EchoPark Automotive Tampa is about to get much more colorful, thanks to the creativity of local high school students.
The location, which is part of Sonic Automotive’s segment that specializes in retailing used vehicles, announced the winners of its student mural contest to celebrate cars and the importance they play in our everyday lives.
The goal of the contest was for art students at Howard W. Blake High School to develop designs for a mural on the exterior wall of the dealership.
According to a news release, 88 students submitted their visual interpretations of cars in today’s culture with a nod to Tampa.
The designs by the finalists were posted on Instagram for public voting. The artists for the top three designs with the most votes will be awarded a commission, and their designs will be blended into one mural.
The winners include:
Valentina Sarrin – 11th grade
Phillip Woodside – 11th grade
Vittoria Haynes – 11th grade
The mural will be painted by local artist Carlos Pons, and EchoPark Tampa partnered with Blake High School art teachers Molly Dressel and Linda Galgani to have their students participate in the contest.
“Community involvement is core to our business,” EchoPark Tampa general manager Todd DeVoogel said in the news release. “We felt that having a mural that was designed and executed by local students and a local artist would be a great project that interjects energy into the community.”
The painting of the mural begins this month and is expected to take 45 days to complete.
EchoPark Tampa is located at 4636 N. Dale Mabry Highway, and the mural will be highly visible to cars passing by on the busy roadway.
Sonic highlighted all of the students who entered the contest will get a chance to participate in a day of painting the mural under the mentorship of Pons.
EchoPark is also making a donation to Blake High School’s art department. The school’s curriculum includes a performing and visual arts magnet program in which any student in the Hillsborough County Public School district can audition to attend.
“EchoPark has been a tremendous partner in this project,” Dressel said in the news release. “I’m so pleased that our students got the chance to participate in this creative way to express the intersection of travel (cars) and art.”
Pons is a painter and multimedia artist currently working in the Tampa Bay area. Born in Guatemala City, he is a self-taught artist whose work reflects the illusion of reality and the human experience. His murals can be seen throughout the Orlando and Tampa Bay areas.
“The arts enrich our lives, our communities, and connect all of us,” Sonic chief executive officer David Smith said. “It is inspiring to see the creativity, energy, and fresh vision of our industry reflected in the mural submissions, and we are excited to share the winning designs with our guests and the Tampa community.”
Some of the latest philanthropic activities by dealerships include recent endeavors by Premier Subaru, Vaughan Automotive and Mike Calvert Toyota.
Beginning in Branford, Conn., Premier Subaru president Robert Alvine presented a check for $45,850 to Shawn Heffernan, who is chief executive officer of Camp Rising Sun, which was designed to provide a safe, nurturing environment to children ages 5 through 17 who have been diagnosed with cancer.
The dealership highlighted through a news release that the donation represented the proceeds from the annual “Share the Love” event, in which anyone who purchased or leased a new Subaru could chose a $250 donation to one of four national charities — ASPCA, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Meals on Wheels Association of America, the National Park Foundation — or a fifth local charity for their customers to support.
Premier Subaru selected Camp Rising Sun as its “hometown charity” for the 2021-2022 Share the Love Campaign for the sixth year in a row.
Premier Subaru also matched dollars from Subaru of America directly to provide additional impact to Camp Rising Sun.
“Our customers have the choice of five different amazing charities, and, nearly every single one chose Camp Rising Sun,” Alvine said in the news release. “We are honored to continue to be a partner in supporting such a deserving organization.”
Camp Rising Sun Camp Week takes places at Camp Jewell YMCA in Colebrook, Conn. Camp Rising Sun has been active since 1983 and has grown to more than 100 campers each year.
The funds provided by Premier Subaru will support more than 40 campers this year.
Over the last 14 years, through the Share the Love Event, Subaru of America and its participating retailers have donated more than $227 million to charity, with customers choosing between four national charities and more than 1,440 hometown charities.
Premier Subaru has donated more than $380,000 to Camp Rising Sun during the past six years, supporting more than 250 campers.
Dealer effort in Houston
This week, Vaughan Automotive and Mike Calvert Toyota announced their partnership with United For Human Dignity (UFHD), pledging $8,000 to support survivors of human trafficking from the greater Houston area.
