Are you a first-generation dealer, or has your family been in the business for a while? If so, how long? I am a second-generation dealer. My father came to Griffin, GA, in 1975 and became a Chevrolet dealer. I joined him 10 years later in 1985 and remember serving Coca-Cola at our grand opening. I started on the sales floor; my father felt it was very important that I learned how hard it is to sell cars. I also helped with advertising and public and community relations. When I started, I had experience in retail, but it was fashion retail, so it was a different sell. It was a challenge. In retail, if someone comes into a clothing store, they can buy what they want to buy. But auto sales, with the financing fees and such, are much different. So many times, people want a vehicle they can’t buy straight out, so it’s a whole different range of helping them. In 1996, we bought the Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram dealership right across the street from our Chevrolet dealership. I was the dealer there, and it was kind of like a learning lab for me because my father would come over to oversee and guide me. When my father passed away in 2003, I became the dealer because I was his successor on the other lines, including Nissan. What are the issues facing the auto industry? I think the threat to the franchise system is the biggest issue — from the direct sales model or the agency model. This issue was kicked off a few years ago, with Tesla challenging the franchise model. The loss of the franchise system could be very damaging to auto dealers and the consumer. It’s a lose-lose. Not to mention our employees who are supporting their families and the local economy; the direct sales model has the possibility of taking it down in a 15 THE GENERATOR
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