Virginia “Ginny” Bowden is a fourth-generation dealer. Her dealership, McClinton Auto Group, is in Parkersburg, West Virginia. It has been in business since 1915 under the direction of her father, J.S. McClinton III; grandfather, J.S. McClinton Jr.; and great-grandfather, J.S. McClinton Sr.
That is a big deal by itself, but Ginny has also been nominated as West Virginia’s nominee for the 2022 TIME Dealer of the Year in partnership with Ally.
WVADA recently talked with Ginny about her life, work and nomination.
You have a B.A. in business economics from Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Why that degree, and why there?
When it was time to think about college, I wanted to be outside West Virginia, go south and explore, but the thought of having 200 people in a lecture hall seemed daunting. I knew if I was going to do well in school and have a good experience, I needed to be in a small setting.
Wofford College is a small liberal arts school, and it was a good choice academically and socially. I loved it there. I had a great experience, and it was good preparation for many things. I majored in business economics and minored in English because I knew I could apply what I learned to anything I did.
You met Wyn, your husband and general manager, on a ranch in Wyoming. Please tell us about it.
My husband, Wyn, and I met in Encampment, Wyoming, at a working guest ranch, the A Bar A Ranch. It is practically in the middle of nowhere, and the family that owns it has around 150,000 acres. The A Bar A has wonderful guest quarters and numerous activities, including horseback riding, hiking and fly fishing. I was a housekeeper, and I cleaned cabins for two summers. Wyn worked there for three summers. He was a fishing guide and ranch hand the first two summers, and he fixed fences and drainage and did stuff all over the ranch. He was a wrangler the third summer. He took guests on trail rides and helped take care of the horses. After falling in love with the west and in the west, we moved to Jackson Hole for six years.
Many couples from the ranch are now married. Some of our best friends are from the ranch and Jackson Hole. We now sell some vehicles to the ranch because we are close to the managers. They tell us what they need, and we transport their vehicles from West Virginia to Wyoming. Even in a digital age, it’s still a relationship business!
WVADA is a great support system for dealers. They work closely with us to accomplish our needs and wants, and they help us solve our issues. The association offers education and communication with the legislators and a fabulous legal staff that understands the ins and outs of our complex business.
What led to the decision to become the dealer in 2017? Tell us about your journey and moving back to West Virginia.
My father was very good at keeping work and personal separate when I was growing up, so I had very little exposure to the dealership. I knew we owned a family dealership, but that’s it. I didn’t know the inner workings. Dad wanted my brother and me to find our own way and figure out what we wanted to do with our lives without the pressure of being expected to go into the family business.
My husband is from Little Rock, Arkansas, so Wyn and I lived in Little Rock for three years after we were married. In 2015, my dad sent a letter to my brother and me. In the letter, he talked about a succession plan, and he suggested that if we were interested, we should consider working in the business and learning about it to make sure that was what we wanted to do.
Wyn and I discussed that letter in great detail for almost two years. We agreed it would be a shame to sell a family business that was more than 100 years old.
As we continued to talk, we decided that the worst that could happen was either not liking the work or failing. We decided we could live with both of those outcomes. But we also thought we didn’t want to look back in 10 years and say, “Wow, we really missed out on a great opportunity. Why did we sell it?”
Wyn and I started on the Chevy sales floor because that was the biggest pain point at the time. We needed to sell more Chevrolets. We came in, and we started asking questions and learning. In January 2020, I became the dealer, and my husband became the general manager. Our goal is to ensure our two locations stay relevant and continue serving our community for another 100 years.
Does the company employ other family members? If so, what roles do they have?
My father is the CEO, I am the dealer principal, and Wyn is the general manager. Our three dogs, Mavis, Rebel and Cotton, are some of our best sales consultants 😉. Our daughters may join the team someday.
The dealership has survived every major catastrophe of the 20th century, starting with the 1918 flu pandemic and (at least so far) ending with the current COVID-19 pandemic. What’s the secret to surviving in difficult times?
