Pub. 1 2018-2019 |Issue 2

4 Incoming Chairman Interview – Chris Wilson How did you become a car dealer? Did you always aspire to be part of the automotive industry? I’m a third generation car dealer. I grew up in the industry, starting with sweeping the lot at age 12. I’ve always wanted to carry on the family tradi- tion of being an automobile dealer. My grandpa, Floyd Wilson, was part of the automobile industry his whole life. He purchased Wilson Motor Company in 1943 during WWII. My father, Clair Wilson, bought the dealership from my grandpa in the early seventies. I feel it's an honor to carry on their legacy. Do you have family members in the auto industry? One of my sons and a daughter cur- rently work at the dealership. At one time or another most of my children have been employed by Wilson Motor for some period of time. Wilson Motor Company truly is a family business and has been for 75 years, in fact, we still have the original franchise document signed by Henry Ford. Describe your education background. What did you study? I graduated from Utah State Univer- sity with a Bachelors Degree in Busi- ness Administration with an empha- sis in Finance. Are there any specific individuals that had a major impact on your career? My grandpa and my dad. I was old enough to watch both my grandpa and dad interact with customers and employees. They taught me the importance of treating customers and employees as friends, because they truly were and are. Dad always said you should treat people the way you want to be treated. What is the most rewarding part of your career? The relationships I have with employees and customers. Being a part of our customer’s excitement in the car buying experience is a highlight of my career. For most people, buying their first new car is a life-long memory. We want our customers to look forward to and enjoy the car buying experience. As a third generation car dealership, we have fourthor fifthgeneration customers. You get to knowmultiplegenerations of an entire family. Building trust with your customers is especially essential in a smaller community market. What do you think will be some of the dominant trends within the auto industry in the next 5-10 years? Currently, car sales aredecliningdrastically, while at the same time, the SUV and truck market is growing exponentially. It is interesting that my Dad anticipated this trend over 20 years ago! In the next five to ten years I think aspects of autono- mous vehicles will become increasingly relevant, as will safety features and op- tions. Customers will bemore discerning in their expectations andwill demand greater convenience in the buying experi- ence. Electric and alternative fuel vehicles will becomemore common. However, I strongly believe there will always be a role for the car dealership.