OCTOBER 21, 2016, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A5
For Capitol Auto owner, it’s about people, not cars
By LYNDON A. ZAITZ
Of the Keizertimes
Scott Casebeer, principal
owner of Capitol Auto Group,
is a car dealer who isn’t much
of a fan of cars – even those
he sells.
He’d rather be riding a
horse or encouraging his em-
ployees to get involved with
their community.
Capitol Auto Group had
its start in 1927 when Doug-
las McKay opened Douglas
McKay Chevrolet Co.; he
later added a Cadillac dealer-
ship. McKay went on to serve
as Salem mayor, a state sena-
tor, Oregon governor and U.S.
Secretary of Interior under
President Eisenhower.
McKay sold the dealership
to his two sons-in-law—Les-
ter Green and Wayne Hadley,
who changed the name to
Capitol Chevrolet Cadillac;
a Toyota franchise was added
later. Scott Casebeer married
into the family in 1977 and
bought out Green and Hadley.
After his divorce he began the
dealer and sole owner.
Capitol Auto Group re-
cently moved the dealership
and its four brands (Chevrolet,
Cadillac, Toyota and Subaru)
to a large campus on the Salem
Parkway between Broadway
Street and Cherry Avenue.
The move was precipitated by
manufacturer’s architectural
requirements that could not
be met on Mission Street.
“All the manufacturers
started to get very aggressive
with individual designs for
facilities,” said Casebeer. “If
you wanted to maintain the
franchise and the ability to
get new vehicles and products,
sooner or later you’d have to
conform to their design.”
It is ironic that Scott Case-
KEIZERTIMES/Lyndon A. Zaitz
Capitol Auto Group principal owner Scott Casebeer in his offi ce off Salem Parkway.
beer owns a dealership with
four brands; he’s not a car guy.
He never tinkered with them
when he was a teen. He’s never
driven a Cadillac. He never sat
in a Honda when he owned
a Honda dealership. When he
owned a Ford dealership he
never even drove one.
“I just like the people part
of the business,” said Case-
beer, “And just the business
part.” He went on to say that
if someone told him he could
get a better return by selling
pickles one would see nothing
but a brunch of pickles on his
dealership lot.
“I’ll sell pickles,” he said. “I
don’t care. Cars? I don’t care.”
He’s never even had a car
title registered in his name. He
tells his management team,
“Listen, don’t get too caught
up in these cars. It’s just a car.”
Casebeer may not care
about cars, per se, but he has
established a company that al-
ways puts people fi rst, be they
customers or employees. He
stated the company’s motto—
Have it your way on the Park-
way—is lived everyday by ev-
ery employee at Capitol Auto
Group.
“We will handle a sales
transaction anyway the cus-
tomer wants,” said Casebeer. If
a customer knows what they
want and how much they
want to spend or if a customer
wants to test drive a few mod-
els before deciding, they get
it. The internet has changed
the way people buy cars,
many consumers doing their
research before heading to a
car lot. “The personal touch is
gone,” said Casebeer.
With the growth of Uber
and other ride-hailing services
plus the development of driv-
erless cars, the auto industry
will change drastically in the
coming years. “The franchise
dealer as we know of today
might be going the way of
the dodo in the next 20 to 25
years,” said Casebeer. Many
young people, especially in
cities, don’t even own a car—
a rite of passage that was cel-
ebrated by teens for decades.
Yet today is still good times
for auto dealers. In 2015 the
auto industry recorded its best
year for national sales; that
level of sales is expected to
continue into 2017 and per-
haps 2018, according in indus-
try analysts. As long as people
want to buy cars, especially his
brands, Casebeer will be sure
that his customers are taken
care of by employees who are
well trained and inspired to
give back to their community.
“Ninety-nine percent of
businesses will say that cus-
tomers come fi rst,” said Case-
beer. “In my opinion, custom-
ers don’t come fi rst, employees
come fi rst. If they (employees)
are happy, engaged and under-
stand what they need to do
and they’re excited to come to
work refl ected to our custom-
ers.”
Prior to the interview,
Casebeer was talking with 25
new employees from across
the company—sales, service,
parts,etc. Capitol Auto Group
has developed an environment tests and competitions within
that rewards good work. Each the company to raise money
month the company recog- for United Way Mid-Willa-
nizes sales people who have mette Valley. This year, during
met goals and those employees its annual 28 Days of Love in
of any department that have February, the company and its
had a positive impact on the employees raised $135,000,
company.
bringing its two year total
Every day every employ- to about $250,000, making
ee has an interaction with a Capitol Auto among the top
manager, whether it is Case- three contributors to the local
beer himself or another per- United Way campaign. Giv-
son. Employees are singled ing back to the community is
out for birthdays, new babies, one of the values the company
company news is announced, lives by; it starts with the hir-
such as new product or new ing process when new em-
promotions. Each paycheck ployees learn about the com-
is accompanied with a com- mitment to the community
pany newsletter and there is a and its needs.
company website dedicated to
“They have great imagina-
employees.
tion over there,” said Randy
Asked where he learned Franke, executive director of
his management skills, Scott United Way Mid-Willamette
Casebeer quickly cites his Valley. “I’m impressed by both
best friend Ed Maletis, former Scott and Carrie. Giving back
chairman of Columbia Dis- to the community, it’s not just
tributing Company. “He was a a motto; they’re serious about
real mentor to me,” said Case- it.”
beer. “He taught me how to
When Casebeer is not over-
deal with man-
seeing his deal-
agers, what re-
ership
from
ports to look
his
second
“ He taught
at. He taught
story corner
me
tenacity.
offi ce above
me
tenacity.
What issues to
the Chevrolet
tackle.”
What issues store, he and
The main
his wife, Car-
to tackle.”
thing
he
rie, enjoy time
learned from
on their horse
— Scott Casebeer farm east of
Maletis is that
Capitol Auto owner Salem. Scott’s
one
person
can’t do it all,
offi ce is fi lled
it’s a team ef-
with photos,
fort. “You fi rst and foremost tributes and artifacts, includ-
have to be a good teammate, it ing a horse saddle that has
won’t happen otherwise,” said pride of place in the corner.
Casebeer.
Someday soon he will leave
The employees of Capi- his position and retire (he says
tol Auto Group really come it’ll be sometime after the fi rst
together as a team when it of the year) leaving the opera-
comes to the community in- tion of Capitol Auto Group in
volvement and philanthropy the hands of his sons, Alex and
of the company. Employees Matthew.
are encouraged to be actively
For a man who doesn