We have a saying around here: “Taking steps is easy; standing still is hard.” We know that we can make it through these challenges by focusing on the big picture and adapting. My family has survived difficult times because of flexibility, confidence, hard work and preparation for the future.
What has your family learned from everything that has happened since the dealership opened?
You have to surround yourself with the right people to succeed for so long. Good salespeople will make our customers want to purchase from us again, good service techs mean our service customers will come back every time their car needs to be serviced, and a great body shop team ensures that customers will turn to us when they have an accident.
We believe in continuous improvement.
Who has your main mentor been?
My father. We share an office, which can sometimes be difficult; however, I feel lucky to have him here to spitball ideas and ask questions. He is a wealth of knowledge and loves the business, although he might tell you otherwise. He gives me the support I need to make decisions. I learn by doing, and he encourages and supports that.
I heard a statistic from NADA about the success rates of successions at dealerships; the first to second generation has a success rate of 33%, the second to third generation has a success rate of 11%, and the third to fourth generation’s rate is 6%. I have my father to thank for keeping the business alive and passing on the opportunity.
Are there any other people who have had a significant impact on your life that you would like to tell us about?
Dr. Mike Stern and Bridget Mullen. Working with them was my first experience working with a husband-and-wife duo. He is an oral surgeon, and she runs the office. They have mastered working together, and they are a great example of how you can be successful with that.
What do you think about the Ally TIME Dealer of the Year Nomination?
I am very flattered by the nomination, and I feel fortunate to receive the honor. Still, the nomination isn’t about me. I didn’t create anything. It is really about the entire team carrying on a family legacy. The dealership was already here and doing well, and it just needed a face-lift. We want to progress and make a good thing better by making improvements.
Ally donates $1,000 from each nominee to a 501(c)(3) charity you select. The charitable donations for finalists are $5,000, and the winner’s donation is $10,000. You already support many charities. Which charity did you select for this honor? Why?
I chose the Children’s Home Society of Parkersburg, which is well-run and well-rooted in the community. There are different locations all over the state, but my dad started to help this one more than 20 years ago, and I wanted to continue the tradition as a tribute to my family. Also, now that I have a child of my own and one on the way, it is a little more near and dear to me to give back to children in need. We host a food drive for them several times throughout the year and are always looking for ways to help them in their mission.
Why should WVADA dealers join the association? How does membership benefit its members?
WVADA is a great support system for dealers. They work closely with us to accomplish our needs and wants, and they help us solve our issues. The association offers education and communication with the legislators and a fabulous legal staff that understands the ins and outs of our complex business. Their support is vital to our success. Without WVADA, we wouldn’t have the foresight to make business decisions that keep us in a good position to serve our community to the best of our ability.
I look forward to learning more from our partners at the WVADA, and I appreciate their hard work on our behalf.
What is the biggest issue facing West Virginia dealerships in the next three to five years?
West Virginia has a major issue with citizens leaving the state. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, our state’s overall population dropped 3.3% over the past decade. In Parkersburg, it’s almost double that amount of decline. We lost 6% of our population in 10 years.
Our state needs to find ways to retain our citizens and attract people from out of state to relocate here. We also need to encourage trade schools and trade jobs such as service and metal technicians. These jobs are vital because they are the backbone of our communities.
What are three pieces of advice you would give someone if you were mentoring them?
- Find diverse work experiences when you are young. They will make you more adaptable and desirable as an employee in your chosen field.
- Hire people smarter than you.
- Pursue anything that is both terrifying and amazing.
What advice would you give to other women who are thinking about getting into the automobile industry?
I’d like to think that I’m capable of advising anyone interested in the automobile industry.
Considering a job in the auto industry is a great first step. You will never be bored. Working in this industry is about more than just selling cars.
I advise women in this business to seek out local women’s leadership organizations. I joined a women’s group a few years ago, and I’ve made great friends and contacts. It’s always nice to find others who can relate to your experience. The CEO of General Motors, Mary Barra, is a great example of a woman succeeding in this industry.
