Bob Rohrman: CEO of Bob Rohrman Auto Group.

• Position: CEO PROFILE - Robert V. Rohrman - Interview

Company stats

Bob Rohrman Auto Group

Headquarters: Lafayette

Founded: 1963

Revenues, 2007: $850 million+

Employees: 1,300

Snapshot

Robert V. "Bob" Rohrman

CEO since: 1963

Birthplace: Lafayette

Education: Lafayette Jefferson High School, officer training in the U.S. Army, and many automobile training schools

First "real" job: Washing pots and pans and cooking at Midlothian Country Club in Illinois, between his sophomore and junior year of high school.

O&A

How did you decide to pursue a career in this industry?

I started selling Ford cars after the Army at the Glenn R. Pitman dealership. After six months as salesman, I was promoted to used car manager. Six months later I was promoted to new car manager, and six months later promoted to general manager. After seven years at Pitman, I decided to venture out on my own and opened a used car dealership in 1963. In 1969, I acquired a Toyota franchise.

What is the best business advice you recall getting and who made the suggestion?

It was from the vice president of Glenn Pitman Ford. After two years of working at Pitman's, I went in to talk to the VP about quitting and starting my own dealership. The VP of Pitman told me I needed to wait awhile--it was too early. He told me to wait another five years, so I did.

What has been your most successful project?

Opening up the Schaumburg, Illinois, Honda store in 1985 as a new dealership point. From then until now I have opened up 14 dealerships in the Chicago suburbs.

Can you share an experience that didn't turn out as you expected, but provided a valuable lesson?

I sold a car to a farmer a couple years after starting at Pitman's. The farmer would come to town every day and trade wheat, corn, etc. This farmer talked me into buying several train car loads of frozen eggs. I put in $5,000. One week later they said the $5,000 was gone and they needed more money I put in another $2,000. Since then, I have never gotten into commodities market.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

What goals would you like to accomplish in the near term?

Get a new Honda Jet when they come off the assembly line in a couple years, learn to fly it and then fly to Europe.

"OLD BOB ROHRMAN IS a good friend of mine." So goes the car commercial that most of us have heard at one time or another--and probably many, many times.

That's also what they've been saying a lot in recent years at his alma mater, Jefferson High School in Lafayette. Rohrman made his mark on the school with a $3.5 million donation...