BUYER:
Jerry Romano, GM of Windward Auto; Wayne Davis, CFO of Windward Auto; Brady Schmidt and Gary Mull, BG Automotive Management
“I started working at Windward 30 years ago as an auto technician. The owner, Louis VeDova, believed in me and invested in me. He eventually made me the GM and operator of his stores, and when he got sick, he made me the Trustee of his estate. He trusted me to protect his beneficiaries through the sale of his assets, including Windward Auto. He also wanted me to be part of the transaction, to be an owner. That made for a very complicated transaction. I was so glad to have Brady and Gary on my team navigating such a difficult transaction. They’re great guys – honest and fair – but they bring so much more than that. Their expertise in real estate and operations, and their relationships throughout the automotive industry, really pulled this deal together.”
– Jerry Romano, New Owner, Windward Auto Group
“This transaction was a special deal for us. Not only had we known the original owner Louis “Trey” VeDova for decades, but we knew his GM and operator, Jerry Romano, as well. When Trey was nearing the end of his life, he placed the ultimate trust in Jerry by naming him the executor of his estate. We knew Trey wanted Jerry to continue as the operator and to have an ownership stake at Windward. That meant Jerry was in the difficult position of acting as the seller/executor, while also working toward becoming the new owner of the stores. We were proud to be able to come in and navigate those very complicated waters with Jerry to ensure our mutual friend’s legacy would stand the test of time. As part of the new deal structure, my partner Gary Mull and I joined Jerry Romano and Wayne Davis, Windward’s CFO, on the ownership team at Windward. Jerry is a gifted owner-operator. We are proud to be partnering with him and Wayne to take Windward into its next chapter of success.”
– Brady Schmidt, New Owner of Windward Auto, President of National Business Brokers
To read Automotive News’ coverage of this transaction, click here