“As an organization, we could not be more honored to partner with United For Human Dignity,” Shawn Vaughan, dealer principal, executive manager & chief executive officer at Vaughan Automotive, said in another news release.
“We have made a dedicated effort to seek out organizations that are making an influential impact in our communities and supporting them in any way that we can,” Vaughan continued.
United For Human Dignity aims to help survivors of sex trafficking in overcoming their lived experience through education, employment and emotional support. UFHD provides career coaching for survivors who would like to pursue a college degree or vocational training and connects them with resources and programs that assist with tuition and basic living needs.
For ongoing support, survivors have access to mentors, study groups, support groups, interview preparation and financial management classes.
With economic empowerment at the heart of helping survivors, the donation from Vaughan Automotive and Mike Calvert Toyota will be used to support the organization’s scholarships, the costs associated with basic living needs, and their “Healing through the Arts” program, designed to give survivors a chance to benefit from the use of art, dance, yoga and other trauma-sensitive therapeutic activities that can help them move toward a place of healing.
“Our organization was founded on the premise of contributing to the fight against sex trafficking by empowering survivors and helping them to reach their full potential,” said Sharon Windham, founder of United For Human Dignity. “We would not be able to have the impact that we have achieved without our partnerships with companies who believe in the work we are doing, and we are honored to have Mike Calvert Toyota and Vaughan Automotive’s support and look forward to creating a long-lasting partnership.”
The Thompson Organization and Walser Automotive Group each ramped up their efforts to help others recently.
At Walser, the Minneapolis-based dealer company said it is thinking about the success of its employees in a new way — by focusing on their children.
On Tuesday. the dealer group announced an extension of its scholarship program; a move launching this month to provide new education benefits to employees’ children and dependents.
The Walser Driven to Succeed Scholarship is offering up to $10,000 in tuition assistance in support of higher education. The scholarship will support students of Walser employees who are pursuing technical and associates degrees, four-year and masters-level programs.
The program, funded by the Walser Foundation, allows children and dependents of Walser employees to apply to the scholarship annually up to four years. Among other eligibility criteria, applicants are asked to submit an essay based upon one of Walser’s four core values.
“Our company leans on our core values for so many things — it’s a driver of who we are and how we do business. We’re proud to integrate these values into this new scholarship program,” Walser Foundation director Nancy Warner said in a news release.
The group highlighted that the family-focused scholarship is the latest initiative by Walser specifically focused on the notion of family. Walser chief human resources officer Sherry Schultz said the offering of family-focused benefits speaks to the wants and needs of employees.
“We know that family is a top-ranking personal core value among our employees. We know this because we’ve asked. Understanding that, we’re continually evaluating our benefits that support it. In this case, family continues to be a huge driver of our employee engagement and retention strategy,” Schultz said.
In January, Walser rolled out up to $10,000 in fertility and adoption assistance for its employees. The 27-rooftop dealer also offers four weeks of paid maternity, paternity and adoption leave.
Walser went on to mention that the onset of COVID-19 prompted the company to initiate its paid family care leave program, allowing qualifying employees two weeks of paid time off to care for sick family members.
“Diversifying our family-focused benefits is critically important. Not all Walser employees are parents to young children anymore. The Driven to Succeed Scholarship can powerfully impact children of our employees who are looking to the next step in their higher education journey,” Shultz said. “We’re incredibly proud to be a part of that.”
The Walser Foundation, which donates more than $500,000 annually to nonprofit organizations, also offers a public-facing scholarship to high school students in the places where it does business.
Thompson Organization effort to help Ukraine
On Friday, the American International Automobile Dealers Association (AIADA) highlighted the efforts of a Pennsylvania dealer group to help people suffering from the violence now happening in Ukraine.
AIADA said the Thompson Organization was driven to act when a church in its community put out a call for donations to send to the country impacted by the Russian invasion. Thompson asked customers and community members to join in a week-long donation drive for humanitarian aid.
From March 12-18, Thompson dealerships and service centers collected personal hygiene and baby products to be delivered to St. Anne’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in Warrington, Pa.
