Ross Roberts
Title: President
Company: Ford Investment Enterprise Corp.
Thesis: Ford is involved in retailing to find out what customers want.
Quote: 'We simply aren't going to be able to do business as we did in the past.'
Sheldon Sandler
Title: CEO
Company: Bel Air Partners LLC
Thesis: The future of the family dealership is uncertain.
Quote: 'In the next few years, numerous dealers will be afforded the chance to merge into or sell out to strong networks of well-financed public corporations.'
B.B. Hollingsworth Jr.
Title: Chairman, president and CEO
Company: Group 1 Automotive Inc.
Thesis: Expansion-oriented megadealers are driving the consolidation trend.
Quote: 'We have a lot of happy shareholders, which includes our dealers.'
Michael Maroone
Title: President, Automotive Retail Group
Company: Republic Industries Inc.
Thesis: The traditional model of a dealership will go away.
Quote: 'We believe the speed of change driven by the customer is accelerating.'
John MacDonald
Title: Vice president of sales and service
Company: DaimlerChrysler Corp.
Thesis: Dealers are changing to meet customer needs.
Quote: 'Don't underestimate the power of the entrepreneur.'
Tony March
Title: CEO
Company: March/Hodge Holding Co.
Thesis: Mom-and-pop dealerships will have trouble competing with large public dealership groups.
Quote: 'Will this consolidation virtually eliminate the access of minorities to the larger, better dealership?'
