Consumer >> CEO Interviews >> April 12, 1999
JOSEPH SHAKER, President and Chief Operating Officer, is the strategist
behind the success of Hometown Auto Retailers, Inc., Watertown,
Connecticut. Hometown is a driving force in automotive dealership
consolidation in the Northeast. Mr. Shaker recently led Hometown through
its successful initial public offering, and continues to lead the
company in its bid to innovate the consolidation and management of auto
dealerships throughout New England and New Jersey. He has been the
President and COO since 1997, and is in charge of the company's dealer
acquisition and integration program. Since 1991, he has also been the
COO of Shaker's Jeep Eagle and Lincoln Mercury Autocare in Watertown,
Connecticut. In 1992, at the request of Ford Motor Company and in an
effort to retain more new and used car buyers' service businesses, he
developed the pilot free-standing neighborhood Autocare Center. This
center has become the model for free-standing neighborhood auto
maintenance centers for both Ford and other leading automobile
companies. He also started Shaker's Lincoln Mercury limousine department
in 1992 and has been responsible for growing it into the nation's
largest seller of Lincoln Town Cars and limousines. Profile
history, products, services, customers, those kinds of things.
Mr. Shaker: Hometown Auto Retailers was a group of three
