Leo Hinojosa in his 31 years in the auto industry has had three life changing experiences in his life, the births of his three daughters, dedicating his life to Jesus Christ, and discovering electric cars. Back in 2005, he moved to Oklahoma City to work with a friend as the Director of Finance at a pre-owned dealership. In just a few short weeks, he became the General Manager and assisted the owner and new partner Ken See, to establish the first freestanding GEM Car Dealership in the country. This was his introduction to the EV world. “It changed the way I looked at and how I effect the environment.” Leo’s realization that the environment is within our grasp to do something about, made a lasting impression. Prior to learning about electric vehicles, he thought, “what good am I doing by recycling one plastic bottle?” However, the electric car showed Leo that one person with one car can have an impact. As life would have it, Texas beckoned again and Leo moved back to Texas. Then in early 2007, Ken See called and asked if he would come to Austin, Texas to open and be the General Manager of a franchised electric car dealership. Leo jumped at the chance to make a difference in his lifetime. An opportunity to help others become aware of what one person can do. After a few false starts, Ken and Leo established EV AUTOS TEXAS in Austin. “All my life I stated that everything I did was for my children”, he continues to say, “we all want our child to have it better than we had it.” This is exactly what he did by opening EV AUTOS TEXAS, everything Leo does is for everyone’s children. “They will have a better world because of what we do and because of what others do like us. When we deliver, either a new electric car or truck or deliver a fuel-efficient pre-owned vehicle we serve two clients, the person that buys the vehicle and the environment. Having the opportunity to serve the citizens of Texas is a great honor and privilege. I am humble by the fact that what Ken and I have established, will be long reaching for many generations to come.”
JOHN 14:6
Leo at South Padre Island, TX in a New 2006 Smart Car
ROOTS:
Leo Hinojosa was born in Gary, Indiana and moved with his parents to Texas in 1975. Married in 1977, Leo moved back to Indiana with a new wife and child and went to work at Inland Steel in East Chicago, Indiana. Leo grew up around car dealerships and his father’s at-home mechanic shop. After working 10 hours at his day job he would come home and do side jobs for friends and coworkers. Leo’s father always said, “Do it right the first time and pay attention to detail.” Leonel Hinojosa, Sr. was a Master Craftsman Mechanic for Pontiac Motor Division of General Motors for 10 years and in dealerships for 43 years. This is where Leo got his work ethic. “If your going to do something make sure you do it right or don’t do it at all.” His dad would also tell him, “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”. These life lessons would help propel Leo to become an innovator in the auto industry. Leo was part of the team that introduced the California 4 Square Sales System to Central Texas dealerships starting with Red McCombs Ford in San Antonio, Texas. This redefined form streamlined, the sales process and assisted the customers’ focus on what was important to them and the family. “You have to think outside the box in order to excel”, Leo goes on to say, “I believe you also have to analyze the box and reconfigure it to be able to separate yourself from the crowd.” Leo created forms and established policies still used in special finance stores around Texas.
“To tell the truth”, he says, “I was lazy when it came to selling cars.” Therefore, Leo decided to create ways to bring customers to him directly. Leo created ads that had the “WOW” factor. Proper position, the right typeset, the right trigger word or phrase. His advertisements were known for standing out. You could always find his ads among all the others. He first used his ads in 1980 when Leo was at El Centro Dodge in Pharr, Texas. When Leo was at Bill Heard Chevrolet, he self promoted by placing his own ads in small town newspapers and Spanish language publications around Houston. Leo never had to stand point; he worked off the phone calls and appointments that he set from the ads he had placed. The other salespeople always wondered why prospective customers were asking for Leo when he was the NEW GUY at the store. Leo was known for treating all his customers the same way, with respect and dignity. Very few salespeople understood this. They would have a distain for the credit challenged customer. Leo could not. He knew all to well how it felt to be treated differently because of his economic or credit situation.
Leo got into the car business because of the coalminers strike of 1978. Losing his job at Inland Steel in East Chicago, Indiana and answering an ad for car sales people for a GM store in Valparaiso, IN, in April of ‘78. Rising to the top 6 times in 1978. Leo moved up into management through the years. Moving to Texas and pursuing other interests, he owned several nightclubs and honky tonk bars in the Rio Grande Valley. He settled in San Antonio in the early 1980’s, moved back to McAllen and went back to college seeking a degree in Information Management Technology, Network Administration. However, the call of the auto industry beckoned again. In 1997 Leo, joined the largest Chevrolet Dealership chain in the United States, Bill Heard Chevrolet in Sugarland, Texas in August 1997. He achieved the number one used car salesperson position in September 1997, just one month after arriving, 3rd dealership wide and 15th corporate wide. Finally, in 1999 he joined the Finance Department of a Pontiac Store in Houston. He continued to set records in sales and finance. Though he moved around in the business, he always held on to one thing “Leave it better than you found it”. Leo always excelled in creating or re-organizing a successful Special Finance Department everywhere he went.
Ken at the 2009 Texas Land Conference in Austin, TX.
Ken See has had a long and distinguished 27-year career in the automotive industry with 20 of those in fleet sale and management. Ken hails from Virginia Beach, VA, Ken moved to the Dallas Metro area in the yearly 1980s. Starting his career in auto sales with Boswell Chevrolet in Carrollton, TX some people say he has ants in his pants he cannot keep still. One minute he is in the service drive talking to a customer next he’s out on the lot going on a demo ride and you turn around again and he’s on the phone setting an appointment. This boy is full of energy. Because of his excellent work ethic and superior customer service attitude Ken moved up the ladder quickly and into management by the end of 1981. Ken has always been an entrepreneur and in 1984, he opened his own leasing company. Business was good but the cost of competing with the big boys was hard on the business and Ken. As the saying goes if you cannot beat them, join them. So he did, and in 1986, he joined the establishment at Vandergriff Honda in Arlington, TX. In the three and a half years there, the people knew him as “Mr. Honda”. Two of those years as the number one fleet salesperson in the United States. When Enterprise Leasing wanted to add Hondas to their fleet, they came to Ken. He was the first person to sell Honda vehicles to Enterprise Leasing. Having a sterling reputation in the fleet community, others came a calling and with the change in management at the Honda store Ken made the move. Ken moved around some over the years but regardless of where he landed Ken won awards, set sales records and cultivated relationships that he still calls upon from time to time. Ken had so much energy that he took on extra activity, he even worked for over 6 years for The Dallas Cowboys Organization
In 2003, Ken joined The Randall Noe Auto Group. As the new Fleet Manager, they gave Ken the task of getting rid of those electric cars sitting in the back lot. With his can do attitude he said sure no problem. Little did he know that those electric cars would change his life in many ways. First none of them would start. He had to make due, since they were not high or for that fact any priority level for Randall Noe. Ken had to teach himself how to work on them and in a few short hard months with the customer help line in his ear, he got them all up and running. Ken found a niche, institutional sales. They loved the GEM Car. Almost immediately, Ken went from zero to hero. Those electric cars that the dealership wanted to get rid of made Randall Noe Auto Group the number one GEM car dealer in the country and Ken the number one GEM car fleet salesperson in the United States. GEM recognized Ken’s talent and they put him together with a dealer in Oklahoma City, OK. In 2006, Ken partnered with a preowned dealer in Oklahoma City, OK and opened Electric Avenue, the first freestanding GEM car dealership in the country. In late 2006, the partner had financial issues and closed the store. Ken returned to Mesquite, TX determined to finish what he started. The EV world is a small one and Ken’s reputation preceded him in the EV community. He had made fast friends with other electric vehicles manufactures’ representatives. It paid off, Ken made contact with several and in early 2007, e-Ride Industries was on board so was ZENN Motor Cars. Their goal was to open a franchise store in Austin, TX. Finding the financial backing proved to be difficult but after a few dry runs, Ken teamed with Leo Hinojosa and established EV AUTOS TEXAS in Austin. In the interim Miles Automotive Group approached Ken to represent the brand in Texas as well.
Ken has proved that no matter what the circumstances, you can prevail. Ken has a proven record of accomplishment in fleet sales and personal customer service. The relationships he has forged in the electric vehicle market has established Ken See as the electric vehicle expert in the Southwest United States. Ken continues to work on behave of the people of Texas. In 2006 Ken was one of the original stakeholders along with Stacy Neef of Central Texas Clean Cities to establish the Austin Energy Vehicle Rebate Program. He is also a founding stakeholder in the Austin Green Program.
EV AUTOS TEXAS...commitment to quality, service, and satisfaction
