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Nineteen Chrysler LLC Minority Dealers Named to Black Enterprise Magazine's 'Top 100' Auto Dealers List


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- Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge auto dealerships among the nation's top-grossing black-owned businesses

- Chrysler's African-American dealers together gross more than $2 billion

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., June 24 -- Black Enterprise (BE) named 19 African-American owned Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge dealers to its 2008 annual "Top 100" automotive dealers list. Dealers made the list based on the following criteria: Revenue dollars; African-American ownership of at least 51 percent; and fully operational for the 2007 calendar year.

BE's list included three Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge dealerships in the top 10. The top dealer, Gresham Dodge was No. 3 on the list. The dealer, located in Gresham, Ore., boasted $435 million in revenues last year. Martin Management Group, in Bowling Green, Ky., was No. 4 and grossed $435 million in revenues and Winston Pittman Enterprise, in Louisville, Ky., made the list at No. 6 with $261 million in revenues.

In total, the 19 dealers grossed more than $2 billion* last year.

"Chrysler's African-American dealers are an economic force in this country," said Cecil Ward, Senior Manager - Network Diversity and Dealer Development. "This ranking is significant to Chrysler because it demonstrates the strength of our minority dealer network and, in this competitive environment, also is a testament to the hard work that many people have put into these dealerships."

The BE 100 lists are widely recognized as the most respected measure of black-owned business performance. Overall, the lists total more than 250 businesses in the various areas, including industrial/service companies, auto dealerships, financial services firms, and advertising agencies.

This is the 36th year of the BE 100. The full list is in the June issue of Black Enterprise.

  The dealers that made the "Top 100" list are below:

  Number Name                   Principal      Location      Revenues
  3      Gresham Dodge*         Dorian         Gresham, Or.  $439.6
                                Boyland                      million
  4      Martin Chrysler        Gail Martin    Bowling       $435.3
         Jeep Dodge*                           Green, Ky.    million
  6      Cardinal Chrysler      Winston        Louisville,   $261.7
         Jeep Dodge*            Pittman        Ky.           million
  11     Advantage Chrysler     Desmond        Des Plaines,  $151.2
         Jeep Dodge*            Roberts        Il.           million
  17     Metrolina Chrysler     Reginald       Charlotte,    $129.2
         Jeep Dodge*            Hubbard        N.C.          million
  23     Ed Corley Chrysler     Eddie Corley   Gallup and    $107
         and Dodge*                            Grants, N.M.  million
  36     Huntsville Dodge *     Ellenae        Huntsville,   $64.5
                                Fairhurst      Ala.          million
  45     Champion Chrysler      Fernando       Indianapolis  $52 million
         Jeep Dodge             Falcon
  47     Stone Mountain         Darryl Ford    Stone         $51.5
         Chrysler Jeep Dodge                   Mountain,     million
                                               Ga.
  48     Stateline Chrysler     Damian Mills   Fort Mill,    $50.4
         Jeep Dodge                            S.C.          million
  51     Dodge Chrysler Jeep    Yvonne         Tulsa, Ok.    $48.7
         of Tulsa               Howell                       million
  56     Superstition           Alfonzo        Mesa, Ariz.   $47.6
         Springs Chrysler       Smith                        million
         Jeep
  63     Webster Chrysler       Randolph       Webster,      $41.7
         Jeep*                  Henderson      N.Y.          million
  72     Jordan Frazier         Jordan         Bessemer,     $37.4
         Chrysler Jeep Dodge    Frazier        Ala.          million
  74     Deerbrook Forest       E. Dale        Kingwood,     $46.3
         Chrysler Jeep          Early          Texas         million
  75     Vicksburg Chrysler     Monti Long     Vicksburg,    $35.8
         Jeep Dodge                            Mich.         million
  81     Park Dodge Chrysler    Jerome         Lexington     $33.4
         Jeep                   Dillard        Park, Md.     million
  87     Cross Road Chrysler    Jesse          Oklahoma      $30.1
         Jeep                   Greathouse     City, Okla.   million
  88     Southland Chrysler     John Roy       Southaven,    $26.9
         Jeep                                  Miss.         million

  * Dealer's revenues also included sales from other automotive dealerships

In 2007, Chrysler's minority dealers made up 5 percent of the total dealer body and contributed 7 percent of the company's retail sales in 2007.

Black Enterprise

Black Enterprise, your ultimate guide to financial empowerment, is the premier business and investment resource for African Americans. Since 1970, Black Enterprise has provided essential business information and advice to professionals, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and decision makers. The BE 100s lists are widely recognized as the most respected measure of black-owned business performance.