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AutoNation is a chain of auto dealerships founded by entrepreneur H. Wayne Huizinga, also founder of Blockbuster and Waste Management. The company, founded in 1996, is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale.

Company operations

AutoNation, Inc. is the largest automotive retailer in the United States. AutoNation has 272 dealerships nationwide, and employs approximately 27,000 employees. Autonation sells 37 different manufacturer brands nationwide. AutoNation outsells every other automotive retailer in the U.S. and is ranked #115 on the 2006 Fortune 500. The company has a significant internet presence, offering its entire inventory for online searching.

Total company revenue is as follows:

• 59% New Vehicles ($11.5 billion in 2005)
• 23% Used Vehicles ($4.4 billion in 2005)
• 14% Parts and Service ($2.2 billion in 2005)
• 3% Financing and Insurance ($615 million in 2005)

AutoNation brands

Instead of supporting a national mark, AutoNation has developed a unique brand name for its dealerships in each market.

These include the following:

• Appleway -- Spokane, Idaho
• Autoway -- Tampa Bay
• Champion -- Austin, Houston
• Courtesy -- Orlando
• Desert -- Las Vegas
• Dobbs -- Memphis
• Fox -- Baltimore
• Go -- Denver (formerly "John Elway" until 12/26/2006.)
• Maroone -- South Florida
• Mike Shad -- Jacksonville
• Mullinax -- Cleveland
• Power -- Southern California, Phoenix
• Team -- Atlanta
• Bankston -- Texas

History

From its founding in 1996 until 1999, AutoNation operated a series of used car megastores under the AutoNation USA brand, designed in the image of rival CarMax. Competition and market forces drove the company to shutter its AutoNation USA stores and instead focus on conventional dealerships with unique brand names in each market.

The company was formerly known as Republic Industries, Inc., and changed its name to AutoNation in 1999. The company's first Chief Executive Officer was Steve Berrard, who resigned from the company in July 1999.

In 1997, Autonation terminated Brian Long an Autonation employee working in Texas. He was terminated for misuse of the email system by raising concern to management and fellow staff regarding the conflict of a workers gay rights poster displayed in their cubicle.

In 2005, Autonation was sued by the EEOC for allowing rampant discrimination in the workplace. The EEOC's investigation showed that Autonation management permitted the rampant bigotry.

In October 24, 2005, the AutoNation building in downtown Fort Lauderdale suffered significant damage due to Hurricane Wilma.

As reported by the Human Rights Campaign (last updated in 2006) Autonation does not extend health insurance to their employees domestic partners. It is also stated that they have no sexual orientation discrimination policy in their employee handbook even though it is covered under it's present business ethics policy.

In November of 2006 Autonation fired a pregant woman in an apparent act of discrimination. Details surrounding the termination were reported by the Denver Post.

Controversies

In 2007, an activist goup named Stop! AutoNation sent individual dealerships letters threatening a boycott for alleged discrimination against customers and employees.

Notes

1. ^ Fortune 500: Autozone, CNN, April 17, 2006.
2. ^ Bradsher, Keith, "Republic's Huizenga Wants to Dominate the Market", The New York Times, pp. D1, March 6, 1997.
3. Gallagher, Richard S. (2002). The Soul of an Organization: Understanding the Values that Drive Successful Corporate Cultures. Kaplan Business. pp. pp. 113. ISBN 0-7931-5780-3. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
4. White, Joseph B., "One Billion Cars", The Wall Street Journal, pp. R1, April 17, 2006.
5. Tucci, Christopher L. (2001). Internet Business Models and Strategies: Text and Cases. McGraw-Hill. pp. pp. 270. ISBN 0-07-239724-1. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
6. "AutoNation benches Elway's name," Denver Post, December 1, 2006,
7. "Autonation Chief Executive Agrees to Step Down", The New York Times, July 1, 1999.
8. Schwartz, Harriet, Work can really be hell - discrimination against gays Currently archived, originally published in The Advocate, June 10th, 1997.
9. Joyce, Amy, The Bias BreakdownThe Washington Post, December 9th, 2005.
10. Hoag, Christina, and Danner, Patrick, "Creatively coping with chaos: South Florida's hurricane-worn companies are making do to keep going despite a lack of offices", The Miami Herald, October 27, 2005.
11. Human Rights Campaign Autonation Profile
12. Lewis, Al, Pregnancy shouldn't cost women jobsThe Denver Post, October 15, 2006.

Further reading

• Flynn, Michael S. (March 2001). "The Economy, Competition, and the Retail Automotive Dealer" (PDF). Final Report. The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. Retrieved 2006-11-28. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

External links

• AutoNation Corporate Site

• Companies established in 1996
• Fortune 1000
• Retail companies of the United States
• S&P 500
• Auto dealerships