Executive Profile with Jim Fitzpatrick, Powered by CBT News

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The Executive Profile is a podcast from CBT News featuring in-depth interviews with the most influential leaders in the retail automotive industry. In each episode, you'll hear from top car dealership executives, auto group CEOs, and industry innovators as they share how they got their start, key career milestones, leadership insights, and the obstacles they’ve faced along the way. If you're looking to learn from the people shaping the future of automotive retail, this show delivers real stories and practical takeaways from the industry's top decision-makers. New episodes drop monthly: Listen now and visit CBTNews.com for even more expert interviews, dealership news, and solutions.  Follow us on social @carbiztoday and @cbtnews to stay connected and join the conversation.

  1. Aug 13

    Frank Carbone on Holman’s Strategy for the Next 100 Years

    Frank Carbone, President of Retail Automotive at Holman, shares how a career that began parking cars and changing oil evolved into leading nearly 60 dealerships across 32 brands. In this episode of Executive Profile, Carbone discusses Holman’s disciplined approach to growth, its unique acquisition strategy, and how the 100-year-old family business is preparing for its next century. He also explores affordability challenges, talent development, AI, and why operational fundamentals and customer focus remain essential as automotive retail continues to evolve. In this episode, you'll learn: How Carbone went from a lot attendant to leading Holman’s retail automotive business.Why Holman’s hub strategy helped the company double its footprint twice in a decade.How the company uses acquisitions to identify and share best practices.Why talent development remains central to Holman’s long-term growth.How Holman is applying AI and robotics without losing its focus on people.What it takes to build a 100-year-old business for its next century.Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Executive Profile with Jim Fitzpatrick. For more interviews with the leaders shaping retail automotive, visit CBTNews.com and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform. If you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and share it with someone in the industry.

  2. Aug 3

    Paul Sansone Jr. Shares His Blueprint for the Next Generation of Auto Retail

    Paul Sansone Jr. discusses how resilience, innovation, and customer-first leadership have shaped Sansone Jr.'s Auto Group through decades of change. In this Executive Profile, Sansone reflects on launching his own dealership group during the financial crisis, embracing AI across dealership operations, and preparing the next generation of family leadership. He also shares his views on pricing transparency, compliance, dealer-controlled financing, and why exceptional customer experiences remain the industry's greatest competitive advantage. In this episode, you'll learn:  How Paul Sansone Jr. built his own dealership group after separating from his family's business.  Why AI is transforming fixed operations and customer engagement.  How dealer-controlled leasing can improve retention and help customers rebuild credit.  His perspective on FTC pricing transparency and regulatory compliance.  Why developing future leaders has become his top priority.  How technology and hospitality work together to create long-term dealership success.Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Executive Profile with Jim Fitzpatrick. For more interviews with the leaders shaping retail automotive, visit CBTNews.com and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform. If you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and share it with someone in the industry.

  3. Jun 29

    Ryan LaFontaine on Building a Family-First Dealership Empire

    Ryan LaFontaine shares how family values, resilience, and a long-term vision helped transform LaFontaine Automotive Group into one of Michigan's largest dealership organizations. In this Executive Profile, the CEO reflects on the lessons he learned from his parents, overcoming cancer during one of the company's most pivotal moments, and why culture remains the foundation of every business decision. He also discusses fixed operations, affordability challenges, Chinese automakers, pricing transparency, and what it takes to build a dealership group that lasts for generations. In this episode, you'll learn:  How Ryan LaFontaine's parents shaped the culture behind LaFontaine Automotive Group.  The personal cancer battle that changed his leadership philosophy.  Why treating employees "like family" remains central to the company's success.  How fixed operations and used vehicles provide long-term stability.  His perspective on vehicle affordability, Chinese automakers, and FTC pricing transparency.  Why building a dealership for every customer—and every stage of life—is key to future growthThanks for tuning in to this episode of Executive Profile with Jim Fitzpatrick. For more interviews with the leaders shaping retail automotive, visit CBTNews.com and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform. If you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and share it with someone in the industry.

