During Ron’s time at Frank Subaru, the dealership has gone from a small one with a 400-name database to one with more than 5,000 names. There are 40 state-of-the-art service bays, two customer lounges, a dog park and other amenities for customers. The employees are excellent at what they do, and there is a strong emphasis on excellent service. Frank Subaru also has top customer ratings on Yelp and Google; plus both Frank Subaru and Frank Hyundai are J.D. Power Dealer of Excellence award winners. Where cars and trucks are concerned, Ron has simple tastes. He put 316,000 miles on a 2004 Toyota Tundra truck, and when his family told him he had to replace it and get something that wasn’t likely to break down on the side of the road, he replaced it with a 2018 Toyota Tundra. Although he did drive a six-speed Porsche 911 that came into the dealership on trade in 2011, he didn’t drive it very long: it didn’t have cupholders for his morning coffee. Ron appreciates NCDA San Diego because it helps him keep up with ever-changing laws and trends. The association provides seminars and information so dealers can do business effectively. He acknowledges that the dealership business can be difficult and discouraging, but having current information, avoiding discouragement and being persistent make a difference. He recommends looking for small wins instead of a home run and always treating everyone with respect and dignity. In October 2018, Ron received national recognition when he was nominated for the 2019 Time Dealer of the Year award. The award, sponsored by Time magazine and Ally Financial, held its award ceremony in January 2019. And while Ron didn’t win the top prize that year, being recognized by Time, Ally, and his peers was a proud achievement. He explained then: “When you have good people, which we do, I am able to work ‘on the business’ rather than ‘in the business.’ Working on the business allows you to step back and see where you are going and where you need to go. When you work in the business, you are tied up with day-today time-consuming activities, and it allows no time for creativity and planning. A great day is when customers are being taken care of, employees are smiling, and you realize that this is what you planned for.” Service is still the foundation of Frank Motor Group’s success more than a century after Mario opened a French bakery. The Fornaca family has always understood the importance of customer service in any business, and everyone at the dealership knows that customer service is behind the company’s success. Ron values his time with his wife, Cathy, and their family. They have three children: Elise, Nick and Matt. Ron and Cathy like to watch Padres and Gulls games, go to Palm Desert (a family tradition Ron’s father Frank started) and spend time together. PUB YR 10 2021-2022 | ISSUE 4 7
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