“The turnout was overwhelming, to say the least. They were able to fill more than 40 boxes with needed supplies,” AIADA said about the Thompson Organization, which delivered the supplies in one of its full-size vans from the service department.
The Toyota Lexus Minority Owners Dealership Association (TLMODA) is once again renewing its partnership with The Salvation Army to address the increasing food insecurity challenges families face across the country during spring break.
According to a news release, 26 dealerships across the nation will distribute more than 5,200 food boxes during the spring break period at participating dealerships in 17 states, including:
—Alabama
—Arizona
—California
—Colorado
—Florida
—Idaho
—Illinois
—Ohio
—Oregon
—North Carolina
—New Mexico
—Pennsylvania
—Texas
—Vermont
—Virginia
—Washington
—Wyoming
“Community is one of TLMODA’s strategic areas of focus,” TLMODA president Carlos Liriano said in the news release. “Hosting a third day of service — this time to provide food for children and their families during their spring break from school, when many don’t have access to free breakfasts and lunches — is another way for TLMODA to give back to and support our communities.”
During TLMODA’s third annual day of service, each participating Toyota dealership will select a date in their local market for the day of service campaign.
Toyota dealership staff will distribute grocery boxes of non-perishable items like boxes of cereal and canned goods to help feed a family of four for a week. Items for the grocery boxes will be packed and assembled by local Salvation Army teams in accordance with safety guidelines from local, state and federal health officials.
The Salvation Army is helping identify families in need of food and instructing them to visit one of the participating Toyota dealerships to pick up their grocery box.
In order to maintain proper social distance protocols, boxes will be placed in the trunk of each family’s vehicle on a first-come, first-served basis until supplies are exhausted.
“Many families depend on school lunches to help feed their children on a daily basis, so when schools close, food insecurity can be a grueling reality. Through our partnership with TLMODA, those essential needs are met for thousands of families in our communities,” said Kenneth Hodder, who is the national commander of The Salvation Army.
Alva Adams-Mason is executive group manager of multicultural business and strategy for Toyota Motor North America.
“As a company committed to investing in the communities where we live and work, Toyota provided funding to TLMODA in 2020 and 2021 to partner with The Salvation Army to address food insecurities in our communities, giving out hundreds of boxes of food during our day of service events,” Adams-Mason said.
“We are pleased to continue this partnership in 2022 with TLMODA’s third day of service — this time to ensure our youngest citizens don’t go hungry during the Spring Break vacation.”
TLMODA’s third annual day of service participating dealership locations include:
Alabama
Lexus of Huntsville
Arizona
Sierra Toyota
California
Toyota of Poway
Tustin Toyota
Valley Lexus
Colorado
Lexus of Colorado Springs
Florida
Peter Boulware Toyota
South Dade Toyota
Toyota of Fort Walton Beach
West Kendall Toyota
Idaho
Teton Toyota
Illinois
Advantage Toyota of River Oaks
Ohio
Great Lakes Toyota
Oregon
Columbia Gorge Toyota
Toyota of Gladstone
North Carolina
Classic Toyota of Henderson
Classic Toyota of Wilkesboro
New Mexico
Desert Sun Toyota
Pennsylvania
North Hills Toyota
Texas
Brownsville Toyota
Mike Shaw Toyota
Toyota of Rockwall
Vermont
Faith’s Toyota Ford
Virginia
Gloucester Toyota
Washington
Walla Walla Toyota
Wyoming
Yellowstone Toyota
TLMODA’s goal is to represent the needs of minority dealers within Toyota and Lexus. Any dealership which represents a minority group, based on 51% or more ownership, is invited to join as a dealer member.
Some of the benefits available to dealer members include networking opportunities, mentoring support, collective representation within Toyota and Lexus, community involvement support, and development opportunities, among others.
For more information, go to www.tlmoda.org.
Monday’s dealer roundup includes the growth of a 3-year-old California group along with the latest charity efforts of an Atlanta-area group in business since the early 1970s.
Beginning first in the Golden State, Hello Auto Group announced it has opened a new Mazda dealership in San Diego’s Kearny Mesa community. The dealership and service center are the first Hello Auto location in the market.
