The merger comes as the auto sales industry continues to consolidate. “I think over the long term, you’ll see more of this,” said Tim White, president of White Family Companies Inc., which owns White-Allen.
White declined Thursday, April 15, to discuss terms of the merger, but he said the merger brings together Dayton’s second- and third-oldest Chevrolet dealers. He said it positions White-Allen as one of the largest Chevrolet dealers in the region. A joint statement from the dealers said the merger doubles White-Allen’s inventory.
The merger is expected to be complete by May 1.
Pete Zorniger, Frank Z chief executive, could not be reached for comment. It was unclear what would become of the dealership and the land it sits on. A spokeswoman for nearby University of Dayton said the university is not buying the property.
Zorniger told the Dayton Daily News last month that he feels there are too many GM dealerships in the region.
White said he expects to bring on “half to two-thirds” of Frank Z’s current employees. He did not know how many employees Frank Z has, but he said all of them will be given applications and will go through a “pre-employment” process. The White-Allen Chevrolet store has about 55 employees.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2390 or tgnau@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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