BORDENTOWN Automobile dealers around the nation will be looking for guidance from Bob Maguire, who was named chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association last month at its annual convention in Las Vegas.
By:David Koch
"I am the spokesperson for the franchise car dealers of America," said Mr. Maguire in his office at Maguire Chevrolet on Route 206 in Bordentown. "My goal is to maintain communication with all the manufacturers, to converse with them on issues that trouble car franchisers."
NADA policy dictates the vice-chairman from the past year, Mr. Maguire, is named chairman for the new year.
One of the largest issues concerning car companies is General Motor’s discontinuation of its Oldsmobile line, leaving 2,100 dealerships without a product to sell. Mr. Maguire’s main concern is to ensure that Oldsmobile dealerships get adequate compensation.
"If they (General Motors) could put Oldsmobile out of business, they could put other franchises out of business," said Mr. Maguire.
Another responsibility of Mr. Maguire’s one-year term as NADA chairman is to keep a watch on legislation that affects car dealerships. One piece of legislation important to car dealers is the proposed removal of the estate tax.
Car dealers across the country are afraid of having their family dealership sold by loved ones to pay inheritance taxes, said Mr. Maguire.
The future of car dealerships is important to everyone because they are the "bedrock of their communities" said Mr. Maguire.
"Generally when a community has a need, car and truck franchises have served that purpose and have been very generous," he said.
Mr. Maguire’s dealership in Bordentown has contributed to the local little league, soccer association, volunteer fire company, and concert association. NADA also has a charitable foundation through which Mr. Maguire provides equipment such as "Resuscitation Annies" (mannequin-like figures to practice CPR techniques on) to emergency squads.
Mr. Maguire began to sell cars through his father, who owned a GM dealership in New York City from 1938 to 1980.
He attended college at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, where he was an all-American athlete as a member of the rifle team.
He joined the Marine Corps at Annapolis, Md., after graduating Duquesne in 1958. Maguire served four years in the regular forces, and was in active reserve until 1978. He began working for his father’s dealership in 1963.
In 1976, Mr. Maguire bought the Chevrolet dealership in Bordentown which was owned by the Mercantini family. He has been a member of NADA ever since.
Today, Mr. Maguire owns Saturn of Bordentown, Maguire Automotive Parts Center, and Saturn of Toms River. He is co-partners with his wife, Marcy, at Indian Motorcycles on Route 130 and Windsor Nissan. Currently, Mr. Maguire is looking to build a new Saturn and a Mitsubishi dealership on Route 1 in Lawrenceville.
Mr. Maguire decided to become chairman of NADA to change the auto industry for the better.
"I felt that manufacturers could work better with their dealers in a variety of ways, so I decided to try to make a difference," said Mr. Maguire.
His busy schedule as NADA chairman has him flying all around the world from Detroit to Mexico to talk to car dealers and auto makers, while still running a large business.
He said he is able to do both jobs successfully because of his wife and excellent senior managers.
"I empower these people to run their departments as if they are their own businesses," said Mr. Maguire.
