. The future of the Family business is secured by Chief Executive Officer Johnny Bellantuono (Nancy’s son), who is deeply committed to continuing his grandfather’s legacy while pioneering the organization into future technologies and new markets. As the business continues to expand, Dynamic is dedicated to delighting Customers with innovative products and services while investing in our Associates, Customers, and surrounding communities and environment.
