HERNDON, Va. -

AR: Talk a little about where you grew up.

Weitzman: I was born in New York City, in Brooklyn, and then our family moved out to New Jersey when I was about 10 years old. Most of my growing up years were in central New Jersey near Princeton, which is in about the middle of the state.

Where I grew up was about halfway between New York and Philadelphia. When you were from New York, especially back then, Philadelphia seemed like the south. It was interesting to grow up where some people were influenced by the New York mentality from the north and the Philadelphia one from the south.

AR: What type of work did your parents do?

Weitzman: My dad was a welder, working in factories on storm doors, lawn equipment and things like that.

Interestingly, my mom was in the car business. She started off as a secretary in the local Hertz office in New Jersey, working her way up through the organization so that over time she became the national fleet manager for the DiFeoAautomotive Group in North Jersey.

That group was eventually bought and became a part of the United Auto Group. Before all of the acquisitions, they had about 20 stores in North Jersey, and my mom worked for them for about 25 years.

AR: Interesting. You grew up in the car business but certainly in a way different from many people. It was your mom working in the business and not your mad.

Weitzman: (laughter) It would have been outstanding if my father had been the dealer! But working with my mom was great. I would go with her sometimes to the store, especially when I was little and there was no one to watch us kids. When I was older, I worked in the store some … slinging sheet metal or searching for parts on the microfiche in the parts department.

Later, when I got my driver’s license, I would do courtesy deliveries to buyers, or work in sales or fleet sales. I even did service writing and worked in the dealerships selling cars as my summer job when I was in college.

You might say that I cannot remember not being associated with the car business.

AR: Before we get too far afield with the discussion on your car industry experiences, tell us why your parents moved the family from Brooklyn to New Jersey.

Weitzman: I think, like most people, they were simply looking for a new opportunity. Although we lived in Brooklyn, Dad’s job was actually in New Jersey at that time.

So, he would have to commute from the city to his job. He wanted to move closer to where was working. The funny thing is that six months after we moved, he lost his job and then got one back in New York. So he still had the same commute, only reverse of what he had previously! (laughter) Murphy’s Law!

AR: Do you have any siblings?

Weitzman: I have two older brothers and a younger sister. My sister is involved in the advertising end of the car business. She is the general sales manager for WSVN, the Fox television station in Miami, and a major focus of her account base is car dealerships.

She gets a number of the trade magazines, including Auto Remarketing, and she will sometimes call and tease me about seeing my picture.

AR: What were your interests growing up?

Weitzman: I liked to play ball; that was my life. Hockey, football, baseball; whatever was in season at the time. Both of my parents worked, and like a lot of kids, our main focus was on playing sports.

I played sports all through high school and also played football in college. I played running back, and I was a lot more nimble and elusive back in those days!

I have two small boys who are into sports, and I tell them that when I was playing I ran like Walter Payton. Of course, they don’t know who Walter Payton was, so I have to go to YouTube to show them. It is a lot of fun.

Then I show them the old scrapbook, but I think they laugh more at the big Afro I sported at the time than anything else.

AR: Were you a kid that was goodie-goodie, one that always got into trouble, or something in between?

Weitzman: (laughter) That is hard to say. I was on the up-and-up pretty much, but of course I had two older brothers whose model in many cases was my job not to follow! (laughter) They were more the New York types. They more or less blazed the trail, and that made it easier for me to follow.

I also made pretty good grades in school. Math and science came pretty easy, but the subject I enjoyed probably the most was history. I still like to read a lot of non-fiction when I am traveling around the country. History is always intriguing to me.

AR: You’ve talked a lot about your parents. What traits of them do you see in yourself?

Weitzman: I think both of my parents stressed things like the importance of family, loyalty and education as some of the things that were the most important. Hopefully, I have carried some of that into my adult life.

They were great people; gave us whatever we wanted — for the most part — but it was all about bettering yourself and contributing to the community at the same time.

They certainly came from a working class background that was full of values. Actually, I was the first in my family to graduate from college. But my parents were role models for me, and I admired them a lot.

My Mom was a single mom for a long time before she married my step-father, the man I grew up with. Mom demonstrated the value of hard work because she held three jobs during that time.

The family peddled wares at a local flea market called Englishtown that was held on weekends. It was one of the biggest in the country, at least that is what they said, and we would go down there on the weekends — getting up at 5  in the morning — set up a table and begin selling Hanes thermal underwear. Mom and dad would buy the underwear wholesale and sell it at the flea market. They did it for years.

I also worked at the flea market, as well. Of course, as a young kid, I didn’t particularly like getting up that early, but you did what you had to do. I did a little bit of everything from setting up displays to handling sales. Whatever was required; whatever they told me to do.

AR: You might say you grew up in the ’70s, which were a turbulent time in American history. How did that affect you?

Weitzman: Actually, I was pretty much left out of the Vietnam War controversy because it was winding down while I was still a teenager. Of course, I remember Watergate and the gas lines of the ‘70s, and what I realized was that nothing is a given. Things might be good for a while, but there is no guarantee it will last.

