CARY, N.C. -

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.