15 continued on page 16 try to help them navigate around some of the obstacles and brick walls that I encountered. We speed up their career path. From a personnel standpoint, the car business is attracting a different type of person too. Many are college-educated and are looking to make the car business their career. Many are looking for a work-life and family balance. They want a 40-hour-a-week job, so they can have a better life balance. In my opinion, working tons of hours is not the future of the car business. I refuse to work 70-80 hours a week, and I don’t ask for those hours from my staff. I want them to have a healthy family life. I want them to be at children’s games and recitals. When my children were young, I missed a lot of that. I am making up for it now. I don’t want anybody to miss out on those family times. The car business has had a high divorce rate. When you are at the office all the time, something will suffer, and it will probably be your family. What is the most rewarding part of your career? To see the growth in those that I’ve worked with. It bothers me to see somebody struggling financially. I know how it feels to struggle. I remember budgeting myself for three meals a day on $10.15. I am fortunate to be around a lot of good people, and I can look and see what our impact has been in the community. Maybe a customer made some bad decisions or has had a tough time. Buying a car may not be the best thing for them right now. It may be getting an item fixed on their credit so they can qualify for a better loan. For me, it is not just about selling a car. When a customer is in a bad spot, I love when we are able to put them in a better situation. It makes me smile every day. What do you think will be some of the auto industry’s dominant trends in the next 5-10 years? I think electric vehicles will be one of the main things. Most of the cars sold during the next 10 years will probably be electric, and the infrastructure will get much better for them. In my opinion, most dealerships will go to the one-price model. Some are already gravitating, and I am moving to that model myself. Many transactions will be completed online, but most customers will still want to come to the dealership to test drive and take delivery. More dealerships will be more like a boutique and won’t have 500 to 1,000 cars to choose from. Vehicles will be made to order. What is the biggest impact of being a VADA member? What makes it beneficial? VADA does a phenomenal job of building relationships with the leaders who regulate our business and is well-respected. VADA puts our issues on the State Capital floor and is right there to advocate for Virginia dealers. Also, VADA has a day where we all gather at the state capital and meet as a dealer’s association with all the leaders and senators. We sit down, get to know them, and tell them our issues directly. In my opinion, we have one of the best dealers associations in the country. Are you involved in any civic or charitable organizations? Yes, I’m on a few boards: The Elder’s House, the Chesapeake Public Library, Hampton Roads Automobile Dealers Association (HRADA), Motor Vehicle Dealer Board of the Commonwealth of Virginia (appointed by Governor Terry McAuliffe,) the National Dealer Advisory Board for Nissan, Nissan Mid-Atlantic Regional Dealer Board, Chesapeake Forum, the Virginia Automotive Dealers Association (VADA) Board of Directors, and the Chesapeake Regional Health Foundation Board Member. Looking back at your career and life, please list three things you have learned and would like to pass on as a mentor to others within the auto industry. Learn the job you want before you get the job. Long hours are not always the recipe for success. You should work smarter and never be content. What does the TIME Dealer of the Year nomination mean for you? It really is a big deal, but the award is not just for me. It’s for the entire dealership. We touch the community together. I am grateful to give back to the community that has been so good to me, my family, and the staff. I didn’t realize how big it was to be nominated until I saw the community’s reaction. Then I looked at the nominees, and I said, “Wow, I’m in tall cotton here.” I was humbled to be honored. There are so many good dealers in Virginia and the United States, and to be recognized as one of them is quite an honor. It’s still hard to believe. Was there an “aha” moment in your career that defined you? It maybe isn’t an “aha” moment, but the thing that started me was in 1997 when I had my first general manager job in Rock
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