The Future Automotive Group has been serving drivers since 1963, with 14 dealerships (23 franchises) and three commercial fleet service centers in the Greater Sacramento Region: Fairfield, Concord and Clovis.

The automotive industry is in my blood as I am a second-generation Ford dealer,” said CEO Steve Pleau. When Steve’s father, Gene Pleau, finished serving our country in World War II, he operated a service station in Lafayette and sold Ford vehicles in Walnut Creek at a dealership there. Gene worked his way up in the business, eventually becoming the general manager. This opened the door to purchase a Ford dealership in Sacramento in 1963.

Steve’s early start in the automotive industry began was he was just 16 years old at his father’s dealership. He washed cars and worked in the parts and service departments, eventually selling automobiles. After graduating from California State University Sacramento in 1969, Steve came to work full-time at the dealership in the finance department.

“My most proud accomplishment was when I became the sixth inductee into the Ford Dealership Hall of Fame in 2018. This was a highlight of my career to receive such a prestigious recognition,” Steve fondly recalled. “However, I could not be prouder of how the Future Automotive Group has grown to 17 rooftops (dealerships and commercial fleet service centers) and is celebrating our 60th anniversary in 2023 — a true achievement and testament to our team’s drive, integrity and commitment to providing customers a 5-star experience.” A milestone anniversary like this is every business owner’s dream and is not an easy feat, especially in a highly competitive industry like the automotive one. The Future Automotive Group has been serving California drivers since 1963 and has had the pleasure of working with even multiple generations of customers. This is why their slogan, “Now and for generations to come …” is at the heart of every transaction because it’s their customers’ loyalty and trust in their team that has gotten them to reach 60 years of business.

In 2023, five of the Future Automotive Group dealerships were recipients of noteworthy and well-respected awards based on their high CSI scores, excellent customer service in all departments, sales volume/performance and market share attainment in 2022:

Future Ford Lincoln of Roseville

• Ford President’s Award
• Lincoln President’s Award

Future Ford of Sacramento

• Ford President’s Award

Future Toyota of Yuba City

• Toyota President’s Award

Future Nissan of Roseville

• Nissan Global Award
• Nissan Award of Excellence

Future Chevrolet

• GM Mark of Excellence

When asked about his membership in CNCDA, Steve replied, “I am a member of CNCDA because of the resources and opportunities it provides me as a dealer principal. In turn, I can better support the 14 new car dealerships I own in the state of California. Over the years, I have appreciated CNCDA being an advocate of the dealer body and the reputation they have as the nation’s largest state automobile dealer association.”

At the start of Steve’s career, he wished he had a stronger understanding of accounting in an automobile dealership. However, he overcame the learning curve by being mentored by individuals skilled in finance and accounting and taking the time to really analyze financial statements. “It is important to ask questions and always be a student — never be afraid of learning something new and continuously improving yourself,” he said.

The biggest piece of advice he would give to future dealers is to make sure they have the resources in line to run your operation smoothly. Car dealerships are very capital-demanding and require many assets. It is important to surround yourself with a solid leadership team that understands the value of treating employees like family, always taking care of customers and giving back to the community.

“My hope for the Future Automotive Group in the years to come is that we continue to offer outstanding service to our customers. Our solid reputation is built on 60 years of quality, trustworthy service in the automotive industry, and I hope this remains for the next 60-plus years,” Steve said. “We are grateful to have so many wonderful team members who make our dealerships a truly terrific place to work, and I hope this continues. My other goals for the Future Automotive Group organization include breaking sales and service records, exceeding expectations, winning awards and continuing to grow so we can provide more opportunities to our employees.”

Dealerships do a lot for the communities they are in. When asked about this, Steve said, “More people should know and recognize the great amount of sales tax generated in the communities we serve. Additionally, understand the impact of the charitable work and contributions that dealerships make locally, whether it is to schools, nonprofit organizations, hospitals, etc. Furthermore, dealerships can be one of the largest employers in a city, and it is a misnomer about the staff size. In fact, the Future Automotive Group employs over 1,300 individuals. We aren’t just a small business with a few employees — we have numerous departments at each location. It is a great responsibility to employ this many people.”

There are many challenges facing the auto industry today. “Many, if not all of us, would have the same answer as to the most pressing challenge in our industry, and that is the supply chain issues we’ve faced since 2020,” he stated. “This has been a very long and drawn-out challenge that has affected some manufacturers more than others; however, on a positive note, it has given us the opportunity to show our resiliency and adaptability.” Steve went on to say that another pressing challenge faced as an industry is dealing with the many new laws passed by local, state and federal governments that impact business.

Steve is a Northern California native. He grew up in the Bay Area before moving to Sacramento the summer before his senior year of high school when his father had the opportunity to purchase a local Ford dealership. He attended Sac State and graduated with a B.S. in business administration. Steve was a collegiate athlete on the Men’s Gymnastics team and became an All-American. He was also the founding president of the Xi Chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and is still involved with the university, proudly supporting the Sacramento State Athletics Fund.

Steve and his late wife, Vicki, are grateful to have a wonderful, tight-knit family. They have a son (and daughter-in-law), daughter (and son-in-law), three granddaughters, two grandsons, two sisters and numerous nieces and nephews. His son, Geoff Pleau, is the COO and president of the Future Automotive Group. Additionally, all five of his grandchildren have worked at different points in time in various dealership positions — including his oldest grandchild, Reilly Pleau, who has worked in the organization full-time since January 2020. “I am very proud to have worked with multiple generations of my own family in the automotive industry,” Steve concluded.