Dean Fitzpatrick Hall Of Fame Inductee Introduced By Gail Miller Congratulations, Dean, this is a recognition well-earned and well-deserved. Your career with the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies has left an imprint that will remain forever. Your work and your accomplishments are legendary. Let’s Recap Dean’s Journey In 1988, just nine years after we opened our first dealership, Dean was hired at the Larry H. Miller (LHM) Chrysler Plymouth store in Murray, Utah. At that location, he was the Finance and Leasing Manager and the New Car Manager. In 1995, he was asked to move his family to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, to become the General Sales Manager, where he served until 1997. After that, he came back to Utah and became General Manager at the Larry H. Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram store in Sandy. He held that position until 2010, when he became the President of the Larry H. Miller Automotive Operations. He was transformative in that position until 2022, when all the dealerships were sold to Asbury Automotive. He became an employee of Asbury Automotive before deciding to retire to spend more time with his family and explore other options. When asked to give some highlights of his career, he said: • He supplied turnaround leadership for an underperforming dealership operation by building and leading a team that transformed the operation into one of the most successful Chrysler dealerships in the country. • He developed team members and helped to provide deliberate opportunities for employees to enhance their skill set and progress in their careers. He personally cultivated eight group General Managers and supported others’ career growth into management positions within the organization. • The LHM dealerships experienced a near doubling of sales and significantly improved profitability through sustainable organic growth as well as aggressive M & A activities during his tenure as President. Dean’s employment with our group spanned 33 years, yet he only named three highlights. Granted, they are significant, but his record speaks for itself: we would not be the company we are today without Dean Fitzpatrick. He will always be regarded as a giant in our business. His quiet strength, his humility, his get-it-done attitude and his ability to guide and develop people stand out to me. It was comforting to have his knowledge of the automotive business and to know I could always could on him for honest answers to my questions and concerns. He never wanted attention for his accomplishments and avoided the spotlight, but everyone knew he was the backbone of our success. As I was visiting with my family and people he worked with, these were some of the things that stood out to them: Greg Miller, LHM, Vice Chair, Board of Directors, said: “Dean’s impact on the profitability and strength of the Larry H. Miller company cannot be overstated. His understanding of our culture and practices, as well as his ability to scale them, led to unprecedented growth in the decade or so he was the President of MAO … Dean personified quiet strength. Dean had a gift for establishing and developing healthy relationships with all of the automotive manufacturers.” Steve Miller, LHM, Chair, Board of Directors, said: “When I think of Dean, I think of a workhorse. I remember meeting him for the first time at 5780 South State in the Chrysler Plymouth building. Dad told me he was going to be ‘really good’. And he was. Dean was fair and honest. One of the best gifts he ever gave anyone was when he held them accountable for what they committed to. He never let anyone slide or get off easy. This often made him come across as a ‘hard-ass’, but in the end, it almost always brought out the best in people and made them better. Dean’s pedigree was remarkable too. He mentored a lot of our best people and turned them into our best GMs. When he was named President of MAO, our operations reached remarkable new heights. I always enjoyed working with him and trying to learn from him. He taught me a lot about the car business and life.” 6
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