John J. Donnelly

  • Automotive Group Specialist ● High Level Management ● CEO ● COO ● CFO ● Expert Witness

                

  • Sales + Marketing + Business Law + Technology + Management + Accounting + Finance

Executive Profile
  • Developing, automating and delivering effective management reporting to drive dealership profits and increase management control and effectiveness.
  • Expert witness and built data model to determine damages in multi-million dollar award.
  • More than 25 years’ experience in every facet of the retail automobile dealership industry in positions including General Manager, Dealer, CFO, Used Vehicle Director, IT Director, Board Member, Turnaround Specialist, Certified Public Accountant and Management Advisor; using an energetic, real world approach to problem solving and income generation and a deep well of experience to meet the challenges of this fast-paced, high turnover industry.
  • Operated multiple dealerships generating $2,000,000+ in gross profit per month.
  • Proven team-forming and motivational skills have delivered unmatched loyalty and a nearly unheard of staff turnover rate of less than 25%; far below the national average.
  • Developed and demonstrated project planning and management skills in risky, high-stress scenarios because failure was not an option.
  • Expertise with simultaneously supervising several dealerships and related businesses. Directed the management of 6 separate dealerships, as far as 100 miles apart for 8 years.
  • Applied life-long training and education in software, software development and IT to enhance every opportunity and activity in profit improvement, marketing, expense control and data mining. Detail knowledge of the ADP (CDK Global) data model afford unheard of efficiencies in sales performance and expense control.
  • Strategic business sense: able to effectively assess and overcome competition, uncompromising ethics, and natural sincerity create consistent profits and hard-won loyal support and motivation of customers, employees, suppliers and local officials.

Areas of Expertise
  • Multi-point Dealership Operation Management
  • Multi-million Dollar P&L management
  • Financial Management
  • Facility Management
  • Turnaround Specialist
  • IT Management
  • Project Management and Systems Development
  • Advanced IT Knowledge
  • Risk Management
  • Purchasing and Negotiating Skills
  • Vendor Sourcing and Negotiating
  • Sales, Product and Market Analysis
  • Vehicle Operation Wholesaling Management
  • Used Vehicle Acquisition Management
  • Customer Relations and Satisfaction Management
  • Human Resources Management
  • Team Building and Staff Retention
  • Business Intelligence Systems
  • Franchise/Factory Relations Management
  • Fixed Operations Profit Improvement Specialist
  • Sales Process Improvement
  • New Point Application and Award Process
  • Licensed California Real Estate and Business Broker

Proficiencies
  • ADP (CDK Global) Dealership Management System and its Data Model
  • InfinitiNet Data Model
  • Reynolds and Reynolds Data Model
  • SharePoint Systems Development
  • SQL Server Development
  • Microsoft Excel 2013, PowerPivot, PowerBI, PowerQuery and PowerView
  • Car Dealership Business Law
  • Uniform Commercial Code
  • California and Nevada Employment Law
  • California Real Estate and Business Brokerage Law
  • Microsoft PowerShell Scripting Language
  • C#, JavaScript, HTML5 programming languages

Professional Training & Education
  • BA – Economics – UC San Diego
  • Accounting Post Graduate - UCLA
  • CPA Certificate – California
  • Dale Carnegie Public Speaking and Human Relations
  • Dale Carnegie Management Course

Experience
2022 to Present
Automotive Systems Training
United States
President Started this consulting company in 2002 primarily doing training of Dealership Business Offices. Moved primarily to customized dealership reporting systems in 2008 with the advent of SharePoint and advanced data modeling techniques from Microsoft.
1997 to 2022
Multi-Point Auto Dealership Group
United States
General Manager, Used Vehicle Director, Controller, IT Director Joined this start-up organization in 1997 as CFO/Controller of 6 dealership chain. Instrumental in improving processes to improve cash position, reduce risk, improve profitability and develop personnel. Promoted to Used Vehicle Director to coordinate 20 dealership used vehicle acquisition, remarketing and retail operations.
1994 to 1997
Ridgecrest Auto Center
Ridgecrest, CA
Dealer and General Manager Acquired and managed as the dealer (partnership) this small GM multi-franchise point. Turned the town on its ear outselling the Chevrolet-Toyota point and the Chrysler 6-pack.
1993 to 1994
Bell Pontiac GMC Truck
El Monte, CA
General Manager Improved sales and gross profits. Took the store from 100 units to 200 units a month in the first 12 months.
1991 to 1993
Signature Lincoln-Mercury
Las Vegas, NV
Chief Financial Officer A successful acquisition of a dealership for a relatively inexperienced candidate. Coordinated, planned and managed the acquisition of this single point dealership for a former auto wholesaler. Negotiated Buy/Sell, managed the store during the interim management period and packaged the candidate and prepared the business plan to obtain factory approval. Negotiated capital requirements, flooring lines etc.
1990 to 1991
Claremont Auto Park
Claremont, CA
Chief Financial Officer Turnaround assignment. Employed by California State Court Receiver to clean up bankrupt operation, recover assets, and return operations to profitability for ultimate sale.
Prior to 1990
Borbely and Donnelly CPAs
Los Angeles, CA
Partner Partner in charge of Management Advisory services for 90+ auto dealership clients and their owners. Billed 3,000 hours per year in consulting, audit and tax services.