How did you get started in the automotive industry and were there any formative experiences that guided you to where you are today?
As a young boy, I spent time every summer going to work with my dad at the dealership. I would help out by cutting grass, washing cars and what have you. I learned a lot about the car business during those times. When I got out of college, my dad asked, “Would you like to start working with me? You can make a good living for yourself in the car business and carry on a family legacy.” I said, “Absolutely! Let’s give it a shot.” Now, 40 years later, I’m sitting here talking to you.
I’ve held almost every position there is in the company. My first job out of college was as a service advisor. I remember asking my dad, “What am I going to make here?” He answered, “I’m going to pay you in two coins: the money coin and the knowledge coin.” He went on to explain that I would be earning $5.00 an hour for 40 hours a week. When I did the math, I pushed back, “That’s only $200 a week! I will be the lowest-paid college graduate in America.” My father wisely replied, “Son, you’re going to be living with your grandparents for a while to take care of your room and board, so money is not an issue. But also, I’m going to pay you with a knowledge coin and that’s going to be worth a whole lot more down the road. Even though you can’t appreciate it right now.” My dad was right.
I had been serving as chairman of the Hunter Automotive Group for almost four years. Tom took over running the day-to-day business, and my role changed to chief people officer (CPO). I’m now the face of the company. I do all our TV ads and radio commercials and, for lack of better words, I “shake hands and kiss babies.”
What inspired you to take on the role of NCADA chairman, and what aspects of your background prepared you for this leadership position?
I enjoy giving back, helping people and helping businesses. I’m involved in four nonprofit boards in Henderson County and just came off a two-year stint as the chairman of our Chamber of Commerce.
I was on the NCADA board for two terms and had rotated off. I was then asked if I would like to be considered for the NCADA chair. I said, “Absolutely!” Helping dealers protect franchise laws and lobbying for the industry in Raleigh as well as in D.C. are things that I like to do, and since I am serving as my company’s CPO, I had the time to do it.
Having served on the board, I had the opportunity to learn from previous chairs and to be plugged into the NCADA network. By the time I assumed the role of chairman, I understood how the system works, where possible problems could arise and what needed to be done proactively to protect the franchise laws in our state.
North Carolina tends to be the trade association that moves first when it comes to protecting franchise law. It is important that our dealer body stays engaged and is vocal about changes on the horizon. Their input is important.
What do you see as the most significant challenges facing new car dealers today?
OEMs that want to sell directly to the consumer are our most significant challenge. This agency model bypasses the traditional franchise system as the OEM would set the price, manage inventory and handle the customer relationship. The dealer would act as a point for test drives, handovers and after-sales support.
We’re trying to keep the traditional sales model in place. When Henry Ford started to mass-produce cars, he saw the significance of having a franchise system and it’s worked over all these years. But a lot of companies, like Rivian, Tesla and even Amazon, want to change that.
The franchise system is beneficial for consumers and provides a structured framework for buying, selling, servicing and financing automobiles. This is why we put so much focus on protecting and strengthening the franchise laws in our state.
How do you manage to balance your professional responsibilities with your personal life?
Having a supportive spouse is first and foremost. I am so thankful for my wife, Alice, and her continued support. I couldn’t do this without her. I often say when you come home from work, you want to feel good about coming home to your castle. You have work rocks, and you have home rocks. When you’ve spent all day slaying dragons at work, you had better leave your work rocks at work. And vice versa, when you go to work, leave your home rocks at home. Because if you get both those rocks in your pocket, you’re not going to get anything done.
Next, having a good work-life balance is crucial. It is important that you manage your priorities properly, knowing when to zig and when to zag. Having a good business partner, like Tom, that I can trust and rely on allows me to do that.
And then, hire good people, you can’t grow without good people. Retaining and growing those people is equally important. Having a good company culture, with core values in place, helps with that. Our core values are honesty, a strong work ethic, a positive attitude and continuous improvement, and that permeates from the top all the way down to the bottom. Everything we do revolves around those values and it naturally brings a level of personal accountability along with it. Our purpose is to improve the quality of life of everyone, and we have worked hard to build a culture that does just that. And then, trust that your people are going to do the right thing.
Tell us about your family and any hobbies you might have.
My wife and I have three children and two grandchildren. Our daughter, Bailey, is married and lives in Montana. We visit her often and enjoy playing with our grandchildren while there.
Our two sons are David and Harrison. I made both of them work outside the car business for a number of years to really see what it was like and to realize they could do it on their own. I let both of them know if they wanted to come back, they could. They ultimately decided to come back and have both joined the family business. David is our Hyundai brand manager, and Harrison is our Subaru brand manager.
My wife and I have two Labradors: Darby and Maddie. I like to play golf and go hunting and fishing. My dad got me into bill fishing, and we go every couple of years.
