Bradshaw Automotive began in 1979 when William
Bradshaw and his wife, Annette, purchased a small Oldsmobile / Cadillac
Dealership in Greer, South Carolina. Shortly after entering the
automotive business as a young office manager, William knew he wanted
to become a dealer and his aim was to achieve that goal by the time he
was thirty-years-old. At age twenty-nine, William and Annette sold
their home, and using that equity and their small savings, along with
the help of a financial investor / mentor, they purchased that small
store in Greer. The stakes were high, but it was the opportunity of a
lifetime. The risk, along with hard work, the contribution of many
dedicated employees, and some good luck, paid off. That small store
with fifteen employees has now grown to include eight dealerships and
eight different franchises with almost four hundred employees.
As Bradshaw began to grow, a small Buick store was added in 1987 and in
1988, Chevrolet was acquired. Then came Acura, Honda, Saturn, Infiniti,
and most recently in 2003, William acquired the Hummer franchise for
the entire upstate South Carolina, Western North Carolina, and North
Eastern Georgia areas. Additional franchises may be added as time and
opportunity permits. While the organization has grown considerably, it
is still a family run operation. William is active in the day-to-day
operations of all of the dealerships and is aided now by his son, Wes
Bradshaw, and his son-in-law, Bill Donovan. The growth and success of
Bradshaw Automotive can be best explained by William's philosophy of
treating employees and customers like family, and always respecting
their needs.
William's automotive accomplishments are
easy to measure in sales, but his total accomplishments are less
obvious. His contributions to his community, both in time and
financially, his leadership position with Greenville Tech Foundation,
his selection as South Carolina Auto Dealer of the Year, his
recognition as a Time Quality Dealer and a National Finalist for that
award, and most recently his service with NADA (National Auto Dealers
Association, an organization representing over 20,000 new car dealers
across the nation) are all indications of his service to his community
and his industry. In 2006, William will be installed as National
Chairman of NADA, furthering his service and impact on the automotive
community.
Through it all, William still operates with
those same philosophies that have served him, his employees, and you,
his customers, very well.