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Gary B. Flom, Automotive Expert

With over two decades of experience in the automotive industry, Gary Flom has extensive expertise in all aspects of automotive retail industry including operations, financial management, acquisitions and labor relations.  Flom has proven himself as an expert at turning around underperforming operations.  In addition, he is known in the automotive industry as a proven leader, communicator and innovator always focusing on high profit and customer satisfaction.

 

Currently he holds the position of President & CEO at Bay Ridge Ford dealership in Brooklyn, New York after leaving the helm of Manhattan Automobile Company after fifteen years, a flagship dealership on Manhattan’s west side exclusively selling Ford, Lincoln, Mazda, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo vehicles.

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As president and chief executive officer of Bay Ridge Ford, Mr. Flom opened a 7,500 square foot modern showroom located at 612 86th Street in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn and a 33,000 square foot state-of-the-art Service & Parts Center at the Brooklyn Army Terminal on 2nd avenue at 58th street in Sunset Park. This was the first Ford dealership to open in the Nation right after the last financial crisis and first new dealership in Brooklyn in over 27 years. In its short tenure Bay Ridge Ford has already won the coveted President’s Award, the highest honor that Ford Motor Company can bestow on its dealers.

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This new venture marked the return of Mr. Flom to Brooklyn, where he emigrated to from Russia over 35 years ago. A former financial analyst at Gulf & Western and decorated United States Marine, Gary Flom truly understands the role that strategy plays in the retail business. With an astute understanding of consumer-driven operations, Flom has proven himself an expert in creating profitable businesses run by highly-motivated well-trained personnel.

 

When he took the helm of Manhattan Ford, Lincoln Mercury, Inc. at the end of 1998, the company’s rank in overall customer satisfaction was nearly at the bottom 10 percent of the competitive group. By the year 2000, that ranking jumped to the “Top 10” percent. Over the next 8 years, total sales revenues increased 227%, P(L)BIT increased by 82% and unit sales volume by 200%, including a double-figure percentage gain during the recession-year of 2001. In 2010, after the financial crisis of 2008, the dealership even reported a 55% growth in sales volume.  With Flom at the wheel, the company was consistently recognized as the national and northeast region sales leader for Land Rover and Jaguar and Manhattan Automobile Company became Manhattan’s largest volume automotive retailer.

 

In 2001 Gary Flom was nominated by the Ford Motor Company for the Making a Difference Award and in 2002 he was nominated for the Salute to Dealers Award. Including Bay Ridge Ford, Gary Flom twice became the recipient of the Ford Motor Company’s most prestigious President’s Award. Flom is also a four time recipient of Ford Motor Company’s 100 Leaders Award. In 2005, Flom was specifically recognized by the Board of Directors for his innovation in automotive retail approach that contributed to the continuing success of the Manhattan enterprise.   

 

Prior to joining Manhattan Automobile Company, Gary Flom had built a distinguished track record as an executive manager working with luxury and sport brands such as Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Infiniti, Jaguar and Porsche.

 

Gary Flom was honored to be selected to serve on the National Congressional Committee’s Business Advisory Council. Mr. Flom’s philanthropic activities include support of notable organizations such as City Harvest, God’s Love We Deliver, Partnership for the Homeless, and Camp Brooklyn. Through his love of the arts, Flom has aligned Manhattan Jaguar Land Rover with the acclaimed Metropolitan Opera for the third year.

 

Flom has been featured in hundreds of publications such as Sports Illustrated, the New York Times, Gotham Magazine, New York Magazine, Crain’s New York Business, New York Post, Daily News, Automotive News, Dealer magazine as well as on Bloomberg’s “Money Talk” radio show and national television program EXTRA! (twice) and the local ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, UPN and WB affiliates, among many others.     

 

After moving to the US, Gary Flom grew up in Brooklyn and served in the United States Marine Corps from 1983 through 1987 where his accomplishments were recognized through meritorious promotion and an award of the Navy Achievement Medal, highest achievement decoration in peacetime. While serving in the Marines, Gary graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in Business Management. 

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