Ever since he was a young man, Gary Rosenberg, President of Crystal Lake Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram, has worked with cars in some professional capacity. He started out installing car stereos, but with his easy-going, friendly personality, selling cars on a showroom floor became a natural transition. Gary began working at Clark Maple Chevrolet in Chicago in 1976. He enjoyed everything there was to being a car salesman from getting to know the customers to helping them get a great deal on a car they loved. It wasn’t long before Gary became the #1 salesman at the dealership.
In 1980, he couldn’t pass up an opportunity to work as the manager at (Mark) Mancari’s Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Oak Lawn, IL. After several years of successfully managing the dealership, Chrysler Corporation approached Gary with an opportunity to buy out the dealer at Crystal Lake Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram. Since 1988, Gary has been running his prosperous Crystal Lake store by instilling in his sales team the same values he utilized when he first started selling cars: Make the buying experience easy for people, treat them like they’re your own family and don’t pressure them.
Gary has grown his dealership (currently, 70 people on staff) with the tax and accounting guidance of his lifelong friend, CTM Managing Partner Marty Magida, CPA. Gary has known Marty since the 1st grade when he moved three doors down from him in Skokie, IL. They became the best of buddies, played sports together, and have remained great friends to this day. Naturally, Gary sold Marty his first sports car, a Z-28 Camaro, in 1978, and many cars thereafter.
Gary’s easy connection with people also led him to become an active participant in his community. In 1999, a board member of the United Way of McHenry County bought a car from Gary. He was so impressed with Gary’s business acumen, he asked Gary to serve on the appropriations committee for the United Way. It was through his work with the United Way that Gary became aware Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of McHenry County, a youth mentorship organization.
When Gary saw that BBBS was having financial issues, he and a friend put their savvy business skills to work and rolled out a charity golf event designed to help the charity raise money. Sixteen years later, the event “Swing for Kids Sake” is still going strong. Last year, they raised more than $700k at the golf outing.
And when Gary found out that a fallen police officer McHenry County Sheriff’s Deputy Jacob Keltner had recently purchased a van from Gary’s dealership, he and a few other donors, helped out the family by paying off their car loan.
Although, technology has changed the way he does business (Gary is focusing more of his marketing efforts online as opposed to print or radio) one thing has stayed the same – i.e, his belief that success is possible with hard work, integrity, compassion and perseverance.