  4. May 28

    How Jay Feldman Scaled From One Store To 25

    We sit down with Jay Feldman to trace how a kid selling cars at 15 becomes the leader of a 25-store dealer group built on discipline, culture, and smart deal-making. We dig into what’s changing in retail automotive right now, from EV swings and digital shopping to FTC uncertainty, fixed ops growth, and AI’s impact on dealership operations.  • growing up in a Chevrolet dealer family and starting in parts at 12  • turning around a losing small-town store and building from there  • scaling through acquisitions, partnerships, and new franchise points  • adding Toyota and Honda for the first time and what that changes  • working with Mark Wahlberg and what celebrity reach really does  • the EV boom, incentives, and the reality of today’s EV mix  • why he sits out overpriced deals and underwrites with “normal” years  • the case for single-point dealers and why scale is optional  • where online car buying works and where it still falls short  • FTC compliance concerns focused on clarity and consistent rules  • fixed ops priorities, mobile service experimentation, and daily cadence  • blending cultures after an acquisition and keeping one-price selling  • concerns about affordability, Chinese competition, and direct-to-consumer models  • using AI in service operations and why it will change staffing  • succession planning and advice for GMs who want to buy in  Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Executive Profile with Jim Fitzpatrick. For more interviews with the leaders shaping retail automotive, visit CBTNews.com and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform. If you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and share it with someone in the industry.

  5. 09/03/2025

    The Pohanka Legacy: A Century of Automotive Excellence

    Geoffrey Pohanka shares the remarkable story of Pohanka Automotive Group, founded by his grandfather in 1919 and now spanning 22 dealerships across three states. He reveals how the company's focus on service excellence helped them survive the Great Depression and World War II when many dealerships failed. • Third-generation dealer whose grandfather was a jockey before starting the business in 1919 • Promotes from within - including a former switchboard operator who will become NADA chair • Believes customer convenience drives service department success with extended hours • Owns multiple EVs personally but advocates for consumer choice rather than mandates • Working to address technician shortages by funding community college automotive programs • Maintains collaborative relationships with manufacturers while representing dealer interests • Foundation donates millions annually to community initiatives and financial literacy education • Family legacy continues with two of his three children working in the business • Started all three children as mechanics to learn the business from the ground up The Pohanka philosophy remains consistent after 106 years: "The customer can fire all of us. I've got to take care of the customer and so do you, because they'll fire us if we don't." Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Executive Profile with Jim Fitzpatrick. For more interviews with the leaders shaping retail automotive, visit CBTNews.com and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform. If you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and share it with someone in the industry.

  6. 07/24/2025

    The Zeigler Legacy: Building an Automotive Empire

    Aaron Zeigler has transformed his family's single dealership into a nationally recognized automotive powerhouse with 41 locations and 88 franchises across four states while fostering an exceptional workplace culture with remarkably low turnover. • The Ferrari dealership in Lake Forest is one of the largest in the country, spanning 70,000 square feet with vehicles that can sell for over $3 million • Zeigler's father started the company in the mid-70s after saving money from selling cars to purchase a small Ford dealership out of bankruptcy • Building a world-class culture starts with their "Keys to Success" program that teaches new employees expectations and empowers them to make customers happy without manager approval • Promoting from within and strong development programs are key strategies that have enabled the company's growth • Technology enhances the car-buying process but relationships still drive sales - very few customers purchase completely online without human interaction • Mobile service has been enormously successful with 14 vans at 100% capacity, while the Ferrari dealership will pick up and deliver cars within a 500-mile radius • Zeigler started their own technician school graduating 40 techs annually to address the industry-wide technician shortage • The automotive market remains strong with luxury brands showing particular resilience, and Zeigler predicts the second half of 2024 will outperform the first half Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Executive Profile with Jim Fitzpatrick. For more interviews with the leaders shaping retail automotive, visit CBTNews.com and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform. If you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and share it with someone in the industry.

