Robert started his automotive career as a college graduate trainee in Texas, but after only four short months, he was drafted into the U.S. Army.
Meet the 2012 Nominee
Robert Ricks
Dealer Principal
Peninsula Infiniti
Redwood City, California
Robert started his automotive career as a college graduate trainee in Texas, but after only four short months, he was drafted into the U.S. Army. After two years he returned to Ford Motor Company, holding various sales, marketing, field and training positions before becoming general manager of a Lincoln-Mercury dealership in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 1991.
Ricks bought into Frontier Infiniti in Santa Clara, California, in 1993, just three years after the Infiniti division was created. He is still part owner of the dealership and added Peninsula Infiniti in Redwood City to his portfolio in 2000. “We purchased a troubled Infiniti store and it is now the number-one volume store for Infiniti in the San Francisco Bay area market,” he says.
Besides keeping his customers happy, Robert has a long-standing commitment to uplifting his community which includes raising funds and donating vehicles for local charities.
With all of his generous contributions, he’s most proud of his 15-year involvement with the local Rotary Club. He’s held various positions, including President and Assistant Governor over the years, currently serves as a Membership Chairman.
He also holds the title of Training Assistant for the Enterprise Leadership Conference, a program sponsored by four local Rotary Clubs that introduces high school juniors to future business opportunities and helps prepare them for the real world.
This year will conclude his 42nd year in the auto business. “I started in the car business in 1969 at age 22,” says Ricks. “The people I have been able to work with along the way have been the most rewarding facet in my career. I can look back now and see people that have helped me in my development and also see people that I helped along the way.”