Pub. 19 2020-2021 Issue 1

N E W J E R S E Y C O A L I T I O N O F A U T O M O T I V E R E T A I L E R S S P E C I A L E D I T I O N , 2 0 2 0 12 new jersey auto retailer Yes, it was planned. The transition phase had been in the works for two years and in mid-May, Bob May’s 40-year career with NJ CAR came to a close. What wasn’t planned was COVID-19. Bob’s last official day at the office was concluded with extreme social distancing and a drive-by-parade of col- leagues. Not the farewell that anyone had imagined, but these days are anything but business as usual. Bob May took some time to talk with NJ CAR about his career, COVID-19 insights and his future retirement plans. How did you start your career with NJ CAR? I started working for NJ CAR when the organization was 62 years old. During my career, I worked with grandfather, father, and son chairmen — three generations. That’s a long career, if you measure it in dealer generations. What made you stay as long as you did? No one asked me to leave! On a more serious note, I loved my time at NJ CAR. My co-workers were a great group of indi- viduals to work with. We have a great team of employees that thoroughly enjoys serving our dealer members. The dealers are just amazing people to work with — I admire them and their tenacity — and I felt like I was making a difference. The work that NJ CAR does matters a great deal. I think that’s the key to my long tenure with the organization. What made you decide to retire? It was time. My retirement was planned — although certainly not amid COVID-19, which was unexpected. But the plan was in place. We have a small working farm upstate, and the com- mute was getting longer and longer. Forty years seemed like a good time to call it a day. A Fond Farewell to NJ CAR’s Bob May