“Hello Auto Group is excited to be expanding in southern California,” Hello Auto president Karl Schmidt said in a news release. “We are thrilled to be bringing San Diego the first Hello Auto dealership.”
This is the third Mazda dealership for Hello Auto Group. The group will be operating the new Mazda store out of the existing brick and mortar dealership and nearby service center.
Hello Auto said it will be breaking ground for a new, state-of-the art building on the property in the spring.
Hello Auto Group launched its group in 2019. It currently operates five dealerships in California, including:
— Kia of Valencia
— Mazda of Valencia
— Subaru of Temecula
— Mazda of Temecula
— Mazda of San Diego
A sixth store will be joining the Hello Auto Group family in the spring with a new Subaru dealership in Valencia.
“We’re overjoyed to be able to build our small, community-based dealership group from the ground up — supported by our core values of being genuine, honest, respectful and fair,” Hello Auto general manager Idaliz Maldonado said in the news release. “We’ve built our business around an information-rich, shopper-driven approach that puts customers in the driver’s seat.
“When you visit, we want to make you feel like you’re at home. We love the communities we serve,” Maldonado continued. “Our welcoming approach truly appears to resonate — not only amongst our customers, but also our employees who are the lifeblood of our organization. We’ve quickly found that regardless of the community, good people centered around a common goal make all the difference. That’s what I love about this organization.”
Jim Ellis' effort to reduce poverty
Meanwhile in Atlanta, the Jim Ellis Automotive Group on Monday announced a donation of $68,850 to the Atlanta Children’s Shelter (ACS) that was recently raised during the group’s annual Holiday Giving Campaign.
According to a news release, all 20 Jim Ellis family-owned and operated dealerships participated in the special fundraising sales event with the end goal of positively impacting the lives of homeless children and their families in Atlanta and surrounding areas.
Customers who shopped at any Jim Ellis dealership between Nov. 26 and Dec. 31 enjoyed the additional benefit of a cause-based vehicle purchase that would, in turn, support the local community.
“It gives us great pleasure to make this donation to a very special organization like the Atlanta Children’s Shelter,” Jim Ellis Automotive Group vice president Stacey Ellis Hodges said. “All children need comfort, safety, love and reassurance and I am so happy that we can play a part in ensuring that these children receive what they deserve.”
Jim Ellis Automotive Group has been serving the Atlanta area since 1971, starting with Volkswagen as the flagship brand. The group has expanded to 17 brands and 20 dealerships covering Atlanta, Buford, Kennesaw, Sandy Springs, South Fulton and Marietta.
Atlanta Children’s Shelter is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that provides free quality daycare, emotional support, an educational curriculum for homeless children and focused social services for their families.
“We are deeply humbled by the outpouring of support from the Jim Ellis Holiday Giving Campaign,” said Sandra Holiday, executive director of Atlanta Children’s Shelter. “With over $68,000 donated to our mission, a real impact was made on the well-being of Atlanta’s homeless families.
“This donation provides five homeless children with scholarships for one year in our licensed early childhood education program, it nourishes 15 homeless children in our classrooms for an entire school year with daily healthy meals and snacks, and it supports 20 homeless families transitioning them into housing with free childcare and emergency assistance for rent and utilities, keeping them stable for one year,” Holiday went on to say.
Another busy week of dealership activities unfolded with an acquisition involving seven franchises, a dealer association rolling out its annual effort to help college students as well as another large dealer group raising $100,000 for two dozen charities.
Let’s begin with the latest M&A move involving Haig Partners, which was the exclusive sell-side advisor to Cincinnati-based Superior Automotive Group on the sale of its seven Ohio dealerships to Jeff Wyler Automotive Family.
According to a news release from Haig, the transaction includes Superior Acura, Superior Honda, Superior Kia, Superior Hyundai North, and Superior Hyundai South in greater Cincinnati and Superior Acura of Dayton and Superior Hyundai of Beavercreek in greater Dayton.
Haig recapped that Superior Automotive Group was established in 1924 and is one of Ohio’s oldest dealership groups. With roots based in Cincinnati, the business expanded over the years to serve all of Ohio and northern Kentucky.
