Gee Automotive Companies acquires dealerships from Portland-based Dick’s Auto Group
Jan. 25, 2022 Updated Fri., Feb. 4, 2022 at 1:39 p.m.
Gee Automotive Companies, one of the largest auto retailers in the region, has acquired three dealerships from Portland-based Dick’s Auto Group.
Under the acquisition, the Liberty Lake-based automotive retailer will take over ownership of Dick’s Hillsboro Chevrolet, Dick’s Country CDJR and Dick’s Mackenzie Ford from siblings Shannon Inukai-Cuffee and Scott Inukai, co-owners of Dick’s Auto Group.
The dealerships will now be known as Tonkin Hillsboro Chevrolet, Tonkin CDJR and Tonkin Hillsboro Ford, according to a company release.
“We are constantly looking for growth opportunities in the Northwest and the Inukais decided it was the right time to sell,” said Ryan Gee, CEO of Gee Automotive Companies. “I’ve known the family for years and it was a great fit for us.”
Gee said his company already has a significant presence in the Portland market.
“We had 15 stores prior to this, however, we didn’t have stores in Hillsboro,” he said. “This helps round out our presence in Portland with what we consider to be great franchises.”
About 200 Dick’s Auto Group workers will be retained as part of the acquisition, bringing Gee Automotive Companies’ total number of employees to more than 2,000, Gee said.
Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
Gee Automotive operates 35 dealerships in the Pacific Northwest, including six in Eastern Washington and North Idaho: George Gee Buick GMC, Porsche Spokane, Kia Liberty Lake, Mercedes-Benz of Spokane, CDA Cadillac Kia and Moke Coeur d’Alene.George Gee founded Gee Automotive Companies in Spokane in 1983. George’s son, Ryan, assumed the role of president and CEO of the company in 2003.
DCG Acquisitions, a Dave Cantin Group company, represented Gee Automotive and Dick’s Auto Group in the transaction.
“This is our first closed deal with DCG Acquisitions, but I am confident that there will be many more over the years to come,” Gee said. “We look forward to working with George Pero and his team at DCG on future deals as we continue to grow and expand.”
This article was updated Feb. 4 to clarify the number of dealerships involved in the acquisition.
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