Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo González
The Bert Ogden Auto Group proudly announced that its Buick-GMC dealership, led by Robert C. Vackar and Janet Ogden Vackar, has been named Dealer of the Year 2024 by the Buick and GMC divisions of General Motors. Mr. Vackar serves as Chairman of the Board and Chief Performance Officer. Mrs. Vackar is Co-Chairwoman and President of Marketing for the largest family-owned auto group in the Rio Grande Valley.
CEO Natasha del Barrio opened the celebration: “Thank you all so much for being here. Such an amazing team surrounds us. Someone told me this morning, ‘There have been so many celebrations for you this year,’ and I said, ‘These aren’t for me—they’re for this team.’
The only thing I’ve ever done right is choosing the incredible people I’ve worked alongside. You are the reason we’re standing here today. Your talent, commitment, and passion make this team so special. Year after year, you accomplish what very few dealerships can.”
Steve Burns, Regional Director, Buick and GMC – South Central Region, praised the dealership’s exceptional achievement: “This award is the most prestigious honor a manufacturer can present for Buick, GMC, and Chevrolet dealerships. Only 22 dealers in the country receive this recognition for Buick, and another 22 for GMC, out of more than 2,000 nationwide. To win both is incredibly rare—only three dealerships in Texas received one of these awards, and just two earned both Buick and GMC. That’s absolutely phenomenal.”
Burns highlighted the numbers: “You are now a seven-time Buick and GMC award winner, with 11 total GM awards. Last year, you sold over 648 Buicks—up 46%—ranking #17 in the nation and #2 in Texas. On the GMC side, you delivered 2,389 vehicles, making you #5 in the country and #2 in Texas. Combined, that’s over 3,000 units, #5 in the U.S. and #7 in Texas. You’re currently #1 in the state for Sierra Light Duty sales. And you’re on track to exceed 3,700 units this year—a record.”
Burns also noted that the award includes service and customer satisfaction, not just sales:
“This is one of the hardest awards to earn in the industry. It reflects your entire operation. Thank you all for your outstanding work.”
Buick- GMC Zone Manager Shawn Garret zone added, “Every time we return, this room gets a little more crowded—and that says everything. It’s why Automotive News ranked you among the Top 150 Dealers in the Country to Work For. In fact, you were #49—so let’s call it what it is: one of the Top 50. That recognition reflects how well you treat your employees. That’s why your team stays. That’s why they thrive. And that’s why your customers come back.”
Billy Kelley concluded with gratitude: “I want to thank Mr. and Mrs. Vackar and Mrs. del Barrio for the opportunity to achieve what we have. I tell our managers this is like a puzzle—each person is crucial. We work long hours and face tough challenges, but that drive, and culture make us successful. We are deeply honored to be here and are filled with gratitude for our leaders, teammates, and this organization.”
Reflecting on the dealership’s early days, Bob shared: “We started with just one store—Buick-GMC. I think we sold 36 cars that first month. We were thrilled when we hit 75 in a month. And then came GM’s first low-interest program—we sold 236 cars. I still have the board from that day. We had Buick and Pontiac in the whole lineup. It’s been a phenomenal ride, and it’s because of people like Janet, who’s done an incredible job with advertising, Billy, for everything he’s done, and Natasha, who’s been phenomenal. Tasha’s really taken the reins. I sometimes joke that I’m not sure if I’m just the narrator now or even needed anymore!”
He continued, “Steven mentioned we were ranked #49 out of the top 150 dealerships in the U.S. last year. Our goal this year? Top 25. That’s what we’re aiming for.”
Bert Ogden Auto Group’s 2024 Dealer of the Year award symbolizes sales success and reflects leadership, teamwork, and deep roots in community and customer care.
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