Riverside Auto Group, which operates seven stores in four cities in the Upper Peninsula, recently found itself the recipient of substantial honors.
The dealership, headed up by Matt Dagenais and his brothers Tim and Paul, was named the 2010 Dealer of the Year by
F&I and Showroom Magazine. The auto dealer was presented the award recently.
"For a small dealer from upper Michigan, this is quite an award," Matt Dagenais says.
Riverside, which sells new and used vehicles and carries the Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, GMC, Honda, Jeep, Nissan and Toyota nameplates, has been run by the family since 1966 when Robert Dagenais bought his first dealership. The three brothers took the reigns of the operation in 2008 after their father died.
"Riverside's story embodies what the F&I Dealer of the Year truly represents," says Gregory Arroyo, executive editor of the magazine. "It's been able to find the fine balance between being aggressive and being customer-centric. It truly is a great story."
The award is fitting for an operation that's endured two very difficult years, which began with the founder's passing in Sept. 2008 and ended with the loss of one of its dealerships through the arbitration with Chrysler.
"Yeah, there's been some sleepless nights, but we've always been proactive in everything we do," says Dagenais. "That was just something that dad was very adamant about."
Riverside was one of four F&I Pacesetters, or finalists for the F&I Dealer of the Year award. Other Pacesetters included Northwest Cadillac-Hummer from Shoreline, Wash.; Midlands Honda in Columbia, S.C.; and Suburban Collection in Troy, Mich.
To read more about the Riverside Auto Group and the other F&I Pacesetters, click
here. Riverside will also grace the cover of the magazine's October issue.
Writer: Sam EgglestonSource: Matt Degenais, Riverside Auto Group
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