Steele Auto Group has announced the acquisition of its first U.S. dealership, Luling Chevrolet Buick GMC in Luling, TX.
“We have been planning to establish a foothold in the Austin-San Antonio area and are excited to have a presence here. This is a great, well-run dealership,” said Rob Steele, chief executive officer of Steele Auto, which has 40 dealerships in Eastern Canada, and now one in the U.S.
Carroll Barron, longtime owner of Luling Chevrolet, said he wanted to thank his customers and employees for their loyalty over the years.
“We are confident the Steele team will continue to deliver quality customer service,” said Barron.
“We’re impressed with their professionalism and their track record," he said. "They will be good for the dealership and for our part of Texas.”
“I am thrilled to continue on as general manager of the dealership moving forward," said PJ McCafferty, general manager of Luling Chevrolet Buick GMC.
"I am confident that being part of a larger dealer group will bring new benefits to our customers and employees," McCafferty said. "We will continue to offer excellence in customer service and experience."
Luling is a small city of 5,400 people, but the dealership serves customers from the greater San Antonio-Austin area.
"It is great to be adding a well-established Chevy dealership to our group," said Kim Day, president of Steele Auto Group.
"We’ve enjoyed a great relationship with General Motors in Canada and are very proud to partner with General Motors here in the U.S. We love the Chevrolet, Buick and GMC brands and their product direction,” Day said.
"Over the last several days, we have had the opportunity to meet and work side-by-side with the team here in Luling and we are thrilled to add them to our team of 2,200," Day said.
"We are also thrilled that PJ McCafferty will continue on in his capacity as general manager," Day said. "Customers should continue to expect the same friendly, professional experience they have grown to know."
In 2019, Steele Auto Group became the first Canadian dealership to be awarded the GM Canada Innovation award.
"There are some innovative solutions that we plan to deliver here to enhance the customer buying experience," Day said.
"As an example, we would intend to roll out real time video updates from service technicians while customers’ vehicles are being repaired," Day said.
"We pride ourselves on creating new and innovative ways to enhance the experience for our customers; it’s a benefit of being part of a larger network and group. This will also create new opportunities for the existing Luling team members," Day said.
"We strongly believe in developing and promoting from within, so both career advancement opportunities and mobility around our network are accessible," Day said.
"While this is our first venture into the U.S., our plan is to continue to seek out opportunities in the Austin-San Antonio area in the near term," Steele said. "We would like to create some critical mass in Texas and are open to opportunities in the U.S. that fit our acquisition criteria."
Source: Steele Auto Group
