opportunity, and we worked seven days a week to achieve our vision.” Today, the company represents 10 brands, including Buick, GMC, Nissan, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Toyota, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram. The stores are all in one location in Dixon. Curia also credits his success to the commitment that he and the company have consistently made to local nonprofit organizations. He is proud of his partnership with Sauk Valley Community College (SVCC) Auto Technician Program for which he provides internships and scholarships to students who complete 100 hours of community service before their high school graduation. “We have gained so much from being a part of Dixon’s strong community that we find it is imperative to give back,” he says. Together with his sister Sherri Cooper, Curia has partnered with the Dixon Family YMCA to honor their father by sponsoring the Joe Curia Memorial Golf Outing for nearly 30 years. This annual event raises funds for the group’s Strong Kids Campaign, which helps low-income families afford YMCA programs. Other organizations he is involved with are the Dixon Petunia Festival, Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital, where he’s a current board member, Dixon Police Department K-9 Patrol Unit, Kreider Services, which offers support programs for people with disabilities, Saint Patrick Catholic Church, United Way of Lee County and many others. Curia looks forward to the future of the company since his children have become involved. His son, Jamie, is currently overseeing the purchase of inventory and internal operations, and his daughter, Mandy, manages employees, marketing and customer service. Both successfully completed the NADA Academy and are ready to help their dad take the dealership into the next generation. “I’m confident that they are very capable of running the business one day,” Curia explains. “But I still feel like I have some gas in my tank.” Rick with IADA Executive Director Joe McMahon and TIME Quality Representatives The Curia family
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