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In 1904, George G. Spitzer opened a hardware store in the small village of Grafton, Ohio. He sold tools, farm supplies and equipment to residents in and around the community. He knew all his customers by first name, and he served them well. Several years later, along came Ford with its Model T car. George Spitzer had expanded his store, but then added additional space and opened the first Spitzer Auto Store. You could say he started America's first automobile leasing company, too, because he rented cars to his friends, neighbors and sales people traveling in the area. Today, there are dozens of franchises throughout Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida, with plans to expand in other areas. Spitzer carries just about every American make and model car, truck and van along with popular imports including Toyota, VW, Acura, Scion, Kia, and Mitsubishi. George Spitzer was a family man with four sons, and he taught them well. Each son worked in the business at a very early age. Many things have changed over the years, but the Spitzer organization is still a family business. Upon his discharge from World War II, John A Spitzer, one of the founder's sons returned home and was responsible for an aggressive expansion program with the help of his three brothers, Stewart, Adelbert and Sidney. Today Alan Spitzer, the third generation and son of John A Spitzer is chairman and CEO. He has never lost sight of the company's humble beginnings. At Spitzer "our world revolves around you" is more than a slogan. It's a philosophy that started with George G. Spitzer. Treat people well, and they will come back again and again to buy. They become a part of the Spitzer family, and the Spitzer family tradition continues. Alison Spitzer, the eldest of Alan and Pat Spitzer's six children, representing the fourth generation, is now the spokesperson on TV for the Spitzer organization.
Spitzer, who is chairman and CEO of Spitzer Management, has been at the forefront of positive
change in Northeast Ohio. Today he manages a business that employs well over 1,000 people and
has estimated sales in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Yet it is still very much a
family-operated business. One of the larger operating divisions of Spitzer Management is
Spitzer Autoworld, which has become a mega-automotive retail company that operates more
than 30 franchises at over 20 locations in three states. There are plans to expand to other
states and there are also major renovations planned for Northeast Ohio.
Clearly, time is not standing still for Spitzer. The company has grown well beyond it's
bounds as a local automobile dealership. But Alan Spitzer has never lost sight of his
company's beginnings, or the fact that people must always come first - no matter how
large you become.
"My grandfather George G. Spitzer started the company back in 1904" says Spitzer. "We
have been in business more than 95 years, but it actually started as a hardware store.
It was my father, John A. Spitzer, who made the company what it is today."
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