Pub. 3 2021-2022 Issue 3

15 hired to sell cars at Scottsdale Dodge. One career was ending, and another one was beginning. Why did you and Cindy decide to move to Ventura, California? Before moving to Ventura, I met Bob Gregory, the general manager at Courtesy Chevrolet. While working at different dealerships, we competed to see who could sell more cars. Mr. Fitzgerald (the owner of Courtesy) helped Bob buy Paradise Chevrolet in Ventura. When my family took a vacation in Ventura at a beach house, I looked Bob up, and he said, “You should come over here and come to work for me.” I was hired as his used car manager. My first day was July 1, 1983. Over the next 30 years, we became best friends and partners, and with Bob’s help, Cindy and I could buy Paradise Temecula. Bob passed away in 2018 and is survived by his wife Nancy, who also to this day is a great friend and Katelyn’s godmother. Bob Gregory was a tremendous mentor for you. Please tell us about him. Bob grew up on a farm in Alabama and had little Alabama quirks. He was an incredible man in so many ways. He was from the generation that believed a handshake was more important than words on a piece of paper and always to keep my word. Bob was old school: work hard, believe in yourself, believe in people. All the years I was here, and he was in Ventura, I would be out doing community work, and he never said, “I think you need to stick around and work a little more.” He realized the value of being part of something bigger than yourself. Your wife, Cindy, has worked with you at the dealership from the beginning. Please tell us more about Cindy. Cindy is from Michigan. She moved to Scottsdale after graduating from Eastern Michigan State. She wanted to work in parks and recreation, but couldn’t find a position in that field, so she answered an ad to sell cars at Scottsdale Dodge, too, which is where we met. We have always enjoyed working together. We were married in April 1980 and will celebrate our 42nd wedding anniversary in April 2022. We built the dealership in 1991 and opened for business in 1992. Cindy was our first general sales manager. Katelyn was born in 1993. We came home to have lunch with Katelyn every day. When Katelyn was three years old going on four, we were driving back to work after lunch one day, and Cindy said, “Did you hear Katelyn laugh? She sounds just like our nanny.” At that moment, Cindy said, “Today is my last day. It’s time I start spending time with her.” And that’s what she did. Your daughter Katelyn was the dealership’s top salesperson. She is a successful finance manager and will take over the business when you retire. Please tell us about Katelyn. Katelyn graduated with an English degree from San Diego State and earned a master’s degree in English. One of her best assets when selling cars was her ability to communicate with people of all educational levels. Katelyn also speaks Spanish, which is an asset. Katelyn has excelled in everything in the organization so far. As she moves up, she will have to find that balance between career and family, especially now that she is a new mom. We all know that is a pretty tough thing to master. Are there any other people who have had a significant impact on your life that you would like to tell us about? Yes, there was. In recent years, many of my closest friends have passed away. A funeral service is always a time of great reflection. Most times, that is when we realize the impact that their friendship has had on your life and success. CONTINUED ON PAGE 16