John “Senior” Koufakis, founder of Star Auto Group in Queens, N.Y., died July 8, according to his family. He was 94.
Koufakis made his foray into the auto retail business in the 1970s, when he opened a used-car lot with one mechanic, an auto body specialist and himself as a sales specialist.
Star Auto Group now represents automotive brands Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Fiat, Toyota, Hyundai, Genesis, Nissan and Subaru.
From 1988 to 2009, Koufakis was on the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association board of directors. He was chairman of the organization’s membership committee from 1996 to 2001.
Koufakis and his wife, Georgia, had three children. Georgia died in 2009 at the age of 83.
Their sons — John, Steven and Michael — all have a hand in managing the Star automotive business.
Koufakis is also survived by daughters-in-law Shailja, Eileen and Lynne, 11 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
