Fitzgerald Auto Mall

Fitzgerald Auto Mall
Formation1966; 58 years ago (1966)
Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.
TypeNew and Used Auto Dealer
Headquarters11411 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland, U.S.
Location
Region served
United States
FORMER CEO
Jack Fitzgerald(now an ESOP)
Staff
~1,700 (2021)
Websitewww.fitzmall.com

Fitzgerald Auto Mall is a family owned and operated auto dealership that was founded in 1966, with its first location opening in Bethesda, Maryland. As of 2014, Fitzgerald Auto Mall ranked number 59 on the list of the "Top 125 Dealership Groups" in the U.S., which is published annually by Automotive News.[1] Fitzgerald dealer locations appear five times on the 2013 WardsAuto e-Dealer 100, at No. 8, No. 25, No. 30, No. 43 and No. 98.[citation needed]

History

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In 1966, Fitzgerald Auto Mall was founded with a Colonial Dodge (now a Fitzgerald Hyundai-Subaru) dealership in Rockville, Maryland.[2] Fitzgerald has used no-haggle pricing since 1979 and it encompasses 20 dealerships across Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Florida that sell 20 different brands.[3]

In 2003, Fitzgerald Auto Mall became the first automotive dealership group to have achieved ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications. Since 2003, Fitzgerald Auto Mall remains the only car dealer group in North America to have achieved ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications.[4]

In 2005, Fitzgerald Auto Mall was one of the three companies to receive the National Capital Business Ethics Award at an awards dinner held at the Ritz Carlton in Tysons Corner, Virginia. In addition to Fitzgerald, the award was given to National Security Research, Inc. and Ventera Corporation. More than 50 companies from the Washington D.C. area were nominated in 2005 for this award.

In May 2006, Fitzgerald agreed with Pepco Energy Services to switch all of its Maryland dealerships from electricity generated via conventional power sources to wind power.

In 2008, Fitzgerald Auto Mall was selected as one of only six car dealers in the U.S. to offer plug-in hybrid conversion systems for the Toyota Prius.[5]

In 2016, Fitzgerald Auto Mall celebrated its 50th anniversary.

In 2023 Fitzgerald Auto Malls became the largest Employee Owned dealership group when Jack Fitzgerald founded the Fitzgerald ESOP Trust.[6]

Recognition/Awards

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  • In 2001, Fitzgerald Auto Mall' CEO, Jack Fitzgerald, was named the Auto E-tailer of the Year by the American International Automobile Dealers Association for his success in electronic commerce.[7]
  • On February 1, 2004, Fitzgerald Auto Mall was presented with an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) registration certificate at the National Automobile Dealers Association Convention in Las Vegas. This was the first ever ISO 9001 registration of a multi-location dealer group in auto retail history.[8] Fitzgerald has also been awarded an ISO 14001 certification for its Environmental Management System.[9]
  • On October 20, 2005, Fitzgerald Auto Mall won the large-company award, for companies with 250 or more employees, at the 2005 National Capital Business Ethics Award dinner at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Tysons Corner, Virginia. Over 50 companies were nominated.[10][11]
  • In 2006, Fitzgerald Auto Mall recycled over 2 million pounds of waste in Montgomery County - 80% of the waste they generated. For this, Fitzgerald was awarded the Outstanding Achievement in Recycling Award from the county.
  • In 2009, Fitzgerald Auto Mall was awarded LEED Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council for its Germantown, Maryland dealership location. This dealership features on site Solar Trees, which help power the building in addition to wind power. Fitzgerald was the first LEED Gold dealership east of the Mississippi.[12]
  • In November 2013, Fitzgerald Toyota participated in the Toyota 100 Cars for Good program. This is a philanthropic initiative in which Toyota gave away 100 cars to 100 nonprofits over the course of 100 days, based on votes from the public.[13]
  • On the morning of May 15, 2014, Fitzgerald Auto Mall installed the 45,000th child safety seat at one of Fitzgerald's automobile dealerships.[14][15]
  • Fitzgerald Auto Mall is a member of the Clean Energy Partnership in Maryland and its facilities are now run by power generated entirely from wind turbines. Fitzgerald is also credited with being the first auto dealer to become a U.S. EPA Green Power partner.
  • Fitzgerald Auto Mall' CEO, Jack Fitzgerald, is a recipient of the Golden Gear Award, the All Star Dealer Award, and the USA Today and NADA Innovative Dealer Award.[16][17]
  • Jack Fitzgerald named a Visionary Dealer by Automotive News 2022.

2008-2010 Automotive industry crisis

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In the latter half of 2008, a global-scale recession adversely impacted the economy of the United States. A limited availability of credit and declining automobile sales led to a more widespread crisis in the United States auto industry. In 2009, GM and Chrysler announced that they were closing 2,200 dealers, affecting 170,000 jobs nationwide.[18] Fitzgerald Auto Mall was scheduled to have all five of its Chrysler dealerships eliminated.[19]

In 2009, CEO Jack Fitzgerald, alongside fellow dealers Tammy Darvish and Alan Spitzer, formed an advocacy group, the Committee to Restore Dealer Rights (CRDR), to fight against the elimination of dealer franchises across the nation by GM and Chrysler. CRDR's main goal was to ensure the passage of the Automobile Dealer Economic Rights Restoration Act of 2009.[20]

