Butch Oustalet started in the auto business in 1969, working at his dad’s Ford dealership in Gulfport, Mississippi, first as a service writer, and then after about a year, he became the service manager. Shortly after that, he became a salesman in that dealership and did so well that he was promoted to sales manager before becoming the general manager. His father was committed to helping the community and Butch saw first-hand the positive impact that made. Butch explained, “While my father’s work ethic and unwavering dedication to his customers greatly inspired me, it really was his spirit of giving that impacted me most.” On April 1, 1984, Butch bought out his father and took over the family business. Over the next 54 years, Butch’s dealerships grew to great success. Butch prioritized giving back to the community in many ways and his passion for supporting and caring for others never wavered. As part of supporting the community, Butch and his dealerships played an active role with the Mississippi Automobile Dealers Association (MADA). “I’ve done it all,” Butch said. He served as secretary-treasurer, chairman-elect and finally chairman. He was also selected to be the NADA representative from Mississippi and on the board of the Dealer Council. “Normally, board members serve for four years but I served 12 years,” Butch recalled. He also served on the Ford Credit Advisory Board. In 2023, Butch sold his dealerships and instead of retiring, he dedicated himself to continuing his family’s legacy of helping and giving to others. The day he sold his dealerships, Butch said, “Today is the first day of my new life.” He may not be greeting customers anymore, but Butch is actively involved in caring for his community and is more excited than ever to focus on helping others through the Butch Oustalet Foundation. BUTCH OUSTALET FOUNDATION “When I sold out a year ago, I realized that I had to make a decision about the rest of my life. I knew I wanted to spend my time helping people,” Butch said. “God has blessed me in many ways and I felt like it was my responsibility to make sure that I helped as many people as possible, so I started the Butch Oustalet Foundation. This is not about me, it’s about God.” The Transformative Power of Generosity 8
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