01.03.08
Younger Gunn takes the reins - San Antonio Express News Article
Sean Gunn has been named chief executive officer and vice chairman of Gunn Automotive Group.
Gunn, 34, succeeds his father, Curtis Gunn Jr., in leading the 52-year-old dealership group.
“We’ve been in the market for a long time, and I’m looking forward to the opportunities,” Sean Gunn said.
He took over as CEO on Nov. 27. His father, 71, will remain as chairman and will focus on long-term strategy for the eight dealerships.
“After 40 years in the car business, my dad would like to take a lesser role,” Gunn said.
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Curtis Gunn Jr.’s father, C.C. Gunn, founded the business in 1955, and Curtis Gunn Jr. took over more than a decade ago. Curtis Gunn Jr. said he is most proud of the one-price policy, which eliminates haggling, that he instituted soon after taking over.
“It was a pretty traumatic event for the company and the employees,” he said. “The company lost a lot of money when we were doing it. But I’m glad we did it.”
Nearly two years ago, he also turned ownership of the dealerships over to the employees.
Sean Gunn said he plans to continue to run the dealerships with those philosophies.
He has worked in business for more than 10 years, doing nearly everything at the dealerships short of working on cars.
“I was a service adviser; I worked in the parts department; I worked the counter in the parts department,” he said. “I got to do some sweeping of floors in the parts department.”
For the past year, Sean Gunn was vice president of fixed operations, focusing on the service and parts department. He also has served as general manager for Gunn’s Honda, Acura and Dodge dealerships.
Gunn sells Dodge and General Motors vehicles from the Gunn Autopark on the city’s Northeast Side.
Gunn also sells Honda, Acura, Nissan and Infiniti in four other locations, all north of Loop 410.
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