  7. 07/15/2025

    Leading with Purpose: The Jane Vaden Thacher Story

    Jane Vaden Thacher didn't expect to follow in her father's footsteps. Her primary goal after high school was to escape Savannah and the family name plastered across vehicles throughout the city. But thirty years after returning to the business her father started in 1968, Jane has transformed Vaden Automotive Group into a powerhouse representing Chevrolet, Cadillac, Nissan, Infiniti, Hyundai, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram across 13 dealerships with 762 employees. The journey wasn't easy. Jane began in a trailer beside the body shop, worked her way through F&I, and eventually convinced General Motors to award her a second Chevrolet point in Savannah—which she opened at age 34 while pregnant with twins and still managing other dealerships. "I just outworked them," she explains about overcoming initial resistance as a female leader in automotive retail. What sets Vaden Automotive apart is a philosophy Jane calls "The Vaden Way"—a culture built on employee development, transparency, and community commitment. This approach has created remarkable loyalty, with many senior team members boasting over 20-year tenures. While approximately 35% of Vaden's workforce is female (many in leadership positions), Jane dismisses gender as a determining factor: "To me it absolutely makes no difference. It's always about what you can do." Looking ahead, Jane remains pragmatic about industry challenges from EV adoption to digital retailing evolution. She's focused on growing Vaden from a half-billion to a billion-dollar enterprise while preparing her son Jack to eventually take on leadership responsibilities. But following family tradition—her grandfather died selling cars on the showroom floor—Jane has no plans to retire: "That's not what we do in my family." Experience the wisdom of this automotive pioneer who continues to prove that trust, transparency, and outworking the competition never go out of style. Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Executive Profile with Jim Fitzpatrick. For more interviews with the leaders shaping retail automotive, visit CBTNews.com and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform. If you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and share it with someone in the industry.

  8. 07/15/2025

    Beyond the Dealership: How Family Values Drive Business Growth

    Mario Murgado shares his remarkable journey from Cuban immigrant arriving in America at age four to building a 24-dealership automotive empire across three states. His story reveals how passion for cars, commitment to exceptional customer experiences, and innovative business practices created one of the most successful dealership groups in the country. • Arrived in America as a political refugee just days before his fourth birthday • Started selling Hondas at Braman in 1981, working his way up to leadership positions • Purchased his first dealership in 2001, transforming a struggling operation into one selling 9,000 vehicles annually • Created the unique Ocean Cadillac Museum to celebrate automotive heritage and enhance customer experience • Implements forward-thinking workplace policies with 30% female employees and flexible schedules • Takes a measured approach to electrification, advocating for market-driven rather than government-mandated adoption • Believes strongly in physical dealerships while embracing digital retail options • Maintains core values instilled by his father: perfect attendance, sitting at the front of class, and reading voraciously • Views dealers as essential community pillars rather than just business operators • Encourages the next generation to maintain strong manufacturer relationships while adapting to industry changes • Lives by the philosophy "dream when you're awake" - having clear goals and working persistently toward them Visit our brand new state-of-the-art Cadillac dealership and museum in Miami to experience the Murgado difference for yourself. Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Executive Profile with Jim Fitzpatrick. For more interviews with the leaders shaping retail automotive, visit CBTNews.com and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform. If you enjoyed the episode, please rate, review, and share it with someone in the industry.

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The Executive Profile is a podcast from CBT News featuring in-depth interviews with the most influential leaders in the retail automotive industry. In each episode, you'll hear from top car dealership executives, auto group CEOs, and industry innovators as they share how they got their start, key career milestones, leadership insights, and the obstacles they’ve faced along the way. If you're looking to learn from the people shaping the future of automotive retail, this show delivers real stories and practical takeaways from the industry's top decision-makers. New episodes drop monthly: Listen now and visit CBTNews.com for even more expert interviews, dealership news, and solutions.  Follow us on social @carbiztoday and @cbtnews to stay connected and join the conversation.

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