When you meet Kitty Van Bortel—as so many customers of her two dealerships do every day—you know that she’s the powerhouse behind the enormous, consistent success of Van Bortel Subaru and Van Bortel Ford. Kitty owns the top selling Subaru dealership in the nation, as well as one of the most successful Ford dealerships in a multi—state area. Her automotive group is now one of the fastest growing, privately held companies in the greater Rochester, NY area.

With an investment of only $500, Kitty founded her first used car dealership in her front yard in 1985, lining up the cars in front of her small house in Victor, NY. She applied the experience she had gained as sales manager for John Holtz’s Mercedes Benz/BMW dealership to her own enterprise, moving to a three—acre lot in 1990 and quickly gaining momentum until it was time to choose a brand and move to new car sales. It was only natural that she became attracted to Subaru because of the cars’ sturdy construction, excellent design and focus on safety, reliability and comfort. She built a 6,000—square—foot facility in Victor to house Van Bortel Subaru, and opened the doors in 1991.

Kitty approached new car sales with a unique philosophy: She instinctively became the kind—hearted dealer. "I trust people, and I always have," she said in a recent keynote speech to the Greater Rochester Chapter of the National Association of Woman Business Owners. "And when you trust people, people will trust you. That’s why we give our customers a fair price, and all the information they need to make a sound decision, and then we allow them to take the time to make that decision. No tricks, no games."

Customers of Van Bortel Subaru and Van Bortel Ford are offered a no—dicker price for each car, with full disclosure of the vehicle’s base price, the cost of the options chosen by the customer, the manufacturer’s suggested retail price, and the price offered by Van Bortel—including a clear statement of the dealership’s profit on the sale. By removing the negotiation process from the purchase, Kitty Van Bortel takes the fear out of buying the car: The customer knows without a doubt that he or she has paid a fair price for the vehicle.

In just one year after opening Van Bortel Subaru, Kitty was inducted into the Subaru Chairman’s Roundtable—a select organization of the top 20 dealers in the nation who display excellence in sales and customer satisfaction. She has remained a member every year since 1992, and today Van Bortel Subaru maintains a 77% or more market share in Subaru sales in the Rochester area, an achievement that dates back to 1997. In 1999, Van Bortel Subaru became the largest Subaru dealership in the nation, receiving Subaru Stellar Performer certification every year since 2001.

With this exemplary record of success, it was only natural for Ford Motor Company to select Kitty to become a Ford dealer in 2001. She opened Van Bortel Ford just a short drive down the road from the Subaru dealership in Victor, NY, and by 2002 the new dealership became Blue Oval Certified, an indication of Van Bortel Ford’s immediate and consistent success. Van Bortel Ford quickly rose to become the highest volume selling Ford dealer in the market—beating 10 other Rochester area Ford dealers. In 2003, Van Bortel Ford received Ford’s annual Top 20 Sales Achievement Award in the Pittsburgh region, which includes dealerships from several states.

Kitty is more than a smart, successful business owner—she is also a well—recognized role model for businesswomen in the greater Rochester area and throughout the nation. Working Woman magazine selected Van Bortel Subaru as a Top 500 Woman—Owned Business for four years running. Kitty has been honored as a Wells College Alumni of the Year, and she received the Alfred University College of Business Galanis Award for Excellence in Family Business in 2003.

Kitty's commitment to the community she calls home is evident in the many non—profit organizations she and her automotive group support. Twice each year, the Van Bortel dealerships conduct Girl Scout Car Care and Maintenance Workshops to teach young women to take care of their own vehicles, and a Car Buying Seminar for pediatric interns at the University of Rochester. The Van Bortel dealerships sponsor Camp Good Days and Special Times, the Susan B. Anthony House, Rochester Women’s Foundation, the local chapter of the National Liver Foundation, AIDS of Rochester, and Quad A for Kids. In 2004, Van Bortel was a major sponsor of the American Heart Association’s annual Heart Ball, and of Camp Good Days and Special Times’ Vehicle Raffle.

What's next for Kitty and the Van Bortel dealerships' In 2004, Kitty purchased 15 acres of land on Route 96 in Victor to build a new Ford dealership, with plans to expand and improve the current facilities. By growing two businesses to region—wide leadership while never compromising her principles—and always giving the customer a fair deal and a satisfying car buying and maintenance experience—Kitty Van Bortel turned a $500 investment into one of the most successful and respected enterprises in the area, emerging as a leader in business, in commitment to the community, and in treating every customer the way she herself would want to be treated, every day.