'There was mutual respect': Bradshaw Automotive purchased by Anderson Automotive this year

It was a tale of two families when Bradshaw Automotive – the longtime owner of Upstate car dealerships – was purchased early this year by Anderson Automotive Group.

The Bradshaw family: William Bradshaw bought his first dealership in Greer in 1979. Over the next 43 years, he grew it to 450 employees, five dealerships and two collision repair centers. A son, Wes, and a son-in-law, William Donovan, ran the business with him.

The Anderson family: The third-generation, family-owned and -operated company began in 1955 as a small-town Chevrolet dealer and expanded to 950 employees at eight dealerships in Asheville, Raleigh and Sanford in North Carolina and in Charleston.

After the sale in January, Bradshaw issued a statement praising the company that would take over his dealerships.

“Anderson Automotive shares our dedication to giving back to the community,” said Bradshaw, whose family is known for its philanthropy. “Their commitment to our employees and focus on customer service ensures that customers will continue to experience unparalleled service.”

The Bradshaws helped make the transition go smoothly, says Michael Anderson, President and CEO of Anderson Automotive Group, based in Raleigh.

“There was mutual respect. Mr. Bradshaw spoke about us in high regard. And we spoke about him in high regard. It was a good fit,” Anderson says.

“They let us get involved early, introduce ourselves to their people and start developing relationships and answering questions. The Bradshaws were honest and straightforward. Good businesspeople and great people.”

Purchasing five dealerships in one market allowed Anderson Automotive to grow quickly and efficiently, Anderson says.

“We like markets the size of Asheville, Charleston, Greenville – thriving mid-markets,” he says.

The staff is also a plus. Anderson says some employees have been with the company for 30 or 40 years.

“The Bradshaws cared about their people. It shows in the culture. That’s a huge advantage. The type of people we want were already in place.”

Assimilating so many new employees at one time was a large undertaking, Anderson says.

“But in a way, it was easy to change things over to our company. The Bradshaws ran the dealerships on a day-to-day basis. They did not have general managers,” he says.

“We put in our own general managers from Day 1. We were able to promote people from within our business and give them opportunities. We were able to make an impact quickly and express who we are and how we do things and make quick changes.”

Customers may not notice changes, especially since many employees have stayed.

Most dealerships will get a facelift. A new Mazda dealership is under construction. The Honda dealership will be remodeled. And the Acura dealership will ultimately get a new building.

The names of the dealerships have changed; they are named after Michael Anderson’s father, Fred.

Greenville is now home to Fred Anderson Honda, 330 Woodruff Road; Fred Anderson Acura, 2450 Laurens Road; Fred Anderson Infiniti, 2600 Laurens Road; Fred Anderson Mazda, 2512 Laurens Road. Fred Anderson Cadillac and Fred Anderson Chevrolet Buick GMC, 14000 E Wade Hampton Blvd., are in Greer.

Every dealership has a service department. The two collision centers are in Greenville and Greer.

Michael’s father set the tone and structure for the company.

Fred Anderson joined the trade at a young age, following in the footsteps of his dad, the company’s founder, W.H. “Andy” Anderson. After growing the business regionally, Fred found greater success when he moved to Raleigh in 1987.

Michael, whose first job was washing cars at the age of 13, says he always knew there was an opportunity to make a career in the family business. After college and a couple of years working for other dealerships, he returned to the company and started his trek up the ladder. He earned an MBA in 2012 from a program designed for family businesses.

“Most family businesses struggle because of family issues, not business issues,” Michael says. “We've worked to manage that. We created a board of directors. We created bylaws. We structured the company so that there would be accountability and good governance.”

Michael’s sisters serve on the board; a brother-in-law manages IT and marketing. A cousin is the director of parts and service. His father is still involved, but not day-to-day.

“He is a mentor. He weighs in on the strategic decisions,” Michael says.

The executive team manages the 13 general managers of the dealerships. But Anderson makes time for them, too.

“I represent the family and the leadership. They need to hear from me. I need to know people and build relationships,” he says.

Anderson doesn’t want the company to be perceived as a “big business.”

“That’s part of being a family business. You maintain that identity and stay close to your people.”

It’s rewarding to create opportunities for the 1,400 people who work for Anderson Automotive, he says.

“The general manager who runs the Honda store in Greenville came to work for us when he was 21. He came to work on a moped because he couldn’t afford a car,” Anderson says.

“Now, he's running a substantial business with 150 employees. Creating stories like that means a lot. I take pride in that.”

One of the business’ core values is respect for all people, he says.

“I don’t think I'm going to change the world by selling cars, but I do think I have an impact on the lives and families of the 1,400 people who work for me.”

The Anderson team also plans to uphold its pledge to give back to the Upstate. “We do that in all the communities where we have businesses,” Anderson says.

The company often works with charities that help women and children in need, as well as causes focused on mental health.

Drive for a Difference is the company’s annual giving campaign before the holidays. One month, employees choose the cause. The next month, customers choose the cause by voting. A collective gift is made in December.

“The Bradshaws knew that we were serious about helping the community,” Anderson says. “They felt like that was part of their legacy. They wanted that to continue.”

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Anderson Automotive purchases Bradshaw Automotive: What to know