Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo González
The celebration of Bert Ogden Buick-GMC’s prestigious 2024 Dealer of the Year award was not only a corporate milestone but also demonstrated the leadership and teamwork of the Edinburg dealership under General Manager Billy Kelley. The dealership, part of the larger Bert Ogden Auto Group, earned the rare distinction from both Buick and GMC divisions of General Motors, an honor achieved by only two dealerships in Texas.
For Kelley, the recognition reflects more than strong sales—it highlights the strategy, commitment, and human-centered leadership that define the dealership’s culture. He explained that one of the most significant strategic secrets this past year was placing a sharper focus on Buick.
“One of the biggest changes we did, we really went Buick-focused,” Kelley said. “Buick has become one of the top-selling cars in our market because of their new design and engineering. So, Buick made a big, big impact on the award this year.”
But high performance doesn’t happen by accident. Kelley emphasized that a winning culture begins with people development. “We try to train continuously, continuously grow, and encourage our people not only to be good employees, but to be good humans and even better people.”
That approach has paid off. In 2023, Bert Ogden Buick-GMC sold 648 Buicks, a 46% increase from the prior year, and 2,389 GMC vehicles, ranking them #5 in the U.S. for GMC sales. The total unit sales topped 3,000, with the dealership on track to surpass 3,700 in 2024—a record for the group.
Still, Kelley insists the real reward is serving the people of the Rio Grande Valley. “It says that we work in a market that trusts us as their dealer. It says that we have a community that depends on us to serve them. And so, there’s no greater honor than serving the community.”
Of course, such success doesn’t come without challenges. Kelley pointed to inventory limitations and global supply chain constraints, including sourcing from as far away as Korea, as hurdles they had to overcome. Maintaining national top-five performance through those obstacles demanded constant adaptability and grit.
Kelley’s remarks came during a celebration where he publicly thanked the organization’s leadership for the opportunity to achieve such milestones. “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.”
Robert C. Vackar, Chairman of the Board and Chief Performance Officer, also recognized his efforts, crediting the group’s progress to strong individuals throughout the company. “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.”
Looking ahead, Kelley is not content with maintaining momentum. “We’re just gonna continue to try to win. We’re gonna try to sell more and more every year. We’re gonna take every deal. We’re gonna be super aggressive and take care of our customers better than anybody else.”
In a dealership where every team member is seen as a vital piece of the puzzle, the 2024 Dealer of the Year award isn’t the finish line—it’s just another milestone on a road built on trust, teamwork, and relentless forward motion.
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