(laughter) I remember that we had a gas station not too far from where we lived, and there was always a line during the gas crisis with people waiting for hours. So my sister and I made a bunch of sandwiches and bagels, cruised up on our bikes and started selling them to people in line! We may have only made about $50, but at the time it seemed like a $1,000! (laughter)

Again, it was an opportunity, and we did not want to see it go to waste.

AR: A strong work ethic was obviously a family trait. What did you want to do when you grew up?

Weitzman: I mainly wanted the easy way out. I thought I would go to college and then get a cushy office job. I didn’t really know what it would be, but I was certain that the last industry I wanted to work in was the car business.

After all, I had been working at car dealerships (through my Mom’s affiliation) all my life, and at the time, I was certain I wanted to do something else.

But, one thing I had was a lot of experience working in all aspects of the car business, from working in the parts department to service to sales; even doing deliveries. We did have some cool times.

 I actually delivered a vehicle to Ivana Trump when she was married Donald Trump. I think I was about 18 years old, working at the dealership while going to college. We delivered it to one of the casinos that Donald Trump owned, and I think she gave us a free breakfast and some chips to use in the casino! It was an interesting part-time job.

AR: Where did you go to college?

Weitzman: I went to Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, where I had received a scholarship to play football. I majored in economics, but I really didn’t have any set career goals.

So, after college I got a job working in the buying department at the Lord & Taylor department store in New York. Not only did I know very little about buying clothes for a department store, I didn’t even own a suit!

I was used to the corduroy jackets with the elbow patches! So, I ran out and bought a suit from a discount store.

It was an interesting and educational job, however. In reality, it was all about planning for the future because in the buying office you had to strategically make purchases for stores months in advance.

One of the biggest lessons I took from Lord & Taylor was that I had to buy for what the customers wanted, not necessarily what I wanted. That is true in the car business, too.

Not every customer that comes onto a dealership lot is in the market for a $50,000 Touareg; for some the car that matches their need is a Golf. I learned that customers in South Florida and Arizona bought clothes that were very different than what I was used to.

AR: How long did you stay there?

Weitzman: A couple of years. I guess I really never strayed from my retail roots, but I decided I would go back to school and get my MBA and maybe go to work down on Wall Street.

After going to NYU, I went to work for Ford Motor Co.! So much for me never going into the car business.

AR: How did that happen?

Weitzman: To be honest, they were the only ones who offered me a job! (laughter)

I think what impressed Ford was that I was one of the few folks they interviewed who had an automotive background. I knew my way around a dealership because I had been doing it for as long as I could remember.

AR: What was your first job with Ford?

Weitzman: I first started working out of Detroit, and later I worked in the field out of here in Washington. I went through all of the standard rotations, working as a field manager with dealerships from Pennsylvania through North Carolina.

I was with Ford when the Taurus became the best-selling car in the marketplace. It was one of the most enjoyable jobs I have ever had. Working with these car dealers and entrepreneurs was great and educational.

One of the most important things a factory rep can do is to shut up and listen to these dealers. 

Dealers are an interesting group of people. (laughter) I think I had one dealer tell me, when I was still very young, to “get out of here, boy, until you have something worthwhile to say. I have suits older than you!”

At the end of the day, dealers want a good business strategy built on credibility.

AR: You were with Ford for nine years. Why  did you leave?

Weitzman: Basically, I think it was because I kept looking for a new challenge. I wanted to do something different, to make an impact.

The something different was this California company Autobytel, which was growing a lot of relationships with dealers throughout the country. Initially, I thought I was going to be one of their field reps, which I knew pretty well since I had been doing that at Ford.

 But when I got out there, I was put in charge of developing and managing its used-car program. At that time, nearly everything Autobytel did was focused on new cars prior to starting the used-car program.

It was my job to create and build the used-car program. That definitely was a new challenge, and it was a lot of fun. I was there a couple of years. It was a great environment, a mixture of young people and car folks.

AR: Where did you go from Autobytel?

Weitzman: I had met a lot of people throughout the industry, especially people while attending the conferences put on by Auto Remarketing. It was through these conferences I got to know the people with J.D. Power, specifically Chris Denove. Through Chris and others I had met, I had the opportunity to go join J.D. Power & Associates.

My graduate studies focused on research, and I was interested in the research J.D. Power was doing. Especially as it related to the Internet and used cars … areas where I had been working with Autobytel.

There was research already going on, and it was my job to continue that research and further define it. I also was responsible for creating new research studies. One of the studies I did was the study on certified used cars, probably the first study of this type in the industry. It was really interesting to do that, and it was cutting-edge at the time.

AR: Did you feel like all of the work you were doing was bringing a new respect to the CPO side of the business?

Weitzman: I think we were reinforcing what the market had already established. By providing something that did not exist at the time, real market intelligence across the industry as to what was really going on, it was a big step forward in the recognition of the importance of used cars and especially CPO vehicles.

There are a number of studies today, but back then the only one that existed was the one we were developing at J.D. Power. It was the first time anyone had gone out and looked at used vehicles, especially CPO vehicles, under the scope of customer satisfaction. It was cool to have the opportunity to do that.

