As leader of the Ford dealership group his father Bill founded in 1969, Kevin Collins is extending more than his family’s business legacy. The second-generation dealer makes community service a company priority. “We try to be good citizens and do our part,” explained Collins, president of Bill Collins Ford Lincoln Mercury in Louisville. “My dad instilled in me early on that no matter how humble your background, you always can help somebody along the way.”

The elder Collins, who still advises his son, enshrined that outlook in the dealership’s mission statement – which pledges “enrichment of our community through leadership in civic and charitable endeavors.” To achieve a meaningful difference, the family makes a five-year commitment to “pour all resources into one cause,” Collins explained. “We try to pick a charity that impacts a lot of people.”

Their current focus is a Parkinson’s disease program at Jewish Hospital and St. Mary’s HealthCare in Louisville, which opened a 15-floor Frazier Rehab and Neuroscience Center in June 2007. Thanks to substantial support from the Collins family, the new facility includes the Bill Collins Parkinson Center Patient Resource Center where families can learn about the disorder’s causes and treatments. For more than two decades, Bill Collins has had Parkinson’s, which affects muscle movement. The center named for him includes videoconference equipment, video views of patients and their records, Internet access and other resources for family education.

“Kevin has really picked up the leadership role in terms of supporting our efforts and has been a tremendous supporter of providing [Parkinson’s] treatment to both patients and families so they can better cope with this condition,” said Alice Bridges, vice president of development at Jewish Hospital and St. Mary’s HealthCare. “I think he’s only just getting started in terms of helping others to cope with the disease.”

Other commitments to Louisville include an annual Christmas luncheon and gift distribution for families selected by Jefferson County Public Schools counselors. Employees at the Ford dealership donate their own time and resources for the event. “When you see tears well up in the eyes of a service technician, it’s quite touching,” said Collins. “It’s not the size of what you do,” he continued. “It’s the importance. Local giving is the right thing to do and if you can do it, you should. Our family is from Louisville and this community has helped keep us a thriving business.”

The most rewarding moments for Paul Cotton are quiet exchanges with residents who express thanks for generosity at a time of need. Cotton, vice president and general manager of Joe Cotton Ford in Carol Stream, Ill., recalls a recent conversation with a Costco checkout clerk as he purchased cases of Polaroid film for photos with Santa given to attendees of his dealership’s annual community Christmas party. “I know what those are for,” he recalled the clerk saying. “I was at your party a few years ago, and I’m still very grateful.”

That type of gratitude reinforces the commitment of father and son to their community. “It’s so meaningful and heartwarming to hear those comments,” said Paul Cotton. “When you give a person a bright day and a smile, it goes a long way. Their appreciation can last a lifetime. That’s why we help people during a rough patch, which usually isn’t a permanent condition.”

The Cottons’ spirit of giving embraces local high schools, the American Cancer Society and an assortment of other groups. Their signature event is the festive Christmas Sharing Party, which Joe Cotton began in 1985 in partnership with the Carol Stream Police Department and the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. “He knows what it means to be raised in limited circumstances,” said Paul, whose father was raised by a single mother in Alabama.

Each December’s event is truly a community effort, with residents donating toys to the Marines’ drive so they can be wrapped by senior citizens and given to as many as 700 youngsters – each of whom receives three or four presents, plus a souvenir snapshot with Santa. Volunteers distribute items at the celebration with entertainment and refreshments in the cleared-out dealership showroom.

Paul Cotton personally greets parents and youngsters as they arrive. “This is their party, and we show respect to everyone who comes,” he said. “To have people down on their luck wish you a Merry Christmas – that’s immeasurable.” In the view of Mindi Thomas, social service supervisor at the Carol Stream Police Department, the huge party shows how “Joe and Paul Cotton’s family Ford business makes families their business. They’re down-to-earth folks who really care. That’s what they’re all about.”

Paul Cotton also speaks to high school students about safe driving, vehicle insurance, consumer credit and automotive industry careers. “I can’t say enough about these two guys and what they’ve done for our district and our community,” commented John Walters, a coach and driver education instructor at West Chicago Community High School.

