Around that time, his father became a partner in a dealership, and the two planned on working together. Unfortunately, his father was involved in an accident and passed away a few months later. The decision was made to sell the partnership back, so his mother did not have to work. John went to work with a different auto group. The lessons he learned growing up and his father’s good example served him well. Today, John is the general manager of Kearny Mesa Ford and Kearny Mesa Kia in San Diego. He is also just beginning his term as the 2024-2025 chairman of the New Care Dealers Association San Diego County (NCDA). We recently had a chance to sit down and talk with John about his thoughts on life, his chairmanship and the industry. The following are excerpts from our conversation. Do you have a favorite quote? “That which does not kill us makes us stronger” is my favorite quote. Ironically, it fits our industry well because we are very resilient. Sometimes situations knock us off course — like COVID or the recent cyberattack — but we as dealers adapt, learn, grow and become stronger from these experiences. At this point, the industry is very prepared for another pandemic. But for many, including my dealership group, this is the first time being involved in a cyberattack. There is nothing I can do to get us out of this mess. The only thing I can do is to control the controllable. As a leader, I can keep a positive mental attitude with the team, show up and work through this alongside them and with them instead of telling them what to do. In short, lead by example. What are the two or three most significant issues facing the auto industry? Cyberattacks are definitely at the top of my list based on our most recent experience. High interest rates for both customers purchasing vehicles and dealership flooring are also a problem. Additionally, coming out of COVID manufacturers aren’t entirely building cars at full speed yet, so managing inventory can be challenging at times. Another big issue is EV pricing, servicing and facility improvements, which have been very costly. Many dealers have put up EV chargers, and it is sometimes a struggle to find someone to fix them when they are down. There are also several unanswered questions: Are we going to hold the power grid, and are we going to have as much power as we need based on what we know about the fast charge and the slower charge? Also, will we have the needed infrastructure on site for the facility to keep up with the demand as we progress through EV sales? We need to work closely with our OEMs to address this. Why is the franchise system still the best way to sell cars? The franchise system creates competition amongst dealers, allowing the customers to get the best deal possible. It also leaves customers with the choice of who they want to do business with. Another piece of why the franchise system is good for the community is the dealers’ relationships with local businesses and charities. Our industry, on the NCDA.COM 9
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