In an automotive retail landscape in the midst of a fast-paced era of consolidation, one group and one executive are operating at a different level: Lithia Motors Inc. and its CEO, Bryan DeBoer.
The longtime head of what is now the nation's second-largest dealership group has been the guiding force in the transformation of Lithia becoming a national brand not only through acquisitions of single dealerships and large private groups across the country, but also through the rollout of a fledgling omnichannel retailing tool, Driveway.
DeBoer's execution on his vision for Lithia is among the reasons he was selected among Automotive News' 2021 All-Stars as the Industry Leader of the Year.
"It's a fun journey," DeBoer, 55, said in an interview this month. "But it's just the beginning."
In July 2020, the Medford, Ore., retailer revealed an ambitious five-year plan to reach $50 billion in annual revenue by 2025 — nearly quadruple 2019's revenue of $12.67 billion — and more than double its store count to a total of 500 U.S. dealerships.