This article was originally published in 2019-2020 Issue 1.
When we spoke to Bobby Kisselback of Kisselback Ford in 2019, he was then the chair of CFADA. Below are some interesting points we featured about Bobby, pre-pandemic.
We asked Bobby how he became a car dealer, and if he always aspired to be part of the automotive industry. He told us, “I’ve been around the car business for a while. Don Mealey invited me to be a part of his management team back in 1987. I started at Don Mealey Chevrolet in Orlando, Florida, and over the years moved around in management positions within the Mealey organization. I fell in love with the business and I’ve been in love with it ever since.” Then: “In 2011, I was made aware this dealership was for sale and I was able to put the deal together. We closed on the dealership in June of the same year.”
We asked if any of his family worked in the auto industry with him, and he told us his son, Sean joined his team several years before. At the time of our interview, Sean was the used vehicle manager. “I’m happy he also loves the business,” Bobby said.
Bobby told us he had an associate degree in business administration that he’d received quite a while before – “a very long time ago” – and told us about certain individuals who had impacted his career. People like Don Mealey, from whom he had learned the business and who was an excellent teacher and a terrific mentor. To this day,” Bobby told us, “Don is willing to give advice when called.” Bob stated he was, “ . . . lucky to have great investors in Paul Dunkley and David Hammond,” and that he appreciated their confidence and their help making Kisselback Ford a reality.
When we discussed our ideas of some of the dominant trends that may affect the auto industry in the next five to ten years, Bobby said, “Every time I think I might know, turns out, nope, I don’t. But, certainly autonomous cars will play a roll, the transition from cars to SUVs will play a role, as will interest rates rising, and a bunch of new products.
“But,” he continued, “ I guess what surprises me is how much of it still stays the same. The fundamentals of the business are the same as they were back in 1987, which is how we interact with people. Regardless of whether we are marketing through social media, the internet, etc. – I don’t think we even had any internet when I started in the car business – the fundamentals of the business are the same. It’s about people.”
He pointed out that he believed there will be new trends in the car business, as there are in any business, however, he stated that the fundamentals of how we interact with each other are what sells cars, and that will always be at the core of any new trend.
Bobby enjoys helping others face new challenges at their dealerships, believing his team can be a good source of information about the industry, as well as recruiting folks to be part of the car business.
With regard to CFADA and what makes membership so beneficial, Bobby stated, rather quickly, “Giving back to the community on behalf of the central Florida auto dealers.” He told us he had been on the CFADA board for a number of years, first as Treasurer, then Vice Chairman, and that he also served on the board at the state level, with FADA. He had been asked to serve by another board member, Randy Parks, and he gladly took up the challenge.
I loved the car business from the very first day. The people, the activity, the pressure, what we are able to do in the community – it was and continues to be awesome.
He told us his priorities as the CFADA Chairman would be continued commitment with the community with a renewed emphasis on helping dealers with big issues like technician recruitment. Giving back to the community is a big part of the culture of his dealership, and he told us of various projects they had undertaken. One of his favorite community-oriented projects is their program to honor a veteran each quarter on their Facebook page. “It’s an opportunity for us and our more than 7,000 Facebook followers to thank (the veterans) for their service. We invite the honoree to our quarterly team lunch and we donate $500 in the veteran’s name to the Horses & Heroes program at McCormick Research Institute in Saint Cloud, which provides equine-assisted therapies to wounded warriors.”
A valiant pursuit, indeed.
Additionally, Bobby and his wife, Sherri – along with their Labrador retriever, Joie – participate in special community programs, as volunteers in comforting children dealing with illness at Nemours Children’s Hospital in Orlando. “Joie is a therapy dog,” Bobby told us. “And I think what Sherri and Joie are doing is wonderful. The therapeutic value of petting or being with Joie is extraordinary. Sherri and Joie also take part in reading programs at local schools and libraries, where kids can read to Joie. She’s a great listener!”
Bobby, his wife, and his team are also committed to educational initiatives. They donate school supplies each year during an annual drive for A Gift for Teaching in Osceola County, and they participate in Ford’s Drive 4 UR School program, donating dollars for every test drive.
“It’s important for me to encourage our team members to participate in our community,” Bobby explained. “I think it’s important that we all give a little in helping as many as we can. We’re a small dealership, but we try hard to never say no.”
We next asked him if he were to look back on his career and his life, what would be three things he’d learned that he could pass on to a younger member of the industry? He reminded us that customers have so many choices when it comes to where to go to buy a car: “Be nice,” he said first, then: “Say thank you. And appreciate that customers chose you.”
When we asked Bobby to describe what a “best day” in the car business would look like, he said, “There is nothing better than a busy day selling and servicing cars at a dealership. The customers are happy, the sales and service teams are happy, everyone is busy and having a good time.”
Moving on to more fanciful pursuits, we asked him to describe his all-time favorite vehicle – whether he’s owned it, or it’s on his wish list. He said, “So many favorite vehicles . . . probably the Ford GT. I currently drive a Ford F150, (which is) a spectacular vehicle.”
We wanted Bobby to tell us more about his family and his home life. He told us he is married to his wonderful wife, Sherri, and that he has two great adult children, Sean and Ashley. He and Sherri have two precious granddaughters, Emily and Logan, and in his spare time, he loves to golf and run in a bunch of charity 5K races.
And finally, when asked what the most rewarding part of his career was, Bobby said, “I loved the car business from the very first day. The people, the activity, the pressure, what we are able to do in the community – it was and continues to be awesome.”
