D-Patrick Inc. of Evansville, Ind., has expanded into Lebanon, Ind., buying Gene Lewis Ford.
D-Patrick, owned by co-Presidents Mike O’Daniel and Ray Farabaugh, bought the dealership on Oct. 1 from brothers David Lewis, Jim Lewis and Steve Lewis.
“We think Ford is among the best franchises for the future and we believe that there is growth opportunity in Lebanon,” Mike O’Daniel wrote in an email to Automotive News.
The store was renamed D-Patrick Lebanon Ford. Lebanon is northwest of Indianapolis.
In a Sept. 30 Facebook post, David Lewis announced the sale and said D-Patrick would retain all employees. He said his grandfather started with Ford in 1912 and his family has operated the dealership at the same location for 50 years.
“It is a bittersweet moment but we are excited because D-Patrick has the same core family values that Gene Lewis Ford does,” David Lewis said.
D-Patrick operates several dealerships in Evansville that sell Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Porsche, Audi, Volkswagen, Nissan, Honda, Ford and Lincoln vehicles. It also has a Ford dealership in Boonville, Ind., and a used-vehicle dealership in Evansville.
