What first got you into the auto retail business?
I was minding my own business as a Marketing Manager (Yoplait, Gold Medal Flour) for General Mills in Minnesota when my father invited me to a quarterly business meeting for the 5 dealerships he was a partner in. Interestingly enough, the primary topic was whether or not to take the stores public. The day of the meeting, which I attended, was Black Friday, October 1987 – that was the last conversation they ever had about going public. However, after weighing my options, I decided I had too much small business in my blood to continue to climb the corporate ladder. I took the retail plunge and joined my father in December of that year at Sheehy Ford.

When did you buy your first dealership?
In 1991, I bought a struggling Nissan-Mitsubishi dealership in Manassas, Virginia that was on the verge of bankruptcy. There were 20 employees left when I arrived, and I think 5 more quit within a week. We had our first profitable month in February 1992, and have never lost money in a month since.

In your tenure as an auto dealer, what is the one accomplishment you are most proud of?
Early one Sunday morning shortly after buying the Manassas store, I did a complete inventory of the biggest Nissan store in Northern Virginia. That store was adding Additional Dealer Mark-up stickers of $1995 to every vehicle in stock. I decided then and there that if other dealers were marking them up, we were going to mark them down. I designed and launched the Sheehy Markdown, with the markdown clearly displayed on every vehicle; this remains our key marketing point of differentiation today for all of our non-luxury brands. That marketing approach set the tone for the store that we were going to do many things that were unique - it was not going to be business as usual.

Who was the biggest influence in your career?
My father, who is chairman of the company today, started the business in 1965 and has mentored me not with words but with his actions. He was a “depression baby” as he likes to remind all of us, and consequently has never taken his success for granted. He drilled into me the sense of urgency you need to have to succeed at the retail level. Most importantly, he has always walked the talk with employees, customers and the community.

When did you first become involved with AIADA and why?
I attended my first AIADA meeting in 1992, shortly after becoming a Nissan dealer. It was amazing to me the doors that were opened to members of Congress to get our message across. We need to be vigilant to ensure that our voices are heard at the right moment before legislation is crafted and passed by individuals who do not understand the core dynamics of our business. AIADA has been able to effectively serve as the catalyst to get import dealers heard at the right moment, before it is too late.

What is the biggest issue affecting your business?
We will ultimately be successful in the marketplace despite changes in technology and consumer tastes. The concern I have is that we are headed for a train-wreck unless we all find a way to provide more affordable health care to our employees and their families. We are large enough to be mostly self-insured, which moderates our increases, but the underlying problem of spiraling costs is still there. I know several employees who are gambling that they won’t get sick rather than paying the insurance premiums. We cover more than 50% of the cost for employees and their families, but for some it is still not enough. I am not an advocate of a system run by the government, but we do need legislation that uses the free market to incentivize or require universal health coverage.

Any advice for aspiring auto dealers?
Make your goal to “leave the business better than you found it”. As the future leader of your dealership, your job is to unite your team in a common goal that goes beyond the financial statement, that gives employees a positive purpose for coming to work every day. Believe in and develop your people, and they will reward you with the results you are looking for. Once you have achieved that culture, spread yourself beyond the store and become a leader in the community.