This dealership news roundup includes both more M&A activities as well as philanthropic endeavors.

Beginning with the charity work, Larry H. Miller Dealerships announced last week an expansion of its existing holiday coat drive to include all 12 Arizona dealerships across Metro Phoenix and Tucson through a partnership with Valley of the Sun United Way in Phoenix and United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona. 

According to a news release, the dealer group was prompted by Annie E. Casey Foundation 2022 KidsCount data that indicated 20% of Arizona’s children live in poverty

During the past two years, Larry H. Miller Dealerships has hosted a winter coat drive at its three Avondale dealerships, collecting more than 840 winter coats for children within the Avondale Elementary School District.

Through Dec. 12, the group has expanded the drive to help even more children through a holiday “Share the Warmth” coat drive campaign, reaching K-6 students in Title 1 schools near the Metro Phoenix and Tucson dealership locations.

This campaign is part of Larry H. Miller Dealerships “Driven for Good” initiative, a giving program aimed at uplifting the communities in which the dealerships do business.

“All children deserve the comfort that comes from a winter coat,” said Robert Smith, customer relations manager at Larry H. Miller Hyundai Peoria. “While we don’t get snowfall in Phoenix and Tucson, our nights and mornings are quite cold, and nowadays, many families are having to make tough choices between basic needs like paying for groceries over a coat or a utility bill. We hope this month-long campaign serves to warm the hearts of children in our community.”

This holiday season, Larry H. Miller Dealerships is encouraging its employees and the public to help fill a vehicle at each of its 12 dealerships across Metro Phoenix and Tucson with new and gently used (must be clean) winter coats, lightweight jackets, and hoodies for K-6 students across Arizona to stay warm during the winter months.

“We’re honored to partner with Larry H. Miller Dealerships on the ‘Share the Warmth’ coat drive campaign,” said Melissa Boydston, senior vice president of community development and engagement at Valley of the Sun United Way. “Our organization is always looking for solutions to ensure that every child, family and individual in our community is healthy, has a safe place to live and has the opportunity to succeed in school, in work and in life. This partnership and shared mission among multiple organizations provides a real impact for children and their families this winter.”

Valley of the Sun United Way works with a network of 53 school districts across the Valley and United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona partners with 10 school districts.

United Way will identify Title 1 schools in each of the cities where the dealerships are located so that the donations are distributed directly to children in need in those communities.

The “Share the Warmth” coat drive campaign will end on Dec. 15, when a caravan of Larry H. Miller Dealerships vehicles filled with winter coats, lightweight jackets and hoodies will deliver the donations to one of the Title 1 school locations in Phoenix and Tucson.

“Our community thrives when we LIVE UNITED. Our ability to impact one in four members in our Tucson community relies on uniting people, ideas, and resources,” said Tony Penn, president and CEO of United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona. “This collaboration with Larry H. Miller Dealerships and our sister United Way in Phoenix shows the power of working together in service to our community.” 

M&A activity involves California store

According to a news release from Performance Brokerage Services, dealership M&A continued earlier this month with the sale of Yucca Valley Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in California from Don McCredie to Jason Wilkins.

Performance Brokerage Services highlighted that Wilkins, along with his new partner, are in the beginning stages of building their new Southern California dealer group.

Wilkins acquired Victorville Mitsubishi in 2020, also with the help of Performance Brokerage Services. He will bring on a GM that has worked with his family for many years to run operations for Yucca Valley Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, which will remain at its current location at 57909 Twentynine Palms Highway in Yucca Valley, Calif.

However, the store has been renamed Joshua Tree Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram.

The Wilkins family formerly owned Victorville Nissan and Victorville Chevrolet Cadillac.

Jason Stopnitzky, the exclusive agent for this transaction and the co-founder of Performance Brokerage Services said, “It was a pleasure assisting the McCredie family during this transaction, and I am thankful for the opportunity to have served in their best interest with the sale of their dealership. Congratulations to Mr. McCredie on his very well-deserved retirement.

“We were able to find a great fit with Jason Wilkins as the buyer. I have known the Wilkins family for 20 years and have had the privilege of helping them with four buy-sell transactions. I look forward to the bright future ahead for Jason Wilkins and his partner and wish them the best of luck on their newest acquisition,” Stopnitzky went on to say.