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Esta página no está disponible en español. EL SENTINELCar Dealer Races In Fast LaneBy Monica Scott
November 24, 2001
People person. (JESSICA MANN/EL SENTINEL) ----- CLERMONT -- Just three years after taking the reins of Rolling Hills Ford, Jay Rosario is already in the midst of a $3.1 million expansion. The move comes at a time when other companies have halted major endeavors because of a stagnant, uncertain economy. But Rosario, 33, said business is thriving and the new showroom and service facility are being driven by both demand and projected growth of the south Lake County market. He said the economy is going to bounce back. "I am 100 percent confident in the investment being made in this facility right now," said Rosario. "All the indicators are positive for us. We grew faster than our ability to handle our customer base." Rosario's business savvy and leadership skills were spotted back in 1994 by Ford Motor Co., when it tapped the St. Petersburg car salesman to be part of the rigorous one-year dealer development program. When he purchased Rolling Hills in 1998, he became the youngest first- generation Hispanic dealer within Ford. The new Rolling Hills, Rosario said, is going to be state of the art, offering customers the latest technology in the service department and a dazzling two-tier showroom geared toward customer convenience and comfort. The company employs 80 people. The showroom will feature Internet access via three computers, a coffee bar, a children's playroom, flat screen televisions and a lounge. "We want to be cutting edge and that means we have to set the bar and also be willing to move it again," Rosario said. "The new technology in our 16,000-square-foot body shop will be able to service customer's cars faster, better and more efficiently." Rosario is a finalist for the Don Quixote Business Leadership Award from the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Orlando. Rosario was born in New York. His father is a native of the Dominican Republic and his mother is from Puerto Rico. He is married and has two children. Last year, he was selected as one of Ford's "10 Shining Stars," exemplary minority employees who have excelled in the company. The honor landed him in People en espanol. Rosario said friends convinced him as teenager that he would be a natural in car sales. He said he immediately loved the interaction with people, flexibility of hours and opportunity to make money. "Your success relies primarily on you and your own individual drive," Rosario said. Rosario attributes the level of success the company has achieved in a short time to the company and its employees being active in the community, and to strong customer service and values. "Truly the talent was here but just needed a little bit of leadership and motivation," Rosario said about taking over in 1998. Rosario said sales and services per month have more than doubled since he took the helm of the longtime State Road 50 dealership. He said his goal is to represent five or six manufacturers. The showroom is expected be done in December and the remainder of the project finished by the first of year.
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