What first got you into the auto retail business?
When I was 15 years old, I bought an old car, fixed it up and sold it out of my parents’ front yard. Then I bought others and did the same thing and ended up opening a used car lot in Akron, Ohio in 1962. My monthly rent was $25. In 1965, while still owning a used car dealership, I opened a Honda motorcycle dealership because I wanted to get the Honda car, but first ended up with 14 motorcycle dealerships in Ohio.

When did you buy your first dealership?
I bought my first dealership in 1972. It was Honda, and I bought it from a Ford dealer in Akron, Ohio for $6,500. He sold 24 cars the year before, and I sold 103 in my first month in business and became the largest Honda dealer in the country that first month and the first dealer ever to sell over 100 new Honda’s in one month.

In your tenure as an auto dealer, what is the one accomplishment you are most proud of?
Getting the largest planning volume open point Honda has ever had in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 2001 and becoming the World’s largest dealer our first month in business selling 734 new Honda’s. Then setting the all-time World sales record of 1,222 Honda’s in one month.

Who was the biggest influence in your career?
My wife, Rita. She knew the Service, Parts and Accounting part of the car business. I mainly focused on Sales and Marketing.

How does legislation impact your business? What federal issues most affect your business and its bottom line?
All of our dealerships are import franchises so anti-import legislation can have a dramatic impact on our business.

How are you active in your local community?
We are very active in our community, sitting on several boards from charity boards, university boards, bank boards, sheriff’s board and county improvement board. We’ve spent over 20 years on the Board of the Boys & Girls Clubs and helped grow them from three clubs serving 1,500 kids with an annual budget of $1 million to thirteen clubs serving 13,000 kids with an annual budget of $10 million. Over the last 20 years, we have created several charity events that raise over $8 million of the annual budget including the Yachting Rendezvous we started 20 years ago that alone nets $5 million a year. We chose the Boys & Girls Club as our main charity because it helps less fortunate children get a career and have a good life.