Dick’s Auto was founded in 1985 when the siblings’ father, Dick Inukai, acquired a Dodge dealership. With a partner, he later acquired a Ford dealership.
In 1943, Dick Inukai was born in a Japanese-American internment camp in Tulelake, Calif. He entered the auto retail industry in 1962 as a dealership salesman. He died in 2011, and the siblings became co-owners of the group, which still includes Honda and Hyundai dealerships.
Gee Automotive now has 30 franchised dealerships spread across Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Gee Automotive also owns two pre-owned dealerships, a vehicle acquisition center, a recreational vehicle dealership and a Ducati motorcycle dealership.
In November 2020, Gee Automotive bought five luxury dealerships in Boise, Idaho, from Lyle Pearson Auto Group.
Gee Automotive is looking for more acquisition opportunities, Jackson said.
“We’re looking in the western United States,” he said.
Gee Automotive Cos. ranks No. 53 on Automotive News‘ most recent list of the top 150 dealership groups based in the U.S., retailing 16,231 new vehicles in 2020.
George Pero and Joe Beaver of DCG Acquisitions, a Dave Cantin Group company, handled the transaction for both parties.
