“My career in the automotive industry was the perfect training for service in the Senate,” he said. “Our business model of listening, gathering information, thinking, acting and monitoring outcomes, as well as our focus on relationships, not deals, applies well to public service.” overall success of the dealership,” he said. “This knowledge turned out to be very valuable when I became the executive manager in 1988, a position I held until I took over full ownership of Wilson Motor in 2009.” Today, his son Nate, daughter Paige Johnson and grandson Cooper have all joined the family enterprise. Wilson steered his business through the Great Recession, which hit right before he assumed ownership, by listening to customers and adjusting to circumstances as they arose. “We had to be willing to change and find solutions not only by focusing on what worked in the past, but on present realities and future opportunities,” he said. “This attitude positioned us well to respond to the pandemic, and continues to prepare us to confidently move forward in an era of uncertainty.” After his father passed away in 2016, Wilson reflected on the family’s legacy and decided he wanted to do more to serve the public. To that end, he ran for Utah State Senate in 2020 and was able to triumph over a 40-year incumbent in the primary before defeating his challenger. “My career in the automotive industry was the perfect training for service in the Senate,” he said. “Our business model of listening, gathering information, thinking, acting and monitoring outcomes, as well as our focus on relationships, not deals, applies well to public service.” Wilson’s work in the Senate will allow him to make a greater impact on infrastructure and planning, education, mental health and human services. “Utah is the fastest growing state in the nation and it is of utmost importance to unify public and government entities, businesses, education and private citizens to create a shared vision of smart, sustainable growth,” he said. Wilson is also a voice for his fellow car dealers and has been a board member of the New Car Dealers of Utah since 2014, serving as the group’s president, vice president, secretary and treasurer. “While I was president in 2019, we worked countless hours to defeat proposed sales tax legislation that would have had a significant negative impact on our industry,” he said. In the area of community service, Wilson supports local food pantries by providing Thanksgiving turkeys, purchasing refrigerator/freezer units and helping to establish schoolbased food pantries. In addition, he donated Pumper Cars to every elementary school in the Cache County and Logan City school districts. “These cars enable children with disabilities to participate more fully in recess and physical education classes, as well as help them safely navigate hallways,” he said. “Having a sister with special needs, there’s a tender place in my heart for organizations that help those with disabilities.” He also supports Common Ground Outdoor Adventures (maintains and repairs vehicles for the group that enables individuals with disabilities to engage in outdoor activities); Cache Employment & Training Center (services for people with disabilities); Little Lambs Foundation for Kids (provides comfort care kits and necessities to children in need), as well as local high school athletic programs, charity events and fundraisers. Wilson has served on the boards of the Cache Valley Chamber of Commerce, Pioneer Park Coalition and Envision Utah, to name a few. “I am committed to doing everything I can to secure the best possible future for my children, grandchildren and our community,” he said. Dealers are nominated by the executives of state and metro dealer associations around the country. A panel of faculty members from the Tauber Institute for Global Operations at the University of Michigan will select one finalist from each continued on page 10 9
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