GM Minority Dealers Association Electes New Board Members

The General Motors Minority Dealers Association (GMMDA) has elected four (4) new members to its Board of Directors.

SOUTHFIELD, MICHIGAN (PRWEB) March 20, 2004 --The General Motors Minority Dealers Association (GMMDA) has elected four (4) new members to its Board of Directors. Ed Chavez, President, Coachella Valley Pontiac Buick GMC (California), Ernie Guzman, President, Ernie Guzman Pontiac GMC (Texas), and Robert Turner, President, JK Chevrolet Isuzu and JK Chevrolet Port Arthur (Texas) will each serve two-year terms. Fernando Somoza, President of Saturn of Houston Northwest 290 and Saturn of North Houston (Texas), will serve a one-year term as an alternate.

The GMMDA has made great strides under the excellent leadership of our current board of directors," said GMMDA president Gregory Jackson. I believe that Ed, Ernie, Robert, and Fernando each have the experience, appreciation for diversity, and the drive to continue to powerfully lead the association as we pursue our mission of promoting and protecting viable and profitable opportunities for minorities within the GM dealer network."

Ed Chavez is a native of Albuquerque, New Mexico and has over 30 years experience in the automotive industry. In addition to serving on the GMMDA Board of Directors, he is a member of the 2004 GM Minority Dealer Advisory Council (MDAC), President of the I-10 Dealers Association, and a director of the Indio Chamber of Commerce.    

Ernie Guzman, Sr. was born in Victoria, Texas. He has received numerous accolades for his expertise as a business man including a nomination for the Houston Hispanic Businessman of the Year and various awards from General Motors, Honda, and Mazda. Guzman also serves on the GM MDAC and is a regular sponsor for numerous charities in his community, including the local and regional War on Drugs effort.    

Fernando Somoza was born in Managua, Nicaragua, and began his automotive business experience as part-owner of a Porsche-Audi dealership which eventually became the largest Porsche-Audi dealership in the nation. Somozas many accolades include the 2003 Infiniti Award of Excellence and the prestigious 2004 Saturn Corporation Summit Award. Somoza is also a Director and Vice-Chairman of the Houston Automobile Dealers Association.    

Robert Turner, a native of Marshall, Texas, is the first African-American dealer to own a dealership in Jefferson County. He began his career in the automotive industry in 1974. Turner became the dealer principal of J.K. Chevrolet Isuzu in November of 2000 and purchased his 2nd dealership, J.K. Chevrolet Port Arthur in 2003. Turner serves as Project Leader for the GMMDA Summer Internship program and is a member of the advisory team for Chevrolets new ad campaign.

The following GMMDA members were re-elected to serve two year terms on the board: Greg Cole (Athens Chevrolet and Cole Chevrolet; Georgia and Idaho), David Ferraez (Danvers Chevrolet Buick Pontiac, Green Brook Pontiac GMC, North Shore Buick Pontiac GMC, Watertown Buick Pontiac GMC, and Woburn Buick Pontiac GMC; Massachusetts and New Jersey), Burnell Guyton (Cobb Parkway Chevrolet; Georgia), Gregory Jackson (Prestige Automotive Group, Florida and Michigan), John Reggans III (Everett Chevrolet; Washington), Dalip Singh Sethi (Riverside Chevrolet; California), and John Paul Jones (Greenfield Pontiac GMC and John Pauls West Bend Chevrolet Cadillac; Wisconsin).

Milt Barnes (Classic Chevrolet; California), Reggie Hubbard (Diamond Chevrolet and Diamond Chevrolet of Kings Mountain; North Carolina), Sam Oginni (Crystal Lake Pontiac GMC; Illinois), Desmond Roberts (Advantage Chevrolet; Illinois), and Henry Ware (Southaven Pontiac Buick GMC; Mississippi) will continue their service on the board. Also, Victor Covarrubias (Anaheim Pontiac Buick GMC and Victor Buick; California), Frank Navarrete (Navarrete Pontiac GMC; Florida), and U.J. Polo (Culver City GMC Pontiac Buick and Greenwood Pontiac; California) completed their terms.        

The GMMDA is a non-profit organization that represents the interest of over two-hundred minority owned General Motors dealerships across the country. The mission of the GMMDA is to promote, protect and encourage the viability and profitability of all existing General Motors dealers, and to encourage, through cooperative efforts with General Motors, the installation of new minority dealers in viable and profitable opportunities.

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Contact: Delisha Upshaw
         (248) 552-9040