Tell us about Shop Click Drive (for Chevrolet) and Online Shopper (for Mitsubishi). How have these programs helped your business during the pandemic?
Our community and customers still like to do things in person, especially when buying a car. I don’t blame them. As much as I like the “Amazon Experience,” it isn’t a one-size-fits-all model. Aside from purchasing a home, purchasing a new or used vehicle is most likely an individual’s largest purchase in their lifetime. Personally, I would not want to purchase a vehicle without seeing it, driving it, and reviewing its features with a product specialist.
Nevertheless, I want to offer all options to purchase – a Burger King “have it your way” experience. One person may want to facilitate a transaction from start to finish online, but someone else might prefer to walk the lot and purchase the vehicle in person.
With solutions like Shop Click Drive and Online Shopper, we try to give consumers a choice. We legally need wet signatures, so our store is not set up just yet to purchase a vehicle from start to finish digitally, but it is in the works.
The company motto is “A Tradition of Trust since 1915.” Explain how that led to the McClinton Million-Mile Warranty.
We decided to launch The McClinton Million in 2020 when so many people faced an uncertain future. People deserve peace of mind. Many people are keeping their cars longer, so we thought it was only fair to offer an extended powertrain warranty to most of our customers. With the McClinton Million, powertrain issues are one less thing our customers worry about.
Further, when so many nontraditional car dealerships are popping up, people need to know there are still some businesses that will be around five years from now. We listen to our customers, and they want to see us if there’s ever an issue with their vehicle. I strongly believe that this is a people business and always will be; consumers like to purchase things from people they like, trust and know.
I am honored and humbled by this nomination. I want to reiterate that it is not for me, but instead, it is for us, my entire team at McClinton. I would not be in this position without their support, hard work and patience. They believe in Wyn and me, and they trust that we are making the right decisions to continue this legacy.
Your company offers the Roger Brown Tool Scholarship in honor of Roger Brown, who retired in 2020. How is that going so far?
Body technicians are one of the hardest positions to fill. Sadly, there are not many young folks coming into this career. Those who do must often purchase a lot of tools, and our goal is to help minimize that stress and burden.
We’re thankful for longtime loyal employees like Roger Brown, and we have this program in place to honor him and make our body shop more desirable to potential employees.
What is your favorite car?
The El Camino.
What are you currently driving?
A 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander.
It looks like you have shop dogs and family dogs! That’s a lot of dogs. How did that come about?
My family has always had dogs, and we love them dearly. They make everything better. We have a black lab, Mavis. She’s a wonderful pet as well as an incredible retriever. Mavis had a litter of puppies a year ago, and we kept one of the females, Rebel. She will get her first chance at a duck hunt this winter. Lastly, we have Cotton, an English Cocker Spaniel. She’s my shadow! They are all outstanding and so good with our daughter! It is a bonus to take them to work where our team and customers love them. Who doesn’t want to snuggle on a dog while signing paperwork for a new car!?😊
Would you please tell us about your family?
Family is everything. I am so thankful and blessed to be a wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, sister-in-law and daughter-in-law, etc. I did not comprehend how much I would love being a mother, nor did I appreciate the love and devotion of my own mother until I had my daughter, Virginia Hayes. She is my greatest joy.
What do you like to do for fun?
My favorite hobby is fly fishing. Wyn taught me how to fly fish in 2006 when we first met in Wyoming. It is so peaceful and something you can do in the most beautiful places in the world. I love to be on the water with my family, my fly rod, a beer, and a packed lunch on the bank. It’s my happy place.
Do you have any last words?
I am honored and humbled by this nomination. I want to reiterate that it is not for me, but instead, it is for us, my entire team at McClinton. I would not be in this position without their support, hard work and patience. They believe in Wyn and me, and they trust that we are making the right decisions to continue this legacy.
My father says he is fortunate to be born into a family business. Like him, I did not create anything, but rather, I am lucky to have the chance to continue “A Tradition of Trust” with the help of the McClinton team and the Mid Ohio Valley community. Thank you!
