| Spitzer Automotive | |
| Industry: | Retail |
| Founder: | George G. Spitzer |
| Hq Location City: | Elyria, Ohio |
| Hq Location Country: | United States |
| Area Served: | United States Canada |
| Key People: | Alan Spitzer (CEO) Andrew Spitzer (COO) Alison Spitzer (president)[1] Joey Mastrodonato (CFO) Larry Horvat (CIO) Deborah Noska (secretary) |
| Parent: | Spitzer Management |
Spitzer Automotive is an American automobile dealership which was founded in 1904 by George G. Spitzer.[2] [3] It is a subsidiary of Spitzer Management which is based in Elyria, Ohio, United States.[4]
Spitzer Automotive was founded in Grafton in 1904 by George G. Spitzer as a hardware store which included a livery stable.[2] [5] They later extended and began renting horse-drawn buggies to train passengers.[6]
In 1945, John Spitzer assumed control.[5] He expanded the retail chain to 14 different locations in four states.[2] [5] During his tenure, Spitzer developed Spitzer method which was used by Ford Motor Company in their corporate trainings.[2] [7] John Spitzer died in 1992.[7]
In the 1980s, Alan Spitzer and Del Spitzer assumed control of daily operations from John Spitzer.[2] Under their leadership, Spitzer expanded its dealearship in Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.[2] They also diversified their business and invested in marinas, farms in Lorain and Medina counties, developed Brentwood Lake Village, and the Pheasant Run Golf Course.[2]
During the 2007-2009 recession in the United States, automotive retailers were largely effected.[2] In 2009, Chrysler and General Motors became bankrupt and as a result discontinued their contracts with Spitzer and other auto dealerships.[2] Alan and Alison Spitzer lobbied for Automobile Dealer Economic Rights Restoration Act to restore auto dealers rights.[2] The effort resulted in restoration of about one thousand dealerships.[2] They also wrote a book, named Grand Theft Auto, about this development.[2]
In 2015, Spitzer was inducted into the One Hundred Year Club of the Western Reserve.[2] [8]
As of 2021, Spitzer operate more than twenty-one auto dealerships in states such as Ohio and Pennsylvania.[2]