Community Outreach

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In February 1999, Fitzgerald Auto Mall partnered with Safe Kids USA in Maryland to hold a car seat check-up event. The dealership hosts free monthly car seat inspections the third Thursday of each month from March through December that anyone in the community may attend without an appointment.[21] If the monthly events are not compatible with a family's schedule, Fitzgerald offers private appointments.[22] There is an additional inspection day dedicated solely to Spanish-speaking families. Working with county and state agencies, Fitzgerald has inspected more than 45,000 child safety seats since the program began in 1999.[23]

Fitzgerald hosts pet adoption events to find homes for local pets in need. Fitzgerald works with the Washington Animal Rescue League (WARL) for various animal adoption events.[24] Fitzgerald Auto Mall has provided its dealerships to house these local adoption events, including its North Bethesda, Frederick, and Rockville locations.[25][26]

Fitzgerald helps to sponsor and participate in a local, corporate work-study program in Maryland. The students in this program each work one day a week with a local business, agency, or other employer to gain experience as well as help cover the tuition of private Catholic college preparatory school.[27] Fitzgerald is one of more than 75 partners in this work-study program, including the Montgomery County government, Holy Cross Hospital and NASA.[27]

References

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  1. ^ "Top 125 dealership groups based in the United States – ranked on 2013 new-vehicle retail sales units" (PDF). Automotive News. Dealer.com. 17 March 2014. p. 5. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  2. ^ Andrew Metcalf (2014-05-15). "Fitzgerald Dealerships Hit Child Seat Safety Milestone". Bethesda Magazine. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
  3. ^ "Dealer Fitzgerald is a teacher, not just an auto seller". Automotive News. 2013-01-30. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
  4. ^ Bookmark +, Staff •. "Fitzgerald Auto Malls Achieves ISO Certification; Owner Decries CSI System". www.fi-magazine.com. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
  5. ^ "Fitzgerald Auto Malls Offering New Plug-in Hybrid Conversion Systems". www.tmcnet.com. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
  6. ^ "Mini-cast 221: Fitzgerald Auto Mall Goes 100% ESOP". 25 March 2023.
  7. ^ The, Washington Times. "Dealer fits philosophy into auto sales". The Washington Times. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
  8. ^ Bookmark +, Staff •. "Fitzgerald Auto Malls Achieves ISO Certification; Owner Decries CSI System". www.fi-magazine.com. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
  9. ^ "Maryland Green Registry 2014 Leadership Award Winner - Fitzgerald Auto Malls" (PDF). Maryland Green Registry. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  10. ^ Monroe, Steve (2 November 2005). "Fitzgerald Auto Malls wins ethics award". Gazette.Net. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  11. ^ "Past Recipients | US Business Ethics Awards". 2018-08-30. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
  12. ^ "New Fitzgerald Auto Mall Store Earns Rare LEED Certification". Auto Remarketing. 21 April 2010. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  13. ^ Malls, Fitzgerald Auto. "Fitzgerald Toyota Celebrates 25 Years". PR Newswire (Press release). Retrieved 2021-09-01.
  14. ^ Andrew Metcalf (2014-05-15). "Fitzgerald Dealerships Hit Child Seat Safety Milestone". Bethesda Magazine. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
  15. ^ "Fitzgerald Auto Malls Rack Up More Than 45,000 In-Dealership Child Seat Inspections". Edmunds. 2014-09-16. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
  16. ^ Bookmark +, Staff •. "Fitzgerald Auto Malls Achieves ISO Certification; Owner Decries CSI System". www.fi-magazine.com. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
  17. ^ "Maryland store wins first Dealer Innovation Award | Latest News - News | Cata". www.cata.info. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
  18. ^ Darvish, Tamara, and Lillie Guyer. Outraged: How Detroit and the Wall Street Car Czars Killed the American Dream. Bloomington, IN: IUniverse, 2011.
  19. ^ "Chrysler Pulls Out of Hundreds of Franchises". The Washington Post. 2009-05-15. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
  20. ^ Staff, Ike Wilson News-Post (24 July 2009). "Auto dealer: Congress should expose 'big lie' of General Motors, Chrysler". The Frederick News-Post. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
  21. ^ "Fitzgerald Auto Malls Rack Up More Than 45,000 In-Dealership Child Seat Inspections". Edmunds. 2014-09-16. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
  22. ^ "Tribute To Jack Fitzgerald And Fitzgerald Auto Malls". Archived from the original on 2014-09-20. Retrieved 2014-09-19.
  23. ^ "Fitzgerald Auto Malls Rack Up More Than 45,000 In-Dealership Child Seat Inspections". Edmunds. 2014-09-16. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
  24. ^ "WASHINGTON ANIMAL RESCUE LEAGUE AND FITZGERALD SUBARU PARTNER TO "SHARE THE LOVE"". The Washington Animal Rescue League. Archived from the original on 2014-10-22. Retrieved 2014-09-19.
  25. ^ "Dog adoption event at Fitzgerald Auto Mall, Frederick". Wildlife Removal.[permanent dead link]
  26. ^ "Pet Adoption Events". Fitzgerald Auto Mall. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  27. ^ a b "Takoma Park school celebrates new academic wing". Archived from the original on 2014-09-20. Retrieved 2019-12-17.
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39°02′38″N 77°06′38″W / 39.0438°N 77.1106°W / 39.0438; -77.1106

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