Women's History Month: How Two Black-Women Are Driving Two Of Mercedes-Benz Black-Owned Dealerships

With less than 6 percent of today’s nearly 17,000 new-vehicle dealerships being minority-owned, its literally like finding a needle in a haystack to come across a mother-daughter dealership team. More specifically, a mother-daughter squad who have a financial stake (and hold key positions) in 2 out of 7 of Mercedes-Benz’s black-owned dealerships. The family-owned stores are located in Atlanta, Georgia and Covington, Louisiana.

According to the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers (NAMAD), 95 percent of today’s minority owned dealerships are first-generation dealerships. However, when it comes to minority dealers, especially Black dealers, the numbers are grave. One means of creating general wealth is through owning dealerships. They are literally cash cows, if run properly. This prominent Atlanta family has made provisions to hand the keys off to one of their daughters, when the time becomes appropriate, as opposed to allowing the business to slip outside of their hands (into other communities). 

Its Recall Mondays: Hyundai, Pontiac, Saturn and Toyota Are In The Hot Seat

1. Rear Step Bumper May Break after Damage to Bracket

If a person steps on the corner of the bumper that is damaged, a portion of the bumper may break away, increasing the risk of injury.

Manufacturer Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing

Components STRUCTURE

Potential Number of Units Affected 72,847

Recall Mondays: Chevy, GMC, Pontiac, Lexus and Toyota Are In The Hot Seat

1. AUTOMAKER: General Motors

NO. OF AFFECTED CUSTOMERS: 49,880

SUMMARY:

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon trucks manufactured January 6, 2014, to April 1, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the hooks that secure the driver's and/or front passenger's seat frame may not have been properly attached to the vehicle body during assembly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems."

CONSEQUENCE:

If the seat-frame attachment hooks are not secured properly, the seat may not be adequately anchored to the vehicle, and in the event of a crash, the seat occupant could be at an increased risk of an injury.

Latest Recalls From Chrysler, Ford, GM, Toyota And VW

Chrysler

No. of Affected Vehicles: 644,354

Affected Vehicles:

2011-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
2011-2014 Dodge Durango

To find out more details, click here.


Ford

No. of Affected Vehicles: 43,135

Affected Vehicles: 

2013-2014 Ford Fusion
2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ
2013-2014 Ford Escape
2013-2014 Ford C-Max

To find out more details, click here.

No. of Affected Vehicles: 348,950

Affected Vehicles:

2001-2004 Ford Escape

To find out more details, click here.

General Motors

No. of Affected Vehicles: 2, 191, 014

Affected Vehicles:

2005-2010 Chevy Cobalt
2006-2011 Chevy HHR
2007-2010 Pontiac G6
2006-2010 Pontiac Soltice

To find out the details, click here.

Toyota Motors

No. Of Affected Vehicles: 472,388

Affected Vehicles: 

2006-2010 Yaris
2008-2010 Scion xD

To find out the details about the recall, click here.

Safety Recall: Key Rings On GM Vehicles May Cause Airbag To Malfunction

Report Receipt Date: FEB 10, 2014 

Vehicles Affected: 

2005-07 Chevy Cobalt

2007      Pontiac G5

Potential Number of Units Affected: 619,122 

Manufacturer: General Motors LLC

SUMMARY:

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, and 2007 Pontiac G5 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.

Two Trailblazing Auto Dealers Who Reshaped The Auto Industry

Jeff Fortson, the editor, with William Shack at Clark-Atlanta University's Spirit  of Greatness Gala.

William (Bill) Shack is one of the co-founders of the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers (NAMAD). According to NAMAD's website, the organization is committed to increasing opportunities for ethnic minorities in all aspects of the auto industry. They also seek to ensure the presence of a meaningful, representative number of minority entrepreneurs in the retail sales, supplier service sectors, and the manufacturing ranks. Initially, when the organization was found with both Nathan Conyers and Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr., it was designed specifically to assist African Americans. Over the years the organization has become more inclusive, representing today's diverse minority population.

Shack made his first investment in the automotive industry, after using $100,000 from
a home investment to purchase his first franchise. Since then, Shack has owned a number of Ford, Lincoln-Mercury and Honda stores. All of which were located on the West Coat. Shack was one of the first African Americans in the country to acquire the aforementioned franchises. Just recently, he sold his last store. He currently resides in the