Jim Ellis learned from an early age about earning rewards through hard work, a lesson that still shapes his life and now spreads benefits far beyond his family.

Ellis’s approach to business as president and owner of Jim Ellis Mazda in Marietta, Ga. and Jim Ellis Mazda in nearby Atlanta is guided by respect for self-improvement. This respect also motivates his generous contributions of time, resources and leadership to the community. “Nothing was ever given to me. Success came by working for it,” explains Ellis, who did construction work, delivered milk and was a newspaper carrier while in school. “Now my wife Billie and I want to share our blessings and opportunities. It’s time to give back.”

Beneficiaries of Ellis’s philanthropy include the Atlanta Union Mission, a shelter that uses the Mazda dealer’s donations to provide food, clothing and shelter for men, women and children in crisis. He also gave more than $330,000 for buildings and to furnish a recreation room.

Involvement with the Mission began after trips to Mexico, China, Brazil, Russia and Africa with other vehicle dealers. “We saw people with nothing, basically,” recalled Ellis, whose Ford Motor Company affiliation began in 1988. “We take too much for granted here and don’t always realize how fortunate we are. We also have some people who are just as needy in our own backyard.”

By responding to that need through philanthropy, the Mazda dealer “has a direct impact on the lives of thousands of homeless individuals and hundreds of persons who have mental health issues,” said David Coleman, president and CEO of the Atlanta Union Mission. “Jim and his family foundation have made significant contributions to help... people who have no other place to turn.”

In another example of his commitment to providing aide to those in need, Ellis donated $380,000 to help fund the construction and furnishing of the Norcross Cooperative Ministry Center. He also serves as president of the organization’s advisory committee. Norcross Cooperative Ministry provides food, clothing, financial aid, job services, temporary lodging and other assistance to community members in times of crisis. The new facility is named after the Mazda dealer’s son, Greg Ellis, who died in January 2000.

Other recipients of Ellis’s wide-ranging commitment are Annandale Village, a nonprofit residential community for adults with developmental disabilities, and Eagle Ranch, a boarding school and counseling center for boys and girls ages 8 to 18. Eagle Ranch Executive Director Eddie Staub described Ellis as “a faithful friend to our work since the very early days [two decades ago], when it was not much more than a dream to provide a home for hurting children.” Closer to home, Ellis provided $370,000 to build and furnish a Chapel and Serenity Garden at Gwinnett Medical Center, which opened in fall 2006. “We wanted to provide serene settings both indoors and outside for patients and families,” said Ellis, a board member of the center’s foundation. “We recognized the need and know many people will benefit.”

Strong teachers equipped Ford dealer David T. Fischer to succeed in business and gain influence in Metro Detroit and Palm Beach civic affairs, so it is fitting that the executive devotes extensive time and resources to supporting education.

“A good education can unleash the power of intelligence and creativity in every child,” said Fischer, owner of Suburban Ford of Sterling Heights and Waterford, Mich., Suburban Mazda of Sterling Heights and Troy, Mich. and Suburban Volvo of Troy, Mich. and Palm Beach, Fla. “I am always inspired by children and the hope that they bring to the world. That’s why I am so passionate about education. Every child deserves the chance to succeed and no child has a chance without an education.”

That passion translates into support for education at all levels. For the past eight years, Fischer’s six dealerships and other members of the Suburban Collection group he leads as chairman and CEO have recognized a “Teacher of the Year” in each community served. Winners receive a new vehicle to drive for a year. “Teachers are critical to good education, and we want to recognize those teachers who make a difference in the classroom.”

Fischer feels a sense of responsibility to the communities where the Suburban Collection does business. “Community service has become part of the culture at the Suburban Collection, and I’m proud of that,” he explained. “From blood drives to charity walks to painting and decorating the room of a sick child, our employees are making a difference in all of the communities touched by our 42 locations.”

Fischer contributes through board memberships at Oakland University, Detroit Institute of Arts, College for Creative Studies in Detroit and Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan. Fischer and his wife, Jennifer, have chaired fund-raisers for The Henry Ford, Detroit Institute of Arts and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. They are also devoted to the American Cancer Society, giving time and financial support in the fight against cancer and in the effort to bring hope and comfort to cancer patients.

At Oakland University in Rochester, Mich., Fischer has helped guide the institution’s growth since joining the board of trustees in 1992, serving as chairman in 1994-95. “He has been one of the most influential trustees we have had, in terms of his optimism, support of the administration, faculty and student creativity, and a belief in innovation,” commented Gary D. Russi, president of the university.

For his part, Fischer expresses pride in inspiring charitable contributions by others – especially his Ford employees in Metro Detroit, Florida and at affiliated dealerships. “I have seen our teams coming together, watched the spirit building and witnessed unbelievable results,” he noted. “I am always impressed with how much our teams from the Suburban Collection can accomplish for the good of the community.”

A strong sense of community has motivated third-generation Ford dealer Sam Galloway, Jr. to help educate youngsters, feed adults and children, assist the elderly and preserve two historic estates. That hometown spirit translates into meaningful, long-term help that changes lives for Fort Myers neighbors of all ages, races and backgrounds.

“I get total satisfaction out of helping people,” explained Galloway, president of Sam Galloway Ford, which his grandmother founded in 1927. “I feel in my heart it’s the right thing to do.”

One of Galloway’s proudest achievements involves helping create and guide a nonprofit corporation called Community Cooperative Ministries, which has expanded dramatically since it began as a downtown soup kitchen set up by nearby churches. In addition to serving meals to more than 300 people each day, the agency operates a food bank that provides groceries for 300 families each week and has a Faith in Action division that helps senior citizens live independently in their homes.

The organization recently expanded by opening a Montessori School in the area. Visions for the future include a second soup kitchen in North Fort Myers, and up to three more elsewhere in Southwest Florida.

As a founder and board member of Community Cooperative Ministries, “Sam Galloway has made it possible for people in our community to feel secure about where their next meal is coming from,” said Sarah Owen, the organization’s chief executive. “He sincerely believes that nobody in any community should go hungry,” Owen added, “and he puts his heart, soul and backing toward that end.”

To help finance the growing organization, Galloway hosts an annual “Soup, Symphony, Service” benefit at his Ford service department, converted for the evening into an unlikely setting for a pops concert by the Gulf Coast Symphony. His fund-raising goal for the 2008 bash is $198,000.

In a fitting connection to his business, Galloway also focuses energy and enthusiasm on refurbishing the Edison & Ford Winter Estates, historic, adjacent getaway homes once used by Thomas A. Edison and his friend Henry Ford and now owned by the City of Fort Myers. The Ford dealer is president of a foundation that supports the site, which is one of the top 10 attractions of its type nationwide.

“I really enjoy doing this, and I don’t want the thanks,” the history buff said. “Maybe it was my idea, but I can’t do it by myself. It’s about the people who have the same beliefs I do.”

Galloway focuses his philanthropic efforts almost entirely on the geographic area where he lives and works. “I give where I make my living,” he explained. “I know what I can do here and I can see the outcome. You see where your money goes and you work with people you know. It’s absolutely remarkable.”

A spirit of giving was nurtured for Seana and John Holtz years before they became husband and wife and owners of John Holtz Mazda. Each was raised in western New York by parents who “believed in the Golden Rule and lived their lives accordingly.” Both families were active fund-raisers and advocates for numerous charitable organizations.

The successful automotive dealers now extend their family legacies through many community activities including the United Way, Daystar infant care program, Gilda’s Club and James P. Wilmot Cancer Center. John Holtz was able to make a special contribution to Daystar when he created community awareness for the unique children’s organization by donating his winnings from “Dancing With the Rochester Stars.”

The Holtzes have made local philanthropy a core component of their business and personal lives. As Seana recalls their commitment stepped up in 1995. She remembers there was a “turning point when many in our area became displaced workers as the result of corporate downsizing. The effects of a reduced workforce at Kodak rippled through the economy.” In response, the dealership provided a building and staffing that helped a county agency open an unemployment resource center for displaced workers.

In recent years, their local commitments have grown to include James P. Wilmot Cancer Center, Gilda’s Club and Daystar Nursery. By filling leadership roles, the couple’s impact reaches far beyond gifts of time and resources.

John Holtz currently serves as a James P. Wilmot board member, while Seana is serving her second term on the board of United Way. Prior to serving as a board member, Seana chaired the automotive division of United Way’s annual campaign reaching out to employees and managers of dealerships throughout the Rochester area with the message of the organization. “They truly make a tremendous difference in our community, and we are so grateful to have them as partners,” said Jodi Groden, executive vice president and chief financial officer at United Way of Greater Rochester.

In 2007 the Holtzes served as honorary chairs of the Gilda’s Club Gala for the second time – which involves enlisting sponsors, selling tickets and acquiring auction items. “Through their hard work and dedication, they have personally made life better for men, women and children living with cancer,” said Veronica Lee, executive director of the local Gilda’s Club branch. “They have quietly made a tremendous difference to the emotional health of those we serve.”

The Mazda dealership owners see philanthropy partly as an educational mission. “By hosting many events, we’ve made the community aware of a variety of causes,” said Seana Holtz. “Sometimes people are so busy, they don’t know where to get started with giving.”

Doug and Tom North, the owners of North Brothers Ford in Westland, Mich. and North Brothers Lincoln Mercury in Troy, Mich. have followed a steady approach to community involvement since the late 1980s. “We believe we should support communities that support us,” said Tom North. “That’s a business philosophy we learned from our father.” Doug and Tom’s father, James North, a long-time Rotary Club member, also participated in and supported many other charitable causes when he ran the family business, which was originally established in 1936. The North brothers’ dedication to helping local children translates into summer camp scholarships, a mentoring program for at-risk youths, construction of a skate park, upgrades to a baseball diamond and support for a new library. “Young people face the greatest risks and greatest challenges,” said Doug North, explaining why his dealerships support the Westland Youth Assistance Program, Livonia YMCA “Strong Kids Campaign,” schools in Westland and Troy, and several other area programs.

“They have been exemplary role models to the community,” said Paul Motz, director of the Westland Youth Assistance Program, a city agency. “North Brothers Ford is a class act and the epitome of generosity and commitment to community service.”

In addition, the dealership annually sponsors a 5K fun run/walk, a golf outing and drives to collect clothing, food, furniture and school supplies. Beneficiaries include Salvation Army branches in Westland and Royal Oak, Mich.

Support also flows to the Wayne County Family Shelter in Westland, which offers transitional housing for more than 500 parents and children annually. “I really cannot say enough about the generosity of this dealership,” said Director Carol Eddy. “Doug and Tom instill that spirit of giving in their employees, who also donate money and time as volunteers. It’s quite obvious that selling cars is not the only thing they want to do. They believe strongly in giving back to the community and giving to those in need.”

Each of the brothers attended summer camp while growing up in Beverly Hills, Mich. so it is especially rewarding to provide that opportunity for Westland youngsters whose families cannot afford it. North Brothers scholarships each year send many children to day camps operated by the Salvation Army and nearby Livonia YMCA. “We know this experience has an impact all year and lasts a lifetime,” said Doug North.

Doug and Tom, who joined the dealership in 1987 and 1990 respectively, are exploring a new route to uphold the spirit of responsibility instilled by their father. They have established a charitable foundation to attract more matching grants for programs they support. “We consider ourselves part of the community,” noted Doug. “This is the right thing to do, and it’s part of our DNA.”

Stuart Powell has been aiming for the sky, literally, since the mid-1940s.

“If I can’t find a way to do something, I make a way,” said Powell, whose first job as a 15-year-old was pumping aviation fuel and cleaning plane windshields. By age 16, he qualified to handle a Piper J-3 Cub, a classic one-engine yellow plane of the era. His first solo flight took off from a tiny airstrip – “just an open field, really” – for which he has worked actively for four decades to expand into a two-runway airport that handles corporate jets and is now named Stuart Powell Field. “Aside from selling and servicing vehicles, my passion in life is trying to develop the airport,” he said.

Assisting community growth through a vital transportation link is just one of the lifelong Kentuckian’s contributions to his area. Powell and the Ford dealership he started in Lancaster, Ky. in 1960 also support the Salvation Army, Centre College and many other organizations, including the local library, The Community Arts Center, The Regional Medical Center and his church.

“I get great satisfaction from helping people,” explained Powell. “It’s a way to leave a mark on the world. See, I believe in the saying ‘You never stand so tall as when you stoop to help somebody else.’”

Powell, a former mayor of Lancaster, Ky., applied government experience and business discipline to earn grants that helped Danville’s open field become a regional airport with a 5,000-foot runway for small jets. Economic development and employment benefit significantly from the airfield expansion that Powell engineered as chairman of the Danville-Boyle County Airport Board since 1968.

“We have a dandy, first-class airport for a city of our size, and it’s mainly because of Stuart,” said Danville Mayor Hugh Coomer. “And that’s very important to us right now as a draw for industry.”

In September 2007 the Kentucky commissioner of aviation designated Powell as General Aviation Board Chairman of the Year. At the same ceremony, the Ford dealer also received a Kentucky Ace award for his commitment to aviation, education, safety and development.

In Danville, Powell’s community outreach also embraces the Salvation Army, for which he has served as an advisory board member since 1976. His support helped build a Thrift Store, a gymnasium and administrative offices that serve a five-county area. Powell’s dedication inspires employees to supplement the dealership’s contributions.

“Stuart has been a pillar in our organization. He has done so much for the community through Salvation Army,” said Capt. Zach Bell, leader of the local chapter. “He is heavily involved in the community, and it comes from his heart.”

“I like challenges,” said Powell. “I enjoy seeing something that looks difficult get accomplished.”

An appreciation for the value of education has led Allan Vigil, president and CEO of Allan Vigil Ford in Morrow, Ga. and Fayetteville, Ga. to reach out and support students and educators at every level of learning. “From elementary school through college, there is so much we can do to encourage, mentor, and support our children, our schools and our teachers,” he said.

Vigil puts that commitment into action with donations of his time and resources. In addition to annual donations that provide scholarships and faculty recognition grants to the University System of Georgia Foundation, he also brings business expertise and leadership ability to the University System’s Board of Regents, which he chairs, and to Clayton State University, a Morrow institution he has supported actively since 1983.

In addition to energetic involvement with education, medical care is another area of interest for Vigil. The Ford dealer is in his fifth year as a board member of Southern Regional Health System, a nonprofit medical network.

“You see so many things that need to be done, but at some point you have to focus your efforts on areas in which you really feel you can make a difference,” explained the Salute To Dealers honoree. “Having a good hospital and the necessary health care services contributes so much to making a community strong.”

“Allan Vigil demonstrates he is a strategic thinker who ‘thinks big,’ and dares to set ambitious goals that help us improve the health and quality of life of our citizens,” said Edward Bonn, president and CEO of the health system. Vigil’s impact reaches every corner of Georgia. In 2003, Governor Sony Perdue appointed him to the Board of Regents, which oversees state libraries and 35 public campuses.

According to Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr., head of the University System, Vigil’s leadership has allowed the Board of Regents to “change Georgians’ lives and strengthen the state of Georgia. The University System is proud to have him as its leader."

Vigil’s long-term dedication as a foundation board member at Clayton State is in its 25th year. “Clayton State has been fortunate to have Allan Vigil as a champion and an advocate,” said President Thomas K. Harden. “He is generous with his time and resources, and has been a consummate community servant, a successful businessman and a committed trustee.”

As much as he values the appreciation of community leaders, Vigil said he is especially moved by simple expressions of thanks from local schools and sports teams he assists – such as “hand-drawn pictures from children and pictures of proud teams in uniform. What more could you ask for to keep you going?”