Not only was there the interest in used cars and CPO vehicles, but this was also the time that more interest in online purchases was taking place. OEMs back then were not dedicating a lot of their budget to online activities, but even with this limited support, all of it was coming together at the same time … the recognition of certification and the exploding interest in the Internet. Manufacturers and dealerships began using the power of websites to educate customers.

AR: It is well documented that during this time there was a sea-change taking place in the way customers, dealers and manufacturers interacted.

Weitzman: Most definitely, and that was especially true as it related to how OEMs saw (their) used-car operations. Actually, I think a lot of the luxury manufacturers already recognized this. Every manufacturer certainly needs to understand what is going on with its new-car customers, but it also needs to completely understand what is in the mind of used-car customers.

Certification created that third market segment (between new and traditional used), and it became a perfect time to do this (develop better understanding). We focused on understanding what customers buying these CPO units thought, felt and what were their buying patterns and gave that information back to the manufacturer.

They could then understand and refine processes so that they could better serve these customers. OEMs began to realize that these late-model used-car customers may become their future best new-car customers.

AR: You are saying that manufacturers began to make the connection between new and used as a complete life cycle.

Weitzman: Absolutely. Back then, and I think it is true today to a lesser extent, most of the demand for certified vehicles is really a function of the supply; meaning that the more certification became a market reality, the more demand it was for it.

Let me explain it this way: the more doctors you have available, the more people will go to the doctor. If there are fewer doctors out there, people go to the doctor less often.

There can be a correlation to certified vehicles. People bought certified vehicles at first not because they saw the value in certification, but because the car they liked happened to be certified. As OEMs became more engaged in these vehicles, they began to support them more both with additional warranty and financing. Dealers really liked the program because it gave them the advantage to offer advantageous financing rates (over traditional used cars). That allowed them to sell more vehicles, and because of the sub-vented financing, they certified more cars. They got more deals done and often at a higher margin.

AR: That was an exciting time. How long did you stay at J.D. Power, and where did you then go?

Weitzman: I was there for about four years. It was one of the coolest jobs I ever had; working with dealers, customers and manufacturers. Later I worked for PIN (Power Information Network) and helped build the network out.
 

 We were signing up dealers one by one throughout the country. It allowed me to get back more in touch with the dealer.

I then took a little bit of a sidetrack in that I went to work for a company called iSky, a research firm that focused on customer satisfaction surveys. It worked for a number of manufacturers when I went with them. I stayed with them for about two years.

I then went to work with a company called EVOX, a company that provides vehicle imagery for websites. They take still pictures and videos of all types of vehicles. I did business development for the company.

AR: How did you wind up at Volkswagen?

Weitzman: The VW opportunity came about from people I had known for years in the industry.  I found it very interesting to join a growing organization and one that was open to new ideas. There were also some global initiatives on the used-car platform for VW for off-brand vehicles. They were also certifying non-VW brands in Europe, and there was the idea to do that in the United States as well.

When I talked with VW, I told them that certification of off-brands made sense and would work. We were both on the same wavelength.

My focus here is on the total used-car operations, not just CPO. We are focused on helping the dealer maximize his or her used-vehicle operation, both the certified part and the traditional used car.

That is the concept behind our traditional CPO program and now our certification of non-VW brands that fit our guidelines. We want the dealer to become more and more successful.

That is one of the cool things about it. The used car touches all phases of the dealership; it is exciting. We touch service, parts, new-car sales, finance … everything.

It is a fun area to be in. It is a key, core function for both the manufacturer and the dealer. We are a business unit unto ourselves.

AR: It sounds like the front office also supports your activities.

Weitzman: Absolutely. I wouldn’t be here if the executive management at Volkswagen didn’t already recognize the value of used cars in the overall value to the company. Frankly, globally as well as here, Volkswagen has invested in our initiatives.

We have people in the field dedicated to used cars. The dealers appreciate this because we are helping them become more profitable.

We are not trying to fool anyone. The ultimate goal for any manufacturer is more success on the new-car side, but the increase in value and profits for the dealership overall — and used cars contribute to this — enables the dealer to sell more new cars.

AR: You mentioned the new program that allows dealers to certify non-VW brands. How is that program going?

Weitzman: We are pleased. We only have a couple of months under our belt, but it has been well-received. Right now, we have about 130 of the 600 dealers signed up on the program already and we have been slowly but steadily rolling it out. If the dealer thinks it works for him, we are there to help. The successful dealers have bought in and are going strong.

AR: What do you like to do in your spare time?

Weitzman: I have two boys, ages 10 and 8, and I spend a lot of time with them. They are into sports, and I like to help out with coaching whenever I can. It might sound boring, but I like to spend as much of my off time with family as possible.

I also like to play softball and hockey when I can. I try to stay active in the various recreational leagues. And I also like to read.

AR: Finally, is it still fun to come to work?

Weitzman: A big yes; it absolutely is. I’ve come full circle from working with Ford to going out to Internet companies and now back to an OEM. Everything I have done in my career has given me knowledge that I can now bring to VW.

Also, the people I work with are fantastic and have a sense of humor. That makes for a lot of fun.