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Stingray Chevrolet Gets Off To Fast Start

Tribune photo by George H. Newman

Employees at the new Stingray Chevrolet include, from left, David Britigan, Scott Ledbetter, general manager Andrew Conrad, Stephen Miller, Ken Blevins and Teresa Craig. The dealership was acquired for $15 million out of bankruptcy court.

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By GEORGE H. NEWMAN

gnewman@tampatrib.com

Published: January 21, 2009

PLANT CITY - The Chevrolet dealership that replaced Bill Heard at Interstate 4 and Park Road came out of the starting gate with a bang, leading all but two locations in the number of Chevy sales during the first week of January.

Andrew Conrad, general manager at Stingray Chevrolet, said he is pleased by the response since the dealership opened, Dec. 26. The new dealership placed third in retail sales nationally during the first week of the year, with 37 sales, as reported to General Motors for Chevrolet dealers only.

The dealership also has been Chevy's No. 1 in the state since it opened with 50 sales, he said.

"The early sales numbers are great," Conrad said. "We will do everything we can possibly do to meet and surpass all of our customers' expectations. But, for me, the best part of our opening in Plant City has been the friendly and welcoming attitude shown to us by the people who live here."

Conrad said every day since the dealership opened people have come by to say hello and make his team feel welcome.

"People have brought us cold drinks, cookies, cakes and warm handshakes every day since we opened," he said. "The people in Texas are friendly Conrad lived and worked in the San Antonio area, but the people around here have been great to us. I call my wife every night and I can't help but tell her how welcoming and friendly the people around here."

Conrad and his wife, Brenda, have three children. Their son is 20 years old; their daughters are 16 and 15.

"Brenda and the kids will stay in Texas until the school year is out," Conrad said. "In the meantime, I'll be house shopping on my days off."

Conrad came to Plant City on Dec.12, just one week after accepting the job offered to him by Tom Durant, the owner of Classic Automotive Group. The Grapevine, Texas, company purchased the Plant City dealership after Bill Heard declared bankruptcy.

"What an impressive facility this is," Conrad said. "Thirty-six acres, room for 3,000 vehicles and a great location. It has an impressive and spacious display room, parts department and body shop."

Conrad has not opened the body shop at this date. He said he is still searching for a person to manage the shop who has the desired background and experience.

His sales staff is small. He has hired only 10 sales representatives but expects to grow the staff to about 20 over time.

"We have had over 300 applicants, but we are looking for people with managerial experience in the field," Conrad said. "Our salespeople aren't a middleman between the customer and some sales manager. The sales rep is the manager of that sale. They have the power and the tools needed to make the deal. Our customers are in for a good experience at Stingray Chevrolet."

Classic Automotive purchased the land, building and franchise for $15 million out of bankruptcy court. The Plant City dealership was shut down in September, when Bill Heard Enterprises of Columbus, Ga. filed for bankruptcy protection. Bill Heard opened the dealership at 2002 N. Frontage Road in 2004.

Durant, the primary owner at Classic Automotive, is a longtime car dealer in the Fort Worth area. His company owns six dealerships in Texas.

"When Tom offered me the manager's job at Stingray, I immediately went to the Internet to see what I was getting into if I said yes," Conrad said. "It's a big move for the family, but I was totally impressed with the numbers and the area we were moving into. I'm sure it will be a good move for us."

Conrad has no false hopes about the market in general and for automobile sales in particular.

"The market will turn around," Conrad said. "We are going to grow this dealership to match that growing market.

"We have no timetable. We'll offer our customers the best deal for sales that we can and show them a dealership that treats them right every time."

Reporter George H. Newman can be reached at (813) 865-4451.

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