Rick Hendrick built Hendrick Automotive Group from a single dealership into one of the largest privately held retail groups in the country. Erin Kerrigan sits down with him to discuss his 50 years in auto retail, Hendrick Automotive Group’s acquisition of Kerrigan Advisors’ client Paramount Foreign Cars Italia resulting in the group’s expansion into the exotics segment, the importance of organic growth and fixed operations, and the people-first culture that has shaped Hendrick's success.
In this episode of Beyond Blue Sky – A Kerrigan Conversation, Erin Kerrigan sits down with Rick Hendrick, Chairman and CEO of Hendrick Automotive Group, the largest privately held dealership group in the United States, to discuss his 50 years in auto retail and the principles that have shaped one of the industry’s most successful organizations.
The interview takes place in Mr. Hendrick's extraordinary Heritage Center in Charlotte, following Hendrick Automotive Group’s monumental acquisition of Kerrigan Advisors' client Foreign Cars Italia, adding Ferrari, Aston Martin, Bentley, Maserati and Alfa Romeo to the group’s portfolio, along with an additional Porsche franchise. Hendrick shares what attracted him to the ultra-luxury segment, why organic growth and fixed operations remain central to the group’s strategy, and how a people-first culture and commitment to customer service have driven Hendrick Automotive Group’s success.
He also offers his perspective on technology-driven retail models, accelerating industry consolidation, the rising barriers to dealership ownership and the importance of building an organization that can endure for generations.
Featured in this episode:
Beyond Blue Sky is produced by Kerrigan Advisors, the leading sell-side advisor and thought leader in auto retail. Subscribe for future conversations with the dealers and industry leaders shaping the future of automotive.