A century in the car business gives you a different perspective on what changes and what gets passed from one generation to the next. In this episode of Dealer Tech Tuesdays, Tom Kline joins the conversation with his father, Richard H. Kline, whose family history in automotive retail reaches back to 1926. Together with our CEO, John Acosta, they look back at the dealership business through their family’s experience. Since recording this episode, Richard passed away. We’re grateful we had the opportunity to capture his stories and perspective, and we dedicate this conversation to his memory. Richard reflects on one-car showrooms, the early franchise model, and the many changes that followed as the business grew. His stories keep coming back to resourcefulness, relationships, honesty, and learning as the business changes. Tom talks about that experience from the next generation. He talks about entering the family business, learning through experience, making mistakes, and eventually understanding what previous generations already knew. The conversation also gets into succession, institutional knowledge, and why passing down judgment can matter as much as passing down ownership. Richard, Tom, and John talk about: 100 years of change in automotive retail Building a family business across generations Learning through experience and mistakes Passing institutional knowledge to the next generation Why adaptability has always mattered in the car business The role of mentorship, teaching, and succession How technology may reshape the industry For dealer principals, owners, GMs, and automotive leaders, there’s a lot here about what changes in this business and what gets carried forward. Watch the full conversation with Richard Kline, Tom Kline, and John Acosta on Dealer Tech Tuesdays. This episode is dedicated to the memory of Richard H. Kline. Support the show
