Our History
Our founder, Russ Darrow, III, began his automotive career as a lot attendant at age 13 at his father's dealership in Wisconsin. Russ worked his way up through the company, eventually being appointed President/Chief Operating Officer in 2000. Along the way, he learned the business in many sales and leadership positions.
In 1992, Russ became the group's Vice-President of Sales and Marketing, while continuing to serve as GM of the Waukesha dealership. He was instrumental in helping the organization develop standardized marketing formats and economies of scale in the purchase of media, vehicle inventories and process training. He led the push of the group onto the Internet, becoming an early adapter in the retail automotive sector. He also was quick to install business development centers for customer cultivation and satisfaction.
Russ’ role expanded again in 1995 when he became Executive Vice President of the Russ Darrow Group as well as President and Dealer Principal of the Waukesha Chrysler-Plymouth dealership. Performance was a major focus, and the Group experienced sales volume growth across the board. For example, the Waukesha store was the No. 2 volume Chrysler-Plymouth dealership in the United States. Russ developed many of the Group's new business ventures, including a finance company and non-traditional used vehicle dealerships, opening six JD Byrider stores in Wisconsin.
Russ stepped into the President/Chief Operating Officer role in 2000. In that position he continued the expansion of the Group, adding eight more franchised storesby 2005. The Group sold nearly 24,000 retail units in 2005, and was again ranked among the Ward’s Top 100 Dealer Groups, a list the Group has been on since the list's inception.
In 2006, Russ decided to pursue his dream of expanding nationally, by taking his equity stake in the Wisconsin stores and establishing a new group of dealerships outside of Wisconsin. The Darrow Automotive business model is based on local Equity Partners running each store and allowing them to make the decisions best for their store, without a lot of “corporate” mandates.
Darrow Automotive is continuing to actively procure dealerships throughout the United States and strives to become one of the largest and best dealer groups in the country.