May 3, 2018   SOURCE: BusinessWire

Leslie Doggett Industries Acquires Lone Star Ford

Houston-based Leslie Doggett Industries’ affiliate the Doggett Auto Group has acquired one of Houston’s oldest and largest Ford dealerships, Lone Star Ford, from Sonic Automotive Inc. (NYSE: SAH) for an undisclosed amount effective May 1, 2018. Tapped to lead the new venture for Doggett will be Tony Gracely, one of the best known and well-respected figures in the automobile dealership industry. Gracely said of the transaction: “Doggett’s outstanding reputation as the leader in customer service and support in the commercial 18-wheeler, industrial and construction equipment industries will translate to success in the Ford business. Doggett has a successful history acquiring units of large public companies and dramatically improving and growing those businesses with their highly-professional and family-oriented approach.”

Doggett has become one of the largest dealership groups in North America for three separate first-tier original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the construction equipment and industrial (forklift) industries, John Deere, Toyota and Freightliner. This unprecedented growth has been made possible by Doggett’s extreme focus on a positive customer experience. Doggett is pleased to expand their dealership relationship to include Ford Motor Company. William Doggett, General Counsel said, “Ford Motor Company and Doggett Ford are eager to return this dealership to its former status as one of the United States’ largest volume Ford stores. We are committed to achieving a customer satisfaction rating among the highest in any major metropolitan market. We are also very proud to represent Ford and to continue serving our valuable customers in one of Houston’s oldest and best-known dealerships.”

About Leslie Doggett Industries

Doggett is a Houston-based diversified heavy equipment, on-highway and severe duty vocational truck and automotive dealer for six first-tier manufacturers with 37 full-service factory authorized dealerships throughout Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas and the State of Chihuahua in Mexico. Doggett was ranked by the Houston Chronicle in 2017 as the 10th largest private company headquartered in the Greater Houston area with sales exceeding US $1.1 billion and employing 1300 full-time associates. Doggett, founded in 1993, is a family owned private company without outside investment.