Brian Vonderheide is a first-time new-car dealership owner. He’s now dealer principal of Mountain Mitsubishi, formerly Planet Mitsubishi Hickory, in Hickory, N.C., in the western part of the state, after buying the store Sept. 20.
Vonderheide comes with years of experience managing franchised dealerships, primarily in northern Mississippi, for Cannon Motor Co. Most recently, he owned a used-vehicle store that specialized in luxury brands, The Collection of Tupelo in Mississippi, which he sold before taking over the Mitsubishi dealership.
Vonderheide, in a phone interview, said owning and operating the used-car store was a “stepping stone” toward getting his own new-car store.
He said he chose to pursue a Mitsubishi dealership because he sees it as an up-and-coming brand and that makes Mitsubishi more interested than other brands in good dealer relationships.
“Mitsubishi is the only manufacturer I sought out. I looked specifically for a Mitsubishi dealership because I wanted something that would have a better relationship with the manufacturer,” he said. “I’m growing. This is my first dealership. I’m going to have to grow with it. And Mitsubishi, I believe, is in a growth strategy.”
The selling dealer was Helmi Felfel, president of Planet Automotive Group in the Charlotte, N.C. area. The Planet group has another Mitsubishi store, also called Planet Mitsubishi, and a Planet Kia dealership, both in Charlotte.
DCG Acquisitions, a Dave Cantin Group company, worked with both parties to facilitate the Mitsubishi dealership transaction. Robert Turbyfill and Michael Lacey, both managing directors of DCG Acquisitions, worked on the deal.
