Longtime Ally CEO Jeff Brown always envisioned he would spend “about ten years” leading the company before it would be time for someone else’s vision and leadership.
For the past few years, during the year-end processes, Brown’s board members asked him if he was happy or if he planned to look for new opportunities. Year after year, he told the board there was only one call he would answer.
“If Mr. Hendrick called me, that’s a call I would take,” Brown said.
Brown met Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports and chairman of Hendrick Automotive Group, 15 years ago. Their relationship expanded while Brown was CEO of Ally. Ally was the primary financial provider for Hendrick’s company, the bank went on to become a key sponsor of NASCAR and the No. 48 car, and Brown found personal and professional alignment with the relationship.
The call came.
“I gather you may be interested in coming over at some point and running the company,” Brown recalled Hendrick saying.
For Brown, it was an easy yes.
“It became a calling for me.”
Now in role as president of Hendrick Automotive Group for just over 100 days, Brown has spent the first few months listening and absorbing as much as possible.
He’s running a company with more than $13 billion in annual revenue, 10,800 teammates, and a culture that centers teamwork and deep respect for every employee.
Brown’s reputation as a culture creator and carrier precedes him.
At the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance Investor Quarterly meeting on May 21, Brown talked about the importance of culture during a fireside chat with Kandi Deitemeyer, president of Central Piedmont Community College.
“You’re known as a ‘culture king,’” Deitemeyer joked. “Tell us all about your leadership philosophy.”
“Culture drives all things,” Brown replied. “Culture is something that needs to be cared for, nurtured, and talked about every single day of the year by every single teammate.”
“I try to embrace every single day and every single person as a learning opportunity. Every person is equal, a driver of change, it doesn’t matter. We’re all people and we all have an opportunity to learn and build from each other.”
Brown carried that philosophy with him to his new role, believing in the importance of empowerment at all levels of an organization.
When asked what his strategy is to drive Hendrick forward, Brown said he does not anticipate making any major changes anytime soon.
“You stay adaptable because we stay in an ever-changing world,” he said. “These are small tweaks to the model, continuing growth and partnerships, and just being a great partner with our auto manufacturers.”
Brown will continue to monitor trends in technology and talent, and is committed to staying nimble, curious, and adaptable.
Some things haven’t changed yet: Brown’s still driving a Chevrolet Tahoe. But for the self-professed “car junkie,” it’s almost certain that at least a few new things are on the horizon.
“When I told my wife about this new job, the first thing she said was: ‘How many cars do you already have? And now you’re going to work for Mr. Hendrick? What does this mean for our garage?”
A big smile broke across Brown’s face. The possibilities are endless.
