his labor prove to be significant as two members of the network are on the TADA Executive Committee, and nine members are on the TADA Board of Directors while still participating in the program. As a third-generation auto dealer, Tim appreciates the importance of training eventual successors and providing them with the tools and knowledge necessary for success. Around nine years ago, along with Kathy Sims, the decision was made to make TADA Leadership Network summer events family-friendly. Dealers were encouraged to bring their children with them to help the next generation become familiar with the industry and have a little fun at the same time. Tim has great memories of cruising on a pontoon boat at Lake Lyndon B. Johnson with his three children, Katherine, Jacquelyn and Aaron. Or when he flew his children to Washington, D.C., to meet with NADA and elected officials on Capitol Hill. “It has been a labor of love for me to be at the table to make decisions that have an influence on the future of my family and the families of my fellow dealers,” said Tim. The Texas Leadership Network is more vibrant than ever, carefully preparing the next generation to take over and lead the industry forward. To learn more about the network from Tim and many other dealers involved in developing those coming up behind them, scan the QR code. https://youtu.be/ZoAMW2atrto Some people stumble upon their careers in a serendipitous, roundabout way, but for Tim, the automobile industry is in his blood. “I literally grew up in the car business and never once considered doing anything else,” Tim said. As a third-generation dealer, he carries with him a commitment instilled in him by his father, Milton Crenwelge. At 13 years old, Tim’s father had him start working at the dealership. He began by washing cars and eventually worked in every department except sales by the time he graduated high school. In 1979, while Tim was in college, his dad purchased the Chrysler dealership in the neighboring town of Kerrville. During the summer months and holidays, Tim worked there and learned the sales side of the business. He returned to the dealership full-time after graduation in 1981 from the University of Texas in Austin. Tim went on to attend the Chrysler Dealers Sons and Daughters Dealer training program in Detroit, Michigan. His dad then purchased a third dealership in Fredericksburg, Texas, and Tim was named general manager of the Kerrville store in 1982. In that same year, Tim purchased the local GMC dealership and became the youngest GM dealer in the U.S. at the young age of 23. “The catalyst in my career, both personally and professionally, came shortly after I had returned from college,” explains Tim. “While Dad owned the Chrysler dealerships in Fredericksburg and Kerrville, he learned of the opportunity to purchase the local Buick-Olds dealership in Fredericksburg. As part of the franchise application, a zone interview was scheduled. Dad asked me to join him. During the meeting, I kept answering the questions. At one point, the zone manager said, ‘Young man, I am talking to your father and if I award this franchise, it will be to your father.’” “My dad stood up, thanked the man for his time, and said, ‘Come on, son, let’s go.’ The man said, ‘Wait, I’m not finished.’ My dad then said something that I have never forgotten and moves me to this day. ‘Sir, you don’t understand. We’re a family, and we work together. When my son is speaking, that is me speaking. We’re a team. And if that is how you operate, with all due respect, I don’t think I want this franchise,’” recalled Tim. “I thought my dad was blowing it, but the man told him he was just the type of dealer he wanted. My dad taught me that commitment to family and community is the most important thing. This is the business model I follow and is what has gotten me where I am today,” he said. Tim’s father, Milton, and mother, Mickey, demonstrated their commitment to the community and automotive industry in many ways. The Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce honored them in 2009, with his dad receiving the Chamber Man of the Year award and his mom receiving the Community Achievement Award. On the automotive side, Milton served on the Texas Chrysler Zone Dealer Council and Dealer Advertising Association Board before stepping back and allowing Tim to run for the Advertising Board in 1984. Representing 11 DEALERS’ CHOICE
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