“I am happy the Wylers are buying the stores as I know they will continue to build on the legacy our family has created,” Superior Automotive Group president John Betagole said in the news release.
Haig mentioned the Jeff Wyler Automotive Family now owns 23 dealerships located in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.
“We are excited to bring these seven Superior dealerships into the Jeff Wyler Automotive Family. We know one direction — forward — as we continue to grow and lead the market not only in Cincinnati, but nationwide,” David Wyler of the Jeff Wyler Automotive Family said.
“Our focus is to not only grow but to also become more consumer facing every year, and the addition of these dealerships means an even larger selection of inventory for our shoppers locally and across the U.S,” Wyler added.
The team at Haig Partners has been involved in the purchase or sale of 54 dealerships in the Midwest Region.
“Some dealers who may not have previously considered selling are reevaluating their options. Dealership profits are soaring, and the demand for stores continues to hit record levels,” said Kevin Nill, a partner with Haig Partners. “It was an honor to work with the Betagole family to help them navigate the decision to sell the family business. We appreciate their trust in the team at Haig Partners to help them maximize the value of their lives’ work.”
CDK Global, NAMAD launches sixth annual Fueling Careers Scholarship
Future automotive leaders again can get some assistance through a program orchestrated by CDK Global and the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers (NAMAD),
This week, CDK and NAMAD opened the application process for the sixth annual Fueling Careers Scholarship Program. According to a news release the program supports ethnic minority high school students of dealership employees who demonstrate financial need in their pursuit of a college education.
The program is funded by CDK and will award up to five $10,000 scholarships per year to high school seniors entering an accredited college or university.
Since 2017, CDK and NAMAD have awarded $250,000 in scholarships.
Kathy Gilbert is senior director of minority dealers and women retail at CDK Global.
“We are passionate about continuing to support ambitious young men and women who are committed to pursuing educational goals that prepare them for meaningful, productive and fulfilling careers,” said Gilbert, who also was among the Women in Retail honorees highlighted during Used Car Week 2019.
“NAMAD has been an ideal partner for making this program a reality for six consecutive years, as we continue working toward enhancing the lives of these students and their families and empowering them to make significant contributions to society,” Gilbert continued in the news release
Candidates can submit applications through May 6 on the Fueling Careers Scholarship Program website. Recipients will be announced at the NAMAD Annual Meeting.
The scholarship application and award process are managed by International Scholarship and Tuition Services, Inc. (ISTS).
The news release indicated dealership employees of a NAMAD member with high school students will need to complete an online application and satisfy all eligibility requirements.
NAMAD president Damon Lester said, “We have a unique opportunity and important responsibility to help shape the future talent for the automotive industry.
“Supporting our minority dealer community has been a critical platform for both CDK and NAMAD. Through this scholarship program, we are paving the way for remarkable students within our minority dealer body to succeed,” Lester added.
The news release also highlighted the impact the program can make. Sebastian Watler, a mechanical engineering major at Lamar University, was a 2021 Fueling Careers Scholarship winner.
“I am incredibly grateful to CDK and NAMAD for this blessing,” Watler said. “Ever since I was young, I have always been interested in the idea of building something of my own creation and imagination. Thus, I took a major interest in science and technology.
“The world needs better advances in technology, and the automobile industry is one of the areas I could help. No matter where you are in the world, cars are around you,” Watler went on to say.
Philanthropy at Park Place Dealerships
The American International Automobile Dealers Association used its weekly philanthropy to point out the achievements by Park Place Dealerships, which became part of Asbury Automotive Group in August 2020.
According to a blog post on the group’s website, Park Place Dealerships gave $100,000 to 24 local non-profits through the SEASON OF GIVING campaign, which celebrated its 35th year in north Texas.
Park Place said selected the organizations for its SEASON OF GIVING campaign because of their commitment to serving the Dallas/Fort Worth community.
The group highlighted that a committee comprised of Park Place members from different dealerships across north Texas selected the non-profits out of more than 350 applications received.
