Executive Profile with Jim Fitzpatrick, Powered by CBT News
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.
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Episodes
12 episodes
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 G...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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50:53
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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48:51
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 ...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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39:34
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 exper...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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35:14
Car Dealer by Day, Racing Champion by Night: Ben Keating Defies All Limits
The journey from washing cars to building a 31-dealership empire and winning the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans isn't one traveled by many, but Ben Keating has navigated this extraordinary path with unwavering determination and a competitive s...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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1:12:02
The Dealer Partner Model That Keeps Joe Serra Sleeping Soundly
What happens when you build an automotive empire by actually giving up control? The remarkable 50-year journey of Serra Automotive provides a masterclass in trust-based leadership that challenges conventional wisdom about running dealerships.
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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45:33
From Family Dealership to Automotive Empire: Ernie Bach Jr's Journey
Ernie Bach Jr. opens the doors to his private estate, offering a rare glimpse into the life of an automotive maverick who transformed his grandfather's humble repair shop into Subaru of New England, one of just four remaining auto distributorsh...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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1:07:52
Cars and Compassion: The Troy Duhon Story
When Hurricane Katrina submerged everything Troy Duhon had built at age 39, he made a life-altering promise: "Lord, if you get me through this, the rest of my career will be giving back." That watershed moment transformed a successful car deale...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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48:39
Rita Case carries forward a legendary automotive dynasty while breaking new ground.
Rita Case's remarkable journey from selling the first Honda car in America to leading one of the nation's most successful dealership groups offers a masterclass in automotive entrepreneurship and resilience. Following her husband R...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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34:45
She Refused to Sell and Built an Empire Instead: Carina Diehl's Dealership Journey
The remarkable journey of Carina Diehl from grief-stricken widow to powerful automotive industry leader exemplifies resilience in its purest form. After tragically losing her husband Matt at just 46 years old, Carina faced a pivotal decision: s...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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40:38
Mike Maroone reveals how knowledge transfer and equity partnerships fuel dealership growth.
Mike Maroone's automotive journey spans generations, beginning with childhood memories of his father purchasing his first dealership in 1955 for $30,000. That foundation led to an illustrious career including 18 years at AutoNation before launc...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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35:32
From Bar Owner to Automotive Legend: Building a $2 Billion Dealer Group
When John Bergstrom and his brother first applied to become GM dealers in 1982, they were flatly rejected. What happened next—a clerical error that somehow approved their application—launched one of America's most successful automotive retail e...
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Season 1
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Episode 1
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33:43