Erik joined Warren Henry Auto Group (WHAG) in 2005 as the CFO and has led the evolution of unprecedented growth and expansion. With his involvement in all aspects of the core retail auto dealership business, the company more than doubled its performance growing to over $650 Million in consolidated revenue in 2019 and becoming one of the top 100 largest privately held dealer groups in the United States. Erik personally helped drive the addition of 10 of the company’s 14 dealership franchises; and has 5 more underway at this time. Erik also leads the development of numerous vertically integrated businesses that have complimented and helped grow the greater enterprise value and create cutting-edge technology that provides the enterprise with superior capabilities and intelligence. He continues to work on steering the business forward with both operational and financial oversight of the existing dealerships while also developing new business opportunities to supplement the core dealership operations in order to position the companies and the collective shareholders for success in the future.
Fun fact: I was a DJ at one point in my life so I am a multi-year winner of name that tune.
What is your favorite South Florida dining destination? Caffe Europa
What do you like to do on weekends? I enjoy being outside on the water and have recently taken up deep sea fishing. I also try to spend as much time as I can with my family.
How do you unwind from a long day at work? Enjoying a good cigar and a great song out on my patio; while catching up on my 600 emails a day.
What is your favorite quote? “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.” — Henry Ford
From whom, or what, do you draw inspiration? My grandfather inspires me because he was such a hardworking family man. He raised me and I attribute a lot of my success to him and my grandmother.
What has been the biggest accomplishment of your career? When Warren Henry Auto Group made the Ward’s top 100 largest dealer groups in the U.S.
What has been the most challenging moment in your career and how did you overcome it? The recession was the most challenging time for me and my role within the organization. During that time, many mission critical lenders had pulled out after having long-stranding relationships with our organization. I was thankfully able to pivot through engineering creative programs afforded through the TARP programs and was personally instrumental in designing an extensive credit facility memorandum and business plan with a solid strategic plan to move the organization forward that was ultimately used by a new lender to carry the enterprise forward and get out from underneath the prior lenders who no longer wished to be in a relationship with the company. As a consequence, the company was able to navigate out from underneath what was otherwise are very difficult time in its history and effectively emerge to become bigger and stronger than ever before and now has its headquarters in a brand new 800,000sq ft facility in North Miami and with over 14 franchises throughout Florida.
What advice would you give an up and coming professional? “You gotta have grit.” What I mean by this is that you will have a few really bad days and then some great days, but if you have grit you can stay focused and not give up no matter what. Stay positive and focused and this will allow for the manifestation of success.
