Car dealers have a lengthy history of solid citizenship, supporting local nonprofits and mission-driven organizations. These efforts cast them in a positive light and help build relationships that span generations, obviously both big wins. That’s why you’d be hard pressed to find one that doesn’t partner in some way with a hospital, school, food bank, sports league, or similar. “Supporting our community is a core part of who we are,” says Pepe Auto Group CEO Joseph Pepe, who hosts events throughout the year at his dealerships. “We’re especially proud of our Scholarship Foundation, which helps provide educational opportunities for our employees’ children.” In June, Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital in Valhalla celebrated the dedication of The Premier Collection Pediatric Emergency Department, the culmination of a multi-year gift by Subaru White Plains, The Premier Collection, and the Coughlin family. “I feel very lucky to be able to do business in Westchester County,” Premier Collection CEO Sean Coughlin says. “I want to give back to the people who have supported me for years.” During the ceremony, Ivan Miller, MD, Chair of Emergency Medicine for WMCHealth, spoke about the vital role philanthropy plays in strengthening pediatric emergency care. “When a child arrives in the Pediatric Emergency Department, families are often frightened and searching for answers,” said Dr. Miller. “Support like this strengthens our ability to provide expert, compassionate care for thousands of children each year. This is philanthropy at its very best, community leaders investing in healthier futures for children they may never meet, but whose lives will be better because they cared.”
All in the Family
Many car dealerships are family-owned and handed down to the next generation. Here are two very different stories that, like families, still share a lot in common.
Name: Eleanor Gulla
Title: Managing Partner, Larchmont Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram
Headquarters: Larchmont
Employs: 40
An Immigrant’s Dream: My dad, Alfredo Gulla, was an immigrant who came over from Catanzaro, Italy, in 1956. He was working various jobs and then had the opportunity to sell Fiats. The distributor said to my dad, “You sell this one car, and we’ll give you another car to sell.” So, on a handshake agreement, that’s how he started his business, one car sale at a time. In the early 80s, we acquired the Chrysler Plymouth brand, and then we acquired the Jeep brand, then the Dodge and Ram franchises.
Early Impressions: When I was a kid, I would go to the dealership with my dad on weekends and he would teach me about the business—the value of the work, how everybody contributes from the smallest task to the larger responsibilities. Everybody has a unique experience or perspective that they bring and that all plays an important role in the success of the business.
Learning the Ropes: I worked at the dealership most of the summers while I was in college. I started out learning every aspect, how every department operated. On the sales side, it was meeting customers, finding out their needs and wants. On the service side, I learned to understand what kind of work the cars needed. On the office side, I learned to make sure all the accounts were being paid on time. I got exposure in all different areas.
A Family Affair: My dad retired a few years ago so now I run the business with my younger sister Silvana, who oversees the Alfa Romeo/Fiat store and my younger brother Fernando, who runs the Larchmont Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram store. We all work together. We all have our set tasks, and it all blends very well, and we have other employees that fill in the gaps.
In the Blood: I grew up around cars. I see firsthand how enthusiastic and passionate my dad has been about the industry, and I’ve always admired that. I briefly went into the real estate business, but I realized I really wanted to be in the family business—I believe it’s in my DNA.
What I Love Most: Every day is different. I love the interactions with our customers, the brands of the cars we sell. It’s incredible how cars have progressed over the years—the technology is so impressive compared to when I started out. Now, cars are both a work of art and a work of great machinery.
Living Legend: My dad still stops by the dealership to see how things are going, and people still ask about him and how he’s doing. He made that kind of impression on people. That’s a huge compliment.
Name: Sean Coughlin
Title: President & CEO, The Premier Collection, LLC
Headquarters: White Plains
Employs: 400
Founding Father and Son: My father was an investment banker, but back in the 90s, they tended to push you out when you were over 50. He wasn’t ready to retire and a good friend of his in the auto industry suggested he buy a car dealership. At the time I was living in Boston, working for a software company, when he asked if I wanted to go into business with him, I said no. But two weeks later, my company laid off about half its workforce and although I survived that round, I realized I didn’t want my livelihood controlled by somebody else. So I called my father back and said, “I’d like to do this with you.” Our first dealership was a Nissan Volvo in Mount Kisco, which we bought in 1995.
Rapid Expansion: My father was a very aggressive businessman, so we expanded quickly to seven or eight rooftops in the first three years. At the time I was focused on operations, making sure that dealerships opened up every day, making sure the customer experience was good, so that was challenging to grow that fast. But we figured it out, and over the years, we’ve had as many as 14 rooftops.
Running on Principle: When we started out, the car business was less about an experience and more about just getting a car sold. We realized there was an opportunity to provide a more professional experience, that was easy to understand and very transparent. About a year in, my father came up with the four business principles—Integrity, Fair and Competitive Pricing, Excellence in Service, and Respect for the Individual—that we operate on to this day. I think they’re why we’ve been so successful over the years.
Evolution of Car-Buying: In 1995, the internet was in its infancy back then, so the way you sold a car was very different. You waited for someone to come in, and you served them. Now, the amount of information available to people now is completely transparent—information about cars, pricing, incentives—before they walk through the door. That fits into the transparency principle that we’ve had all along.
Keeping the Legacy Alive: My dad passed away a few years ago, and now I’m the CEO. I’m trying to evolve the business and provide that same strategic direction my father did—being the conscience, looking ahead to see what’s coming, so we can continue to grow.
What I Love Most: It’s different every day. Sometimes I have a plan for an entire day and then something happens, and I don’t get to any of it. Being able to adapt to that, I thrive on it. I like cars of course, but I just enjoy business in general—developing people and processes to accomplish your goals in a timely fashion. And I really enjoy being out in the sales departments and service departments, talking to people. That part is a lot of fun.
Related: Westchester Business and Nonprofit Partnerships Offer Benefits
