A New Beginning Already a Ford Motor Company Top Volume Dealer Hall of Fame inductee, Wilson has been named the next Chairman of the National Ford Dealer Council at the company’s annual meeting on November 6 in Dearborn, MI. Wilson, who is the Founder and Chairman of Preston Automotive Group (PAG), iFrog Marketing Solutions, and also holds vested interests in numerous other businesses across the Delmarva area, was previously Vice Chairman for the Dealer Council. "I am honored and humbled to serve Ford and the Ford Dealer Body,” said Wilson. “Together, we will continue to build on Ford’s truck leadership, Ford Blue, Ford Pro, and Model e. It’s an exciting time, and Ford's product lineup is second to none, in my opinion.” Wilson succeeds Tim Hovik, Owner/General Manager of Top 100 Ford dealer San Tan Ford in Gilbert, Ariz. Edward Marcel Stivers III was named the Vice Chairman alongside Wilson. “The National Dealer Council Chair position is so critical to our engagement with our dealer network,” said Andrew Frick, President, Ford Blue. “Dave, in this role, will represent the voice of nearly 3,000 Ford dealers across the country. I think Dave is perfectly positioned to have this role, as he is a very successful Ford dealer, and has eight Ford dealerships of different sizes that truly reflect the structure of the entire network. The Future is Bright “Dave’s approach of working together to drive our business forward is so important in this very dynamic industry, and I have total confidence in his ability to lead our dealers and work with Ford to improve our position in the market with a focus on our customers,” added Frick. The Ford National Dealer Council represents all Ford dealerships in the United States, and works closely with Ford Motor Company, Model e (electric vehicle division of Ford), Ford Credit, and Ford Pro. The elected council’s objective is to enhance customer experience at Ford dealers and seek innovative ways to evolve sales and service offerings for the brand. Our Proud Ford Family “Ford is committed to serving their customers, and this group will help drive that forward,” said Wilson. “Treating our customers like family will help to strengthen our sales and service offerings and increase loyalty for the Ford brand. We are #BuiltFordProud.” Preston Ford, a Top 100 Ford Dealer for the last 10 years, is one of eight total Ford rooftops under PAG, including Pittsville Ford on Route 50 just outside Salisbury, which also boasts a Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center. Wilson became a first-generation dealer at age 22 when he founded PAG and the original Preston Ford location in Preston. “PAG is a family business that I am proud to say my family heavily participates in, and we also feel like every PAG associate is part of our family,” said Wilson. “The opportunity to serve as Chair of the Ford Dealer Council is a testament to their hard work, as well.” Caring for Our Community The familiar Preston emblem can be seen on cars throughout the Shore. PAG customers proudly display the monthly Preston Frog given in honor of that month’s charitable organization with the purchase of any vehicle. These organizations include causes such as Breast Cancer Awareness, American Heart Association, Save the Bay, and programs to provide lunch to local school children. The charitable work is done through the Wilson Family Community Foundation, which Wilson launched in 2019 with his wife, Peggy Wilson. The Wilson Family Foundation has made significant contributions to the communities that they proudly serve. CONTACT US
The next big story came from Nissan USA. They brought in their top dog, CEO Carlos Ghosn, to introduce their potential new top dog vehicle – the 2016 Nissan Titan. He highlighted two main ideas; One being the fact that Nissan was creating a brand new class of full-size pickups, and the other being that it was All-American from conception to construction. We learned this new Nissan Titan will be powered by a Cummins 5.0L Diesel Engine and it will tow nearly as much as the F-150 at over 12,000lbs.
The third biggest announcement we learned from came from Hyundai USA. They released pictures of their concept truck/SUV hybrid that they are calling the Santa Cruz. You can view all the pictures on the Hyundai USA Facebook page via this link. It first reminded us of the Santa Fe in terms of its front fascia, and overall made us think back to the Subaru Baja from several years ago. As of now it is merely a concept, meaning it’s not slated for production. Yet. It is a slick looking truck and made big headlines in Detroit this year, so we look forward to following the development of this new venture in the months to come!
The final thing we learned came from Mazda USA. Now, technically this has been known since November 2014, but at the NAIAS Mazda rolled out its first generation Subcompact Crossover Utility Vehicle (CUV), the Mazda CX-3. Mazda’s North America CEO, Jim O’Sullivan, notes that “When there’s not a lot of manufacturers offering B-SUV’s, it’s a competitive advantage for us.” Mazda is looking for the 2016 CX-3 to be a better seller than the much anticipated 2016 Miata MX-5.
