WVADA recently sat down with Incoming Chair Charles Rashid to get to know him a little bit better. Charles Rashid currently has two dealerships, Charleston Mitsubishi and Clarksburg Mitsubishi. He is the dealer principal at Charleston, and his preferred job title is “entrepreneur.” Charles was born and grew up in Charleston, West Virginia. He earned a B.S. in marketing from West Virginia University but has said he still attends the school of hard knocks. He loves reading books and learning new things. The following is a recap of our conversation: How did you get into the auto dealer industry? I had always dreamed of being in the car business, and in 2007 I could finally pull it off financially — I purchased Logan Chrysler Jeep Dodge Suzuki. Are you a first-generation dealer? Yes. Who have your main mentors been? My father, Richard, and my Uncle LeRoy have been the two most influential people in my business and personal life. What are the three most important lessons you’ve learned? 1. Work hard and never ask someone to do something you aren’t willing to do. 2. Keep your head up no matter how bad it gets, and NEVER give up! 3. If you give someone your word, keep it. What is your most important business success so far? I’ve been blessed with many businesses, but my most important success has been surviving the 2009 financial crisis and still being able to be in the car business after losing two dealerships to manufacturer bankruptcies. How did you become involved in WVADA? When I get into a new business, I like to learn everything there is to know about it, from attending meetings to working in every dealership department. Being on the board of WVADA is just a natural extension of knowing A Conversation with Incoming Chair, Charles Rashid wvcar.com 10 WVADA
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