Erick Anderson 2025 TIME Dealer of the Year Nominee Throughout his career, Erick Anderson, president of Placer Motors, has always gone above and beyond. Whether it be his focus on treating the customer right, giving back to the community he loves, or helping his fellow dealers by actively serving on the board of MTADA, Erick exemplifies what it means to be a TIME Dealer of the Year nominee. Erick was nominated by his fellow dealers for this prestigious award. We recently had the opportunity to speak with Erick. The following are excerpts from our conversation. How did you get into the business? As a child, I could be a real pain in the neck. Because of this, my mother would often send me to work with my father. He would put me to work at the dealership to keep me out of trouble. I would help by washing cars, pulling weeds or whatever was needed. I was around 10 years old then, and, even though I wasn’t supposed to, I would drive all by myself to make deliveries. Things were just different back then. I liked being around all the activity of the car business. It was fascinating watching the technicians work on cars. Back then, the guy with the biggest hammer was your best technician. I spent hours watching them hammer on things, trying to get them apart. I continued to work at the store through high school, up until I went to college. My first attempt at college didn’t go well, so I returned to work at the dealership. I remember George Buchanan, one of my mentors and a pretty blunt guy, asking me, “What the hell are you going to do now that you’ve flunked out?” I told him that I didn’t know. He made a phone call to a friend and said to me, “You need to head to the Department of Highways building and meet with so-and-so.” I met with him on a Thursday and started work the following Monday. I worked there for three years and absolutely loved it, but I was a seasonal employee. I would work for nine months, then they would lay me off during the winter. During the off months, I hunted and skied until they rehired me. It was an awesome existence. But when they offered me a full-time job, I started envisioning myself sitting on the side of the road, in a field office at the dead of winter, doing nothing. At that point, I decided I needed to get my life in order. I went back to college and graduated in three short years. I went to work, selling cars at my father’s dealership, and I really liked it. Things just clicked from there. I worked in service and finance, and eventually everything came full circle. Today, I am the president and owner of Placer Subaru. What is the most rewarding part of your career? Honestly, it’s the big picture: having a stable business that my employees and the community can count on. When I go out into the community, people are always friendly, saying, “Hello,” and giving me a hug or a handshake. And that’s the rewarding part: People recognize that you’re not just a business; you’re a positive part of the community. 18 MONTANA AUTO DEALER
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