When the Central Texas Hill Country was ravaged by severe flooding on July 4, Gunn Automotive Group didn’t hesitate to act.

By 8 p.m. that day, executives of the dealership group, which operates six dealership locations and a fleet management business in the San Antonio area, had already mobilized relief efforts, the company said in a news release.

Just three days later, Gunn launched Help the Hill Country, a citywide campaign with its stores as collection sites for donations of hygiene items needed by flood victims, in partnership with five area Cox Media Group radio stations.

Collection bins were placed at all of Gunn’s dealerships, and volunteers spent hours at each location, thanking donors and sorting items for quick distribution.

By the end of the week, the company said the campaign had collected more than 22,000 pounds of supplies, equivalent to about 88,000 individual hygiene items, including toothpaste, soap, shampoo, deodorant, feminine hygiene products and baby wipes.

The collection sites also filled requests by first responders for electrolyte powder, water bottles, socks, work gloves, chainsaw oil, mosquito repellent and high SPF sunscreen. One donor brought a box of 75 new axes for volunteers.

The donated items were delivered to four Hill Country locations directly supporting displaced families and flood victims: Misión Bautista Hispana de Comfort in Comfort, Center Point Methodist Church in Center Point, Christian Assistance Ministries in Kerrville and Hill Country Daily Bread in Boerne.

“Our Hill Country neighbors needed help, and the San Antonio area community responded with heart,” Gunn Automotive CEO Sean Gunn said. “The generosity we’ve seen at all of our dealerships reminds us that when disaster strikes, Texans show up for each other.”

The dealership group has been serving the San Antonio area for more than 100 years, beginning as a horse-drawn wagon business. The company said its philanthropic initiative, Gunn Gives, has donated millions of dollars to nonprofit organizations throughout the community.

Gunn said information about how to contribute to ongoing recovery efforts is available by contacting Melody Goeken at (210) 315-4655.

Von Housen is back with acquisition of San Francisco Ferrari store

A familiar name Sacramento, Calif., has surfaced in a big way in San Francisco.

Von Housen Automotive Group announced it has acquired Ferrari of San Francisco, returning to the luxury-car dealership business after selling off its three Sacramento Mercedes-Benz stores in December 2022.

In a news release, the company, headed by owner and dealer principal George Grinzewitsch Jr., touted its “impressive record of success and deep understanding of the industry.” Von Housen had been selling cars in Sacramento since George Grinzewitsch Sr. opened his first dealership in 1961.

“We are honored and excited to be part of the Ferrari family,” George Grinzewitsch Jr. said. “As a client of Ferrari of San Francisco for over 20 years, it is truly a dream come true to represent the finest automotive brand in the world.”

Grinzewitsch began his automotive career at age 12 during summer breaks, and has held every position in a dealership. He became general manager at 27 and served six terms on the Mercedes-Benz Dealer Board, becoming its youngest chairman at age 40.

His son, George Grinzewitsch III, is a partner in the newly acquired store and will serve as GM, having previously as vice president and GM of the group’s Mercedes dealerships.

“The future of the dealership rests on strong leadership, a commitment to excellence, and client satisfaction,” George Grinzewitsch III said. “Experience and innovation will blend to create a dynamic approach that reflects Ferrari’s values. The team is poised for growth and success under our ownership.”

Sacramento Business Journal reported Von Housen last year acquired a property Arden-Arcade, in the Sacramento area, where it plans to open a dealership to sell and service pre-owned luxury vehicles.

Group 1 to celebrate grand opening of its new acquisition

Group 1 Automotive is hosting a grand opening event at one of its newest dealerships.

Mercedes-Benz of South Austin will celebrate its new era as a Group 1 store Monday, the dealership group said in a news release. Group 1 announced in May it had acquired the store in Austin, Texas, from Swickard Auto Group.

The grand opening event is scheduled to begin with a ribbon cutting at 5:45 p.m., and will include food, entertainment and dealership tours.

“During my decade of managing Group 1 luxury auto dealerships, I’ve witnessed the extraordinary impact that Group 1 makes on a dealership and the entire community,” Mercedes-Benz of South Austin general manager Mo Saleh said. “Group 1 has a philosophy that the car business is a local business and we’re enthusiastic about bringing that approach to South Austin by providing the highest levels of customer service.”

The dealership, which opened in late 2023, features Mercedes’ next-generation layout and design, which Group 1 said emphasizes luxury, sophistication and a modern customer experience.

The 10-acre site includes an 80,000-square-foot facility, 40 service bays and 28 electric vehicle charging stations.

Group 1 president and CEO Daryl Kenningham and Mercedes-Benz USA CEO Adam Chamberlain are scheduled to attend the ceremony and speak on the importance of the acquisition to Group 1’s business strategy.

“Mercedes-Benz of South Austin aligns well with Group 1’s strategy of acquiring high-performing luxury dealerships,” Kenningham said. “Mo Saleh’s noteworthy history with Group 1 speaks for itself, and we couldn’t be more excited about what lies ahead in the South Austin market.”

Group 1 operates 259 dealerships and 39 collision centers in the U.S. and U.K.

The company also announced Mercedes-Benz of South Austin has donated $10,000 to the Abigail E. Keller Foundation, an Austin-based nonprofit organization that supports medically fragile and terminally ill children through their journey at the end of life.

The foundation’s long-range vision is to design and build the first pediatric respite and hospice facility in Texas.