Doing Business the Right Way Since 1953!
Hello everyone. My name is John Lee and I’m Chairman and CEO of Lee Motor Company in Wilson. I’d like to welcome you to our website and take a moment to share with you the rich history of our company and our family of dealerships.
In 1953, Lee Motor Company was founded by my father, James L. Lee. I’m proud to say my dad was a veteran of World War II and after his service in the Navy, he became involved in the car business. Because he was determined and worked hard and had the support of the community, he thrived, and he enjoyed being a part of the automotive industry for the rest of his life.
Dad started his career in 1946 when he worked in the Ford manufacturing plant in Norfolk, Virginia. He worked hard, eventually becoming a Zone Manager, and he started calling on Ford dealers all over North Carolina. In 1951, he went to work directly with the Ford franchise dealers in Windsor and later in Plymouth, North Carolina. In 1953 with a $5000 stake and a dream, he and my mother purchased the Ford dealership in Elm City and went into business for themselves. This dealership was later relocated to the corner of Ward Blvd. and US 301 in Wilson, North Carolina – the same place you’ll find us today!
In 1980, life changed very suddenly and dramatically when Dad passed away, and at the age of 20, I took over the day to day operations of Lee Motor Company. At the same time, I was finishing my sophomore year in college. In addition to that, my wife and I were married just three months later (and we’ll soon celebrate our 30th anniversary). In 1982, along with my wife, I graduated from Atlantic Christian College, now Barton College, in Wilson, North Carolina.
Our company and our country struggled through a vicious recession that lasted through the middle of the 1980’s, but as the smoke cleared, we were still standing. Over the next three decades, we purchased and sold several dealerships, and I’m proud to say we helped several store managers become owners in their own right.
Along the way, we opened Lee Nissan in Wilson in 1982, Lee Hyundai in Fayetteville in 1988, Kia Country in Charleston, South Carolina in 2003 and in Savannah, Georgia in 2004. In 2010, we started Lee Kia of Greenville (NC) and LaGrange Kia in LaGrange, GA. In 2011, we celebrated the Grand Opening of Lee Hyundai of Goldsboro (NC).
In 1988, Lee Hyundai became the 3rd largest Hyundai dealer in the nation, retailing over 3000 vehicles. Today, our Fayetteville Hyundai store is also the #1 volume store in North Carolina. Our Kia store is the #1 volume store in Georgia.
Lee Motor Company has deep roots in our community. Our organization sponsors the Wilson Youth Soccer League and the Scholar Athlete of the Week. We also help support area schools and local causes. We proudly support Barton College, area Rotary Clubs, area churches, the Humane Society, law enforcement organizations, emergency services, the Red Cross, the Juvenile Diabetes and Cystic Fibrosis Foundations, and others. We also assist with area fund drives to help raise money for various worthy causes. We provide good paying jobs to our employees who live in this area. Many of our employees have worked here for decades, and are your friends and neighbors.
This is what some of our customers have to say about our employees and the quality of their buying experience at Lee Motor Company:
Folks, we’ve been doing business this way – THE RIGHT WAY - since 1953 and we welcome the opportunity to help you with your next vehicle purchase.
Thank you for taking the time to visit us online. We have a dedicated internet staff to help you with every facet of the purchase process, plus any of your parts and service needs. As you look through our site, I hope you’ll see the pride we take in our dealership. As we near the end of our sixth decade of operations, our business model is still the same – to exceed our customers’ expectations in every facet of our business. We’re committed to making each and every customer’s experience as pleasant and convenient as possible, and as always, doing business the right way since 1953!
FORECAST...
BUSINESS will continue to go where invited and remain where appreciated.
REPUTATIONS will continue to be made by many acts and be lost by one.
PEOPLE will go right on preferring to do business with friends.
GO-GIVERS will become the best go-getters.
THE “EXTRA MILE” will have no traffic jams.
PERFORMANCE will continue to outsell promises.
ENTHUSIASM will be as contagious as ever.
KNOW-HOW will surpass guess-how.
TRUST, not tricks, will keep customers loyal.
QUALITY will be prized as a precious possession.
Attributed to Abraham Lincoln