Foundation Auto Acquires New Gems in Fairfield, Texas – Freestone Auto Group Joins the Foundation Auto Family
HOUSTON, TX. – May 22, 2020 Foundation Automotive, North America’s fastest growing automotive group, is proud to announce that it has completed the acquisition of the Freestone Auto Group located in Fairfield, Texas. Fueled by a shared passion for automotive retail, Foundation will leverage Freestone’s deep local roots and history to expand their Central Texas automotive space. The Freestone Group has had a long-standing hold on the Central Texas area for selling the domestic brands of Ford, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, RAM, Chevrolet and custom commercial trucks.
“We are pleased to announce that we have completed our acquisition of Freestone Auto Group and formally welcome the Freestone team to the Foundation Auto organization.” stated Chuck Kramer, Chief Operating Officer. “This acquisition will extend our reach on the I-45 North corridor between the cities of Houston and Dallas. Adding these stores to our group will strengthen and diversify our footprint. We plan to leverage resources and best practices within both organizations to benefit from significant synergies.”
“Moreover, we are pleased that Stacy Dodd, Dealer Partner, will be staying on in her leadership role of Freestone Auto Group,” said Kevin Kutschinski, CEO & President of Foundation Auto. “Stacy has played an integral role in the success of Freestone over the past years. She knows her market, her staff, the community and her customers very well.”
Stacy Dodd, Dealer Partner, adds, “We are extremely excited for the future of the Freestone stores. Equally, we appreciate the teamwork displayed by both the Foundation Auto staff and our Freestone personnel throughout the merger processes. We are looking forward to this merger offering more to our customers, employees, and the community by leveraging Foundation’s additional resources and synergies.”
STACY DODD
Stacy Dodd, a graduate of Texas A&M University, purchased her first dealership, Lone Star Chevrolet, in 2001. Finding that she enjoyed the retail automotive business, she grew Freestone, with strategic measured growth, by buying the Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram store in 2011 and then acquiring the Ford store in 2018.
THE SERVICE TRUCK DEPOT
In addition to the franchise stores, Freestone differentiates itself by providing custom commercial work truck solutions through its sister company, The Service Truck Depot. The Freestone team are forward thinkers. Undoubtedly, they are innovative in their business and The Service Truck Depot is the latest addition to the Freestone family of stores. The one differentiating characteristic of the Depot is that it is a one of a kind. The Depot is a one-stop shop and can fill custom orders with little to no lead time for delivering work truck solutions. They also deliver nationally. No other competitor can do this. No other competitor has in-stock units. In contrast, they take the order then build the vehicle. The Depot builds and then sells. The Depot motto and tagline is “We are not general…we are custom.”
Lead and managed by industry staple, Danny Burnett, the Depot thrives. Danny comes from a long line of construction and heavy equipment experience. His commercial expertise, and product knowledge makes him well-positioned leader for initiating and leading change, driving results, managing operational risk and compliance, and innovating amid a rapidly evolving industry landscape.
Danny’s selling philosophy is to provide the best price for the best quality. His arsenal of products and services include name brands such as GRACO, COX, Palinger Beds and Cranes, and Miller. In many cases, the Depot’s price for a high-quality name brand will be lower than other generic brands of lesser quality.
The store is located online at www.ServiceTruckDepot.com. The Depot specializes in crane, pipeline and other commercial trucks that are usually in stock and work ready. Most orders can be delivered the customer on the same day. Uniquely, the Depot also has its own brand of a mobile oil system called The Big Slick Custom Lube Skid that can fit into an everyday work truck. Other customizations include hydraulic tanks, spring systems, pumps, compressors, filtration systems, welders, and more. These transformative upfits make the Depot’s design, manufacture, and installation of work truck solutions incomparable in the market.
The Big Slick Custom Lube Skid
Comes with:
(3) Custom 40 gal. fresh product tanks & (1) 80 gal. waste tank
(3) Graco 3:1 fresh product pumps
(3) Graco Regulator assembly with gauge
(1) Graco 1″ 4-way evacuation value allows evacuation of waste oil and the ability to reverse and pump out filled tank
(1) Graco 3/4″ aluminum diaphragm pump for evacuation of waste product
(1) Graco 3/4″Y strainer for filtering waste before entry diaphragm pump
(1) Graco 50:1 (120lb.) grease pump working pressure to 7500 PSI with free flow of 5lb./min.
(1) Graco cover plate for drum 120lbs.
(1) Graco follows plate for drum 120lbs.
(1) Graco grease valve dispenser handle w/ swivel ease for making dispensing a breeze
(1) COX grease hose reel 4,000lb PSI 3/8″x 35′
(3) COX SP10 1/2″x55′ Fresh product hose reels
MORE THAN MONEY
Equally important, the Freestone Auto Group has cultivated a business belief that the company serves a higher purpose than just maximizing profits. One of Freestone’s most engaging attributes is that they satisfy consumer expectations is by giving back to their local community. Some of the organizations that Freestone supports or contributes include:
- Rotary Club
- Economic Development Corporation Board
- Chamber of Commerce
- Kiwanis Club
- Local School Sponsorships, Scholarships and Donations for FFA, the Athletics Departments, Fairfield Fishing Team, Band, and other school organizations and clubs.
- Freestone County Cancer Group
- Young Farmers Organization
- 4-H Club
- Freestone County Livestock Show
HARD WORK PAYS OFF
Over the years, the Freestone team has successfully established performance credibility; increased staff morale; and elevated customer trust by earning many awards and accolades such as:
- GM Standards for Excellence Recognized Dealer – Multiple Times
- GM Elite Genuine Leader Dealer – Multiple Times
- GM Recognized Women’s Retail Initiative – Multiple Times
- Mark of Excellence Dealer Winner – Multiple Times
- RAM – Current #2 Ranked National RAM Heavy-Duty Volume Truck Dealer
- Ford – Year-over-year growth and growing the heavy-duty truck volume
ABOUT FOUNDATION AUTO CORP.
Foundation Auto is a growing international group with two stores in Canada and nine in the United States including this newest acquisition in Fairfield, Texas. The Foundation team is comprised of an all-star executive management team with the perfect mix of operations specialists and analytical professionals. Their vision is to be the North American benchmark for top-tier automotive solutions and a company of trust, excellence, and innovation for their customers and employees. Each team member has the skills and dedication to successfully implement the company’s business and growth plans. Learn more about Foundation Auto online at www.FoundationAuto.com.
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