ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 13, 2010 – Thomas Thelen, President of Thelen Chrysler Jeep Dodge, a Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Kia and Sprinter dealership in Bay City, Mich., was named the TIME Magazine Dealer of the Year from Michigan.
Thelen was chosen to represent the Michigan Automobile Dealers Association in the national competition. The award is sponsored by TIME Magazine in association with Goodyear, and in cooperation with NADA.
“The most rewarding aspect of my career is establishing a family business that is true to the values we believe most,” says Thelen. “It has been a great journey.”
Thelen graduated from Resurrection High School in Lansing, MI, in 1960, and then studied marketing at Lansing Business College. In 1963, he started in the car business as a Used Car Salesman, working his way up to Used Car Manager. Thelen moved to Williams Auto World in 1966 and was eventually promoted to General Manager. The chance to buy Bay City (MI) Volkswagen Mazda arose in 1977, and seven years later, the Chrysler-Plymouth-Dodge store was purchased. Subaru was added in 1994 and Audi two years later.
In 1997, Thelen’s organization purchased 3D Honda in Midland, MI, relocating the business to Bay City in ’99. That same year, the Kia franchise was added to the Chrysler-Plymouth-Dodge store. In 2003, Thelen purchased the Ford-Mercury store in Standish, MI. Finally, in 2008, the Jeep franchise was added to the Chrysler-Dodge-Kia dealership, along with the Sprinter line and the Dodge Medium Duty Truck Line. Today, Thelen is joined in the family business by three sons as well as several granddaughters.
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