Passion for cars took him from the East coast to the West, until an opportunity landed George Johnson deep in the heart of Texas. Although he took the scenic route getting here, he’s finally home in DFW and settled into his role as the General Manager of Park Place Motorcars Fort-Worth.
George got into car sales after college at State University of New York at Albany. The industry’s high-energy and a lucrative paycheck sparked his interest. “I needed a job, so I decided to sell cars ‘till I found a real job,” said Johnson.
But what exactly determines a ‘real job’? George worked hard in sales; it was as real as it gets to him, being fresh out of college, getting a taste of the real world. He fell in love with the business almost immediately. The excitement of helping people realize their dreams, the high-energy and fast pace coupled with unlimited potential for success; the sky was the limit and George seized on the opportunities provided. All the hard work eventually translated to career growth and recognition.
Fast and furious is one way to describe the ‘80s for George. His career blossomed in the 10-years he spent working with a dealer group in New York, where he moved up quickly from sales to management. Years later, a move to Northern California provided growth and further success on a career path that was initially deemed a ‘not so real’ job. George got the attention of a dealership group in Redwood City, California that offered him the position of a General Sales Manager. In this position, he represented 5 different brands for the dealer group. No small undertaking, to say the least.
Fifteen years in the San Francisco Bay area set George on a path that eventually brought him to Park Place. In 2006, George Johnson took over the helm as General Manager at Park Place Motorcars Fort-Worth. “It was the prestige brands, the trajectory of the company, and the leadership that made me want to work for Park Place.”
George’s leadership style has evolved over the years, “We let the managers run their department and I continue to support them and guide them. It allows them to grow and learn. I will always pitch in to help, work alongside and guide them, but they take full responsibility for their actions. There are no walls between departments, everyone works as a team to support one another and in turn we are able to provide an extraordinary client experience.”
This is evident in the accolades that continue to pour in for George and his team. Mercedes-Benz recognized Park Place Motorcars Fort Worth with the prestigious “Best of the Best” award 7 of the last 9 years. [The Best of the Best award is awarded annually to the top performing Mercedes-Benz dealerships for demonstrating superior performance in customer satisfaction and across all departments.] The dealership was also ranked one of top 7 in the nation in 2015 Service Customer Satisfaction Index.
Community involvement and giving back to the community is also top priority for George and his team at Park Place Motorcars Fort Worth. Just recently he challenged the members (employees) to donate canned-goods for charity and he would personally match their donations. At the time there were only a handful of donations but the team rallied beyond anyone’s expectations! True to his word, a trip to Wal-Mart and $900 later, they donated nearly 2- tons of food to the Tarrant Area Food Bank. [Read the story here: Friendly Competition Benefits Tarrant Area Food Bank].
Several causes are especially near and dear to his heart, including Jewell Charities and several cancer related charities. “I love my kids more than anything so being able to help [Jewell Charities] means a lot to me and our team. And cancer affects so many lives each year; most people we know have had some kind of exposure.”
Park Place Motorcars Fort Worth has donated over $750,000 to Cowtown Ball Charities and cancer research in the last 10 years.
At the end of the day, “This is a very rewarding business,” said George, “There’s plenty of opportunity and Park Place Dealerships is, by a mile, the best Automotive Group I have experienced in my 33 years in this business.”
At Park Place, our success has been built upon our continuous commitment to client service excellence. We strive to achieve the very best for our clients and exceed expectations in the showroom, on the service drive, and in the community. In the communities where we work and live, Park Place continuously gives of its time and resources for the betterment of our neighbors. Whether it is a blood drive in a time of need or the sponsorship of a local charity event, we stand behind our communities.
When he’s not hard at work at the helm of the “Best of the Best” Mercedes-Benz dealership, George enjoys spending time with his family. Sightseeing around the world, skiing, and fishing help him unwind and reenergize. Golf, gym, and “Game of Thrones” are also at the top of the list.
