From a teenager sweeping floors at his father’s dealership to a fixed operations leader building a culture of training and mentorship, the automotive industry has always been defined by journeys.
For some, it begins with a summer job washing cars. For others, it starts right after high school turning wrenches, stocking parts, or learning the showroom floor. Over time those first jobs turn into careers. Careers grow into leadership roles. And leadership becomes the bridge between generations.
Across dealerships today those journeys look different, but they share a common thread. Automotive retail is not simply a job. For many, it becomes a lifelong profession built on relationships, mentorship, and the constant need to adapt.
In an economy where many professionals are extending their careers beyond traditional retirement timelines, the question of relevance has become increasingly important. Some struggle to keep pace with rapid changes in technology and customer behavior. Others find new ways to remain vital to the organizations they helped build.
One of the most powerful ways professionals maintain relevance is through leadership.
“Leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in your charge.” — Simon Sinek
I sat down with four leaders: two legacy leaders who have spent decades shaping this industry (Dave Rogers and Drew Pearlman) and two emerging leaders actively defining what the next era of automotive retail looks like, David Cerqueira and Carlos Gerde. Across all four conversations, one theme was impossible to ignore. The future of automotive retail will not be defined by one generation replacing another. It will be defined by how well those generations learn from each other.
You Have to Be on the Court
Across every conversation, one idea came up without prompting. Real leadership does not happen behind a closed door.
David Cerqueira, Service Director at Benzel-Busch Mercedes-Benz in Englewood, New Jersey, put it plainly.
“A lot of leaders lead from behind a desk and never come out of their office. Whoever’s going to win this game is going to win it out there on the court.” — David Cerqueira
Dave Rogers, Corporate Fixed Operations Director for Piazza Auto Group and more than four decades into this business, sees the same dynamic. His job as he defines it is to educate, teach, and pay it forward, and that cannot be done from a distance.
“You have to groom somebody. Take ownership in their success. Be a true mentor, not an artificial mentor.” — Dave Rogers
That distinction matters. Showing up is not the same as investing. Lip service is easy. Advocating for someone’s growth when they are not in the room is the harder and more meaningful work.
The Open Door
For emerging professionals, the most valuable lessons they described learning from experienced leaders were not technical. They were personal.
Carlos Gerde, an executive sales consultant focused on digital retailing, credits much of his development to one specific quality in the leaders who shaped him most.
“His door was always open and he was always teaching. I could walk in anytime and ask questions. Over the years that really helped me get good at my craft.” — Carlos Gerde
Drew Pearlman, General Manager of Gateway Kia, sees that same accessibility as central to how he approaches his own role today. He uses a framework with his team he calls FORM (family, occupation, recreation, motivation) as a tool for understanding who someone really is before trying to lead them.
“What inspires me is helping people become better human beings, not just better salespeople. Once you understand your people, leadership becomes much easier.” — Drew Pearlman
Rogers frames the same responsibility in terms of time.
“You can’t get somebody ready to take your place in two or three months. There’s a lot more involved.” — Dave Rogers
The Human Side of the Transaction
Ask any of these four leaders what will matter most in the years ahead, and the conversation eventually finds its way back to the same place: the customer in front of you.
“Customer service is huge in this industry and it’s becoming almost like an extinct skill. People aren’t just buying price. They’re buying a good feeling too.” — Carlos Gerde
Pearlman has built his entire leadership philosophy around that idea.
“Empathy and attention. You have to truly understand the customer sitting in front of you and give them your full attention. This industry is a people business. We are not in the car selling business — we are in the people business.” — Drew Pearlman
Rogers, who has watched technology reshape fixed operations multiple times over four decades, does not see the digital shift changing that fundamental truth.
“You can be as high tech as you want. But if you cannot work in an analog world, the digital world is only going to report how terrible you are. You still have to know how to talk to people. Customer service will never go away.” — Dave Rogers
Technology as a Tool, Not a Replacement
Technology itself emerged as one of the most interesting points of overlap between generations, not a dividing line, but a shared challenge each approached differently.
Cerqueira has introduced tools like Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT internally to help advisors structure complex customer communications and help leaders build onboarding documents faster.
“It’s a thought starter. Sometimes leaders get overwhelmed with documents or formatting. These tools help them organize things faster so they can focus on leading their people.” — David Cerqueira
Gerde arrived at a similar place, though from a different direction. He was initially skeptical of AI in the sales process because he valued traditional selling.
“At first, I was against it because I liked the organic nature of selling. But now I use it almost every day as a tool. If we embrace it instead of fighting it, it actually makes the job easier.” — Carlos Gerde
Pearlman leaned into social media when many legacy leaders were dismissing it, creating content and engaging audiences online. That curiosity led to an unexpected opportunity: a multi-generational dealership family noticed his work and brought him in not only to run their store but to mentor the next generation of leadership alongside the owner’s son.
“I’m not a professional creator, but I am relatable. And that’s what matters.” — Drew Pearlman
Rogers sees it all through the lens of fundamentals. The tools change. The underlying need does not.
“My job is to educate, teach, and pay it forward. The newer generation didn’t have to put in as much time and effort to learn, but then it can come back to bite them.” — Dave Rogers
Kindness Is a Strategy
When I asked each of these four leaders what strengths will matter most over the next five to ten years, regardless of age or tenure, the answers pointed in the same direction.
“Kindness. Kindness is one of the most underrated tools in business. When you lead with kindness people stop and listen. When someone does something right, acknowledge it. When they do something wrong, hold them accountable. But when people feel respected they will go the extra mile for you.” — Carlos Gerde
“Communication. You might have to change your medium or method, but we always need to communicate well. You have to show vested interest in their success, professionally and personally.” — Dave Rogers
The Leaders Who Last
When these four conversations are layered together, a pattern emerges that no single interview could have produced on its own.
Emerging leaders value mentorship, accessibility, and the willingness of experienced professionals to share what they know without gatekeeping it. Legacy leaders recognize the importance of staying curious, adapting to new tools, and preparing the next generation deliberately, not in two or three months, but over time.
Cerqueira has built that investment into the DNA of his operation. The proof shows up in who walks through the door.
“About eighty to ninety percent of the technicians that have come to work for us, the first question is not what the rate is going to be. It’s what development path we’ve got. We made an investment in our technical staff and people know it.” — David Cerqueira
When asked what he would tell legacy leaders about hiring for the future, his answer was direct.
“I would stop saying I’m looking for somebody with twenty years of experience, that’s the only thing that’s going to work. You don’t need that. You need somebody with a great attitude, great behaviors, and curiosity to learn automotive.” — David Cerqueira
For leaders who have spent decades in the automotive industry, remaining relevant is not about keeping up with every trend. It is about continuing to invest in people, staying open to learning, and preparing the next generation to succeed.
Gerde offered one more thought that stayed with me.
“If you want to walk fast, you walk alone. If you want to walk far, you walk together.” — Carlos Gerde
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