“My Dad, Frank, used to always say, ‘There’re three things you do: you take care of your community, you take care of your customers, and you take care of your employees. If you can do those three things, you’ll be very successful.'” said Ron Fornaca, President-Dealer Principal of Frank Subaru and Frank Hyundai. The Fornaca family knows the secret to success. They’ve been running thriving businesses in the San Diego area for over a hundred years. The family’s success can be traced back to what Ron’s father called the three pillars of success. “His driving force defines us all,” said Ron. Ron entered the car business when he was 12 years old. It was the first day of summer, and his dad walked into the boy’s room and said, “Get up! You’re coming to work with me at the dealership this summer.” That was Ron’s first day in the industry. He spent the summer as a lot porter who washed cars when necessary. Later, when he was 18, Ron worked in the parts and sales departments. However, Frank got into the automotive industry in 1965. During that time, he and his brother, Felice, were running the bakery business their father (Ron’s grandfather), Mario Fornaca, started in 1912. Ron’s mom, Mary, was in the market for a new car and was considering getting a Lincoln. While shopping at the local dealer, they had a terrible experience. And Frank realized he could do it better and treat people better, so he purchased the dealership. That is how Ron’s family got into the business. Ron Fornaca graduated from the University of San Diego High School. He studied business in Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University and graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in 1984. He worked at the family bakery until 1996, then returned to Frank Motors Group. “Taking care of our customers, working with family and building on my father’s legacy is the most rewarding part of my career,” said Ron. “By taking care of customers, we build our dealerships, we continually grow and have the ability to give back to our community. It’s really nice to see happy customers and happy employees. Currently, over 12% of our employee base has been with us for over 20 years. Additionally, we work with many different community partners giving something back throughout the year. Doing all this with family you love is very rewarding.” There was a moment when running the business with his father’s legacy in mind became his driving force. When he made decisions, he sometimes sat back and asked, “What would dad do?” Frank’s driving force defines Ron and his employees. 2022-2023 NCDA Chairman Ron Fornaca: A Customer Service Heritage 6 San Diego Dealer
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