Under Park Place Cares, the company’s philanthropic arm, the company donated $100,000 to 24 charities that met the following criteria:
—A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
—Supports one of Park Place Cares’ Pillars of Giving, which include education, medical, advocacy, or the arts
—Serves at least one of the following counties: Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Denton, Ellis, Rockwall, Kaufman, Hunt, or Johnson
—The charity cannot have received donations or in-kind support from Park Place in 2021
“Selecting these non-profits was very challenging,” said Tony Carimi, managing director of Park Place Dealerships. “There are so many worthy non-profits doing admirable work in the areas we would like to impact. Our team had the difficult task of narrowing down the charities from 350 to 24 across North Texas to make the greatest impact during our Season of Giving.”
The charities receiving a grant included:
Denton Co. Friends of the Family
Journey to Dream Foundation
Canine Companions
For Oak Cliff
Rainbow Room of Rockwall
A Wish with Wings
Don’t Forget to Feed Me Pet Food Bank
Ally’s Wish
Tara Sawyer Foundation
LGBTQ Saves
Defenders of Freedom
Dwell with Dignity
Laughter League
Cara Mîa Theatre
Texas Winds Musical Outreach
Sixty & Better
Camp Summit
The Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation
Bettie Gonzalez Foundation of Hope
Computers for the Blind
Heavenly Hooves Therapeutic & Recreational Riding Center
Heroes for Children
Project4031
“We are humbled to have received such an incredible response to the SEASON OF GIVING campaign with the opportunity to reach so many people across our community through these outstanding non-profits,” said Anam Ali Hashambhai, marketing director for Park Place Dealerships. “Over the past 35 years, we’ve donated millions of dollars and countless volunteer hours to support great causes across north Texas, but this is the first time we have implemented this type of giveaway.
“The SEASON OF GIVING campaign expands our benevolence giving this holiday season to organizations we haven’t worked with previously. We look forward to developing these new relationships in the year to come,” Ali Hashambhai went on to say.
This week, Foundation Automotive and Group 1 Automotive each described their latest charity endeavors.
Beginning with Foundation, two of its stores — Kramer Chevrolet and Kramer Subaru — hosted their 15th annual Military and Customer Appreciation Event and Car Show on Sept. 11 with all proceeds going directly to the North Dakota National Guard Emergency Relief Fund.
With the event taking place on the 20th anniversary of 9/11, Foundation highlighted that it made an ambitious goal of raising $50,000, which the group surpassed with a total of $57,402 raised, according to a news release.
The company said the successful event was complete with a classic car show, silent auction, free food and entertainment for the whole family.
The Military Emergency Relief Fund is a non-profit charitable organization whose purpose is to provide financial support in sudden and unforeseen emergency situations. The organization supports the North Dakota National Guard soldiers and airmen, as well as their dependents.
“In today’s world there are a lot of organizations to donate to. To think of our service members, our soldiers, our airmen, and their families, this means so much to everyone. We really appreciate it and know it’s going to a great cause,” said Brigadier General Jackie Huber, who accepted the check on behalf of the North Dakota National Guard Emergency Relief Fund.
Kramer Chevrolet and Kramer Subaru joined Foundation Automotive in 2019. This is the second year since joining the growing corporation that Kramer has been able to put on this event.
“The other stores in the group and a lot of our vendors really stepped up with donations to make this event such a success,” said Terry Wezner, managing partner of Kramer Chevrolet and Kramer Subaru, which are locally operated, full-service dealerships in Mandan, N.D.
“This money goes directly to the Military Emergency Relief Fund and is extremely important, especially with current events. We are passionate about getting money into the hands of those who need it most,” Foundation chief operating officer Chuck Kramer added.
And according to a post on Twitter from Group 1, one of the company’s stores in New Mexico did more than eat turkey on Thanksgiving.
The social media entry said, “The team at Lexus of Albuquerque took time out of their Thanksgiving to help those in need. They handed out 100 blankets, 80 pairs of gloves, 200 pairs of socks, and 80 toothbrush/toothpaste kits at a local homeless encampment. Most of this donation was funded by the employees.”
Like many dealer groups, the leadership at Carter Myers Automotive, CarMax and Victory Automotive Group barely had time to enjoy some Thanksgiving turkey, as they were involved either in store acquisitions or major philanthropy efforts.
Beginning first with the Carter Myers Automotive (CMA), the 97-year-old Virginia-based family and employee-owned dealer group announced through a news release that it has purchased Miller Auto Group, which comprises two franchises in Winchester, Va., and three in Martinsburg, W. Va.
CMA said that Winchester-based independent dealership CrossPointe Motor Cars is included in this transaction, too.
As a result of the purchases, CMA will now have 20 locations representing 18 automakers, with about 1,000 employees overseen by Liza Myers Borches, who is the great-granddaughter of group founder H. Carter Myers Sr.
Miller Auto Sales was founded in 1955 as a used-car company by James M. Miller, Sr. After his death, his twin sons, George and John, took over the business and expanded it to include new-model franchises for Honda, Chevrolet, Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Hyundai and Toyota.
“Liza and CMA share our commitment to our communities, and our associates will now have the opportunity to own a piece of the firm by joining CMA,” said John Grist, Miller Auto Group vice president and chief operating officer.
“We’ll also be able to use CMA’s purchasing power to extend our existing inventory of new and used vehicles, as well as our service and parts business for all makes and models. To achieve those objectives, we will hire more technicians, salesmen, and parts employees, all of whom will be eligible for company shares,” Grist continued.
California Subaru store changes hands
Meanwhile out in California, a Subaru store in operation for more than three decades has new ownership.
According to a news release from Performance Brokerage Services, the firm was involved in the sale of Albany Subaru in California from John Nakamura to Jeffrey Cappo of Victory Automotive Group.
Albany Subaru was established in 1992 by Nakamura and his partner, Laurie Bush
“Our dealership was and always is our baby,” Nakamura said in the news release. “To say that we were a picky seller is an understatement. There were so many qualitative elements to our deal, such as our valued employees, our relationships with our business partners, and the very important element of winning on both sides of the table for both buyer and seller.”
Headquartered in Canton, Mich., Victory Automotive Group was established by Cappo, who is the current owner and president and acquired his first dealership in 1997 with the purchase of a small Nissan store in Morristown, Tenn.
During the next 24 years, the group expanded its footprint across nine states, representing some of the most desirable brands in the industry. This acquisition marks the 45th dealership location for Victory Automotive Group, who ranks as one of the Top 15 dealer groups in the U.S., selling nearly 60,000 retail units annually.
This is the group’s second Subaru dealership in California.
The dealership will remain at its current location at 718 San Pablo Avenue in Albany, Calif.
Performance Brokerage Services president Moshe Stopnitzky said, “This was an exceptional project for us. Albany Subaru is a special dealership, owned and managed by very special people. The buyer will benefit from a tremendous goodwill built over nearly 3 decades by John Nakamura and Laurie Bush. Goodwill with the employees, customers, and with the community. We are very excited to have been part of this transaction.”
CarMax plan for Giving Tuesday
Every year, millions of Americans participate in what’s known as Giving Tuesday — a day of global giving held on the Tuesday following Black Friday.
To help the effort, CarMax and the CarMax Foundation announced a major expansion of their annual Giving Tuesday initiative. Starting on Tuesday, the CarMax Foundation is providing all 27,000 CarMax associates with a $50 credit — or electronic “Care Card” to donate to an eligible nonprofit of their choice.
With full associate participation in this initiative, the foundation said it is positioned to donate more than $1 million to nonprofit organizations across the United States, potentially doubling CarMax’s #GivingTuesday donations from 2020.
CarMax recapped that this initiative launched last year to help associates give back to their communities when the pandemic limited in-person volunteering. To participate, associates log into the CarMax Associate Giving Portal and designate a nonprofit to receive the funds.
This year’s Giving Tuesday campaign builds on last year’s momentum and aims to make an even greater impact by doubling the amount associates are allocated to donate to the nonprofit of their choice.
In 2020, the CarMax Foundation donated $650,000 to causes selected by associates, supporting organizations in 1,800 cities across the United States.
“Nonprofits in our communities need support now more than ever and we’re honored to empower associates to give back to the nonprofit that aligns most with their passions for Giving Tuesday,” said Rosey Sanders, president of the CarMax Foundation.
“Last year’s initiative was an incredible success, helping 6,500 organizations across the country, and this year associates will double the impact with double the donation from our foundation,” Sanders added.
Each Care Card will be valid for donation through Jan. 31. Any unredeemed Care Cards will be directed to support the CarMax Associate Disaster Relief Fund, according to the company.
On Thursday, CarMax gave an initial gift of $100,000 and started a philanthropic partnership with Operation Homefront, a national nonprofit serving America’s military families.
According to a news release, CarMax already had quite a connection with the military since more than 1,700 company associates served in the armed forces.
“As an organization that has thousands of associates who have served our country, it is our honor and privilege to support those who serve,” CarMax director of community relations Leslie Parpart said in the news release. “Guided by the shared value to do what’s right, we proudly join Operation Homefront to serve military families in their time of need.”
In addition to financial support, CarMax said it will look for opportunities to get involved in Operation Homefront’s mission through writing “MaxGratitude” letters of support, organizing back to school donation drives and volunteering at community events supporting Operation Homefront’s mission.
CarMax also partnered with the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA and Operation Homefront to provide bicycles to more than 50 military children.
“Our core belief is straightforward and unwavering; we work to serve our military families in their time of need because they have served all of us in our nation’s time of need,” said Brig. Gen. Robert Thomas, who is the chief operating officer of Operation Homefront. “We are grateful to partners like CarMax who share our commitment to help military families start strong and stay strong in the communities they have worked so hard to protect.”
Because of partnerships with companies such as CarMax, Operation Homefront said it has been able to provide more than $30 million in critical financial assistance through nearly 50,000 requests from military families across the U.S.
Operation Homefront, along with CarMax and several of its partners, will march toward Veterans Day by reinforcing the importance of serving America’s military families, through the 11 Days of Impact campaign.
This key initiative positioned within Operation Homefront’s national brand campaign — Start Strong, Stay Strong — “reminds Americans to show appreciation for our veterans, service members and their families,” according to the organization.
Both the National Auto Auction Association and the National Automobile Dealers Association are looking to support their members who have employees impacted by the flooding generated by Hurricane Ida, Tropical Storm Nicholas and other recent storms.
The support systems of each association — the NAAAWYSF Disaster Relief Fund and NADA’s Emergency Relief Fund, respectively — both have been activated to respond to the events that left impacts from the Gulf Coast to the Northeast.
“NAAA has been in contact with member auctions who have been impacted by the recent weather events,” the association said in an alert on its website. “These are times when the spirit of our industry shines brightest. NAAA’s tradition of our members coming together to help their colleagues survive a catastrophic event has taken on a renewed sense of urgency after recent storms, and we need your help."
The association reiterated that the NAAA Warren Young, Sr. Scholastic Foundation (NAAAWYSF) Disaster Relief Fund was established in 2018 to provide immediate assistance for member auctions and their employees left victims in the wake of a hurricane, flood, tornado, or other natural disaster.
NAAA said the fund ensures a ready cash reserve is on hand so we can be more proactive in responding quickly and with the flexibility to make a donation appropriate to the magnitude of the damage. It is also a fund that can continue to grow so we can be prepared to face any emergency that may arise.
NAAA is asking members who have been spared from storm damage to help build the fund’s resources by going to this website.
“Your generosity will help NAAA provide critical support to our colleagues not only now, but when future natural disasters occur,” NAAA said.
Meanwhile, NADA is active on the assistance front, too.
The association highlighted that NADA’s Emergency Relief Fund offers affected dealership employees grants of up to $1,500 to help with damages and defray costs before insurance payouts. NADA said this aid often allows families who have lost everything to buy food, shelter, diapers and other basic needs.
Employees of NADA members impacted by these recent storms can apply for assistance on the foundation website at www.nadafoundation.org.
NADA said the fund has helped dealership families after major hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, wildfires and many other emergencies through the years.
Since its inception in 1992, NADA said the emergency relief fund has helped 12,000 dealership employees with grants totaling nearly $9 million.
