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J.D. Byrider franchisees share father/son bond
CARMEL, Ind. – Some fathers teach their sons to fish, and some fathers teach their sons how to throw the perfect curveball. Other fathers encourage their sons to be the doctors, lawyers or senators they once desired to be. Harold Zeigler, James Hadley and J.T. Gandolfo aren’t some fathers. They focused on teaching their sons how to run a successful business, how to sell cars, but, most importantly, they taught their sons what hard work looked like.
These fathers took advantage of franchise opportunities with leading franchised used car sales and finance business J.D. Byrider. Their businesses have evolved into large and successful family operations, and they show no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
Harold and Aaron Zeigler
The Zeiglers went about their J.D. Byrider franchise opportunity a little differently than most. Even though Harold Zeigler had been in the car business for more than 25 years, he entered his franchise agreement as an equal partner with his son, Aaron, in 2001.
The Zeiglers have developed a very successful business that boasts three J.D. Byrider locations and more than 15 other new and used car dealerships throughout Michigan and Illinois. Aaron is president of the business and focuses on day-to-day operations, while father Harold serves as chairman and focuses on the big picture of the organization.
Aaron grew up in the car dealership business, but he never imagined that he would follow in his father’s footsteps.
“I never even thought about selling cars when I was growing up,” said Zeigler. “I started selling cars part-time in college, but after I sold my first car, I just instantly knew that selling cars was what I wanted to do.”
Aaron and his father have thrived within their business, and they have enjoyed doing it together.
“It has been fantastic,” said Aaron. “We get to spend so much time together and we always have something to talk about. We are equals in this business and we are so thankful to have the opportunity to have such an uncommon father/son relationship.”
Jim and Chris Hadley and Mike Hemmelgarn
Jim Hadley was one of the first J.D. Byrider franchisees, opening his first store in 1991. He realized quickly that it was a successful business model, and in 1995, he brought his son Chris and son-in-law Mike into the fold.
The three are now dispersed throughout Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee and plan to open a fourth location in Dayton, Ohio, later this year. Hadley serves as the company’s secretary and Chris serves as president. Mike is part-owner of the Nashville, Tenn., store.
Hadley says the distance between the three helps to keep family and business separate, though for the most part, they get along quite well.
“I try to keep the relationship between Chris, Mike and I on a more cooperative level and not an authoritarian level,” said Jim Hadley. “We have a great working relationship and a strong family, but there are always going to be bumps in the road when you are working with family members. But I’m proud to say we haven’t encountered a bump yet that has been too big for us to overcome.”
J.T., Jonathan and Andrew Gandolfo
Gandolfo opened his first J.D. Byrider in Columbia, S.C., in 1999, and after nearly a decade in business, sons Jonathan and Andrew joined the team. Gandolfo recognized his sons becoming more aware of his business and decided to gauge their interest.
“My sons started to show interest in my business and what I was doing with J.D. Byrider, so I gave them the opportunity and the rest is just history,” said Gandolfo.
Both Jonathan and Andrew now play pivotal roles in the continued success of the business built by their father. Andrew is the company’s inventory manager and Jonathan oversees two J.D. Byrider locations.
While the Gandolfos run a powerhouse car business in South Carolina—other dealerships include Dodgeland of Columbia, JT’s Kia and Used Cars of Columbia—they are still a very close family. Gandolfo considers his uncommon work situation with his sons to be “exceptionally rewarding,” and commented on their working relationship.
“I want to maintain that strong father/son bond,” said Gandolfo. “I expect a lot of them because I know what they are capable of and I’ve seen it firsthand.”
With eight J.D. Byrider locations scattered across the United States, these families are redefining what it means to create a family business. And Father’s Day is always a very special time.
Gandolfo expressed that his Father’s Day gift is knowing that the business he started will live on through his family. “Sometimes family businesses die out after the second or third generation because of a lack of ability and/or interest. I’m extremely fortunate that my boys have a lot of both.”
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About J.D. Byrider
In business more than 20 years, J.D. Byrider is the nation’s leading used car sales and finance enterprise. The company was founded to serve customers with special auto financing needs and to ensure that they receive the same quality service in every J.D. Byrider dealership. With nearly 900,000 consumers matched to quality, affordable vehicles, the company continues its focus on reliability and customer satisfaction. Headquartered near Indianapolis in Carmel, Ind., J.D. Byrider has 127 franchised- and company-owned dealerships in 30 states. Visit www.jdbyrider.com to learn more.
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