Group 1 Automotive

How do you get a large group of student-athletes from Michigan to spend the day at a corporate office in Houston? When your CEO happens to be one of Michigan's proudest alumni, that bridge is no leap at all. We were proud to welcome a group of University of Michigan student-athletes to Group 1 Automotive during their recent visit to Houston. The students began the day at our corporate office, where they toured the space and heard from Group 1 leaders about career paths, leadership lessons, and how the discipline, teamwork, and resilience developed through college athletics can translate into professional life. Later that afternoon, the group joined us at Kids Meals, Inc to volunteer together and support an organization doing meaningful work for children and families across the Houston area. The visit was part of the University of Michigan’s Graham Family Athletics Career Center programming, which helps student-athletes engage, educate, connect, and experience opportunities that prepare them for life after sports. Thank you to the students who spent the day with us, to the alumni and leaders who helped make the visit possible, and to Kids’ Meals for giving us the opportunity to serve together. #GetMoreWithGroup1 #Group1Cares #UniversityOfMichigan #MGoBlue #StudentAthletes #CareerDevelopment #Leadership #CommunityImpact

Group 1 Kia Tomball is open, marking a meaningful investment in the customer and employee experience north of Houston. The new 50,841-square-foot facility brings together modern automotive retail, thoughtful hospitality, enhanced service capacity, and a more connected ownership experience for Kia customers in the Tomball area. From the showroom and customer lounge to the service drive, vehicle delivery area, parts department, and 32-bay service shop, the facility was designed to support customers at every stage of ownership. It also reflects what we mean when we say customers and employees can get more with Group 1. More convenience. More comfort. More capability. More care in the details that shape the dealership experience. Congratulations to the Group 1 Kia Tomball team and to everyone who helped bring this new facility to life. We are proud to continue investing in local dealerships, modern facilities, and experiences that support our customers, our teammates, and the communities we serve.

Reliable transportation can change the rhythm of a family’s life. Through a local partnership with Selah Creek, a Rockwall-based organization that supports young single mothers, Vanessa and her son were connected with a Ford Escape that had been repaired and prepared for dependable daily transportation. A special thank you goes to Emmanuel Walker, a technician at Group 1 Ford of Rockwall, who invested his time and expertise to rebuild the vehicle’s transmission and help ensure it would be safe and dependable. This is a powerful reminder of the impact that can happen when local organizations, dealership teams, and skilled employees come together around a practical need. We’re grateful to Selah Creek for the work they do in the Rockwall community, and proud of the Group 1 Ford of Rockwall team for helping turn compassion into action. At Group 1, we believe “more” can mean more than a transaction. Sometimes, it means more stability, more confidence, and more opportunity in the communities we serve. #getmore #group1cares #beyondbetter

We were honored to attend BridgeYear's luncheon last week and hear more about the impact they are making across Houston. One part of that work is especially meaningful to us. Through BridgeYear’s automotive technician apprenticeship program, two students have been placed at our Houston Toyota stores, where they are gaining hands-on experience, learning from experienced technicians, and working toward certifications while being employed and paid throughout the program. That kind of opportunity matters. It gives young adults a clearer path into the workforce while helping build the next generation of skilled technicians through real training, real mentorship, and real experience. BridgeYear’s broader impact since 2016 includes 50,000+ students impacted, 20+ Texas school districts served, and 40+ corporate partners. We are proud for Group 1 to play a small part in work that invests in people and strengthens the communities we serve. Thank you to BridgeYear for the work you do and for the opportunity to be part of the conversation.

Group 1 Automotive was honored to participate in the Kids’ Meals Leadership Summit to End Childhood Hunger. Our President & CEO, Daryl Kenningham, joined Mayor John Whitmire and other civic and business leaders for a meaningful conversation about food insecurity in Houston and Harris County, along with the partnerships and shared leadership needed to make a difference. The work of Kids’ Meals continues to have a profound impact, currently serving more than 12,000 preschool-aged children each day and working toward a goal of feeding 26,000 a day by 2031. Thank you to Kids’ Meals for convening such an important discussion. #Group1Cares #KidsMeals #Houston #BeyondBetter

In our third article in the three-part series on the Group 1 Retail Training Academy, we break down what it means to build a brand through culture, and how—once established—that strong, deliberate culture rewards the overall consumer and employee experience. Check it out at the link below. #retailtraining #culture #beyondbetter

Giving back is something our team at Group 1 Ford of South Austin takes seriously. Last week, the dealership made its 2025 donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the amount of $46,200, made possible by donating $100 for every new and used vehicle sold in December. That gift pushed the team past an incredible milestone of $250,000 donated over the past five years. We’re thankful for the customers and teammates who helped make this possible, and proud to support the life-changing work St. Jude does for children and families. Thanks to GM, Greg Kimball, for his leadership and hard work! #Group1Automotive #StJude #GivingBack #CommunityImpact #Ford

The final article in our 3-part Retail Academy series goes live this week, and it focuses on outcomes and what this changes over time. If you haven’t seen Parts 1 and 2 yet, they set the context. Part 1, Why the Academy Exists: The core idea is simple. Confidence shouldn’t depend on luck, location, or who had time to train you that week. Part 2, How It Works: We use dealership-like simulations and coached reps to build fluency, not just awareness. Part 3 is coming next: Equity, consistency, and a customer experience people can recognize. Part 1: https://lnkd.in/gWJsy49u Part 2: https://lnkd.in/gmB6bKDR

Behind every service lane, every repair order, and every vehicle returned to a customer, there is a technician making it happen. Our technicians are a vital part of Group 1 and the lifeblood of our service operation. They bring skill and consistency to work that is demanding, technical, and essential to the customer experience. We were proud to spend time with the crew at Toyota Certified at Capital Plaza and to highlight the people doing this work every day. Special thanks to Rose Bayat for building and leading this team. #AutoTech #AutomotiveTechnician #FixedOps #SkilledTrades #ToyotaService #TechnicianLife

Part 2 of our 3-part Group 1 Retail Training Academy series is live. Most training breaks down for one simple reason. The store is not a classroom. It is fast-moving, client-facing, and full of real-time demands. That is exactly why simulation matters. At the Group 1 Retail Academy, we believe teammates should have the opportunity to rehearse the moments that matter before they happen in front of a client. Role play, process practice, and real-world scenarios help build confidence, consistency, and a stronger client experience across the business. Our latest article unpacks why simulation beats shadowing alone and how it helps create scalable training across multiple Group 1 rooftops. Read the article at the link below. #Group1Automotive #AutomotiveRetail #BeyondBetter