Veteran Dealers Run New Thrifty Stores

Thrifty Car Sales, a subsidiary of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc., is adding seven new locations in six states to its national network of franchised used-car dealerships. Industry veterans are running the new stores.

In Scottsdale, AZ, Shawn Silver of Scottsdale Motor Co. is a third-generation Ford dealer from El Monte CA, who is opening his first Thrifty sales location.

A Santa Clara, CA, store is opened at a former Hummer dealership by Ron Battistella, a 30-year automotive veteran in the Silicon Valley area.

Howard and DoRee Garolsky are opening a Thrifty dealership in West Palm Beach, FL, with plans to relocate to a new 4-acre site nearby so they can expand to include a service facility. They have been in the boat and auto sales business for the last 22 years.

Franchised dealer Gregg Middlekauff is opening his first Thrifty Car Sales dealership in Twin Falls, ID. He has been in the automotive business for eight years as owner of the Ford, Honda and Mitsubishi franchises.

Owners Ohanis Malkon and Steven Gjokaj are opening their first Thrifty location in Melrose Park, IL. Malkon got his start in the business of selling cars in 1995, having worked for Olympic Auto Mall and Gateway Chevrolet in Chicago. Gjokaj joined Rogers Auto Group in 2001, serving as used-car sales manager and special finance director.

In Woodstock, IL, dealer Jim Potts of the Jim Potts Motor Group, Ltd., has opened a new location. Potts spent 20 years with Ditardi Pontiac Buick in Woodstock and owned Mitchell Potts Lincoln Mercury in McHenry, IL, for 12 years.

Gary Lewis has opened his second Thrifty Car Sales location in Belgrade, MT. Lewis has a long history in the automotive and car rental industries. He owns nine Thrifty Car Rental locations in Utah, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.

“We are building a lot of momentum with the addition of new dealers and the expansion of existing Thrifty Car Sales dealers,” says Jeff Cerefice, vice president of Thrifty Car Sales. “They are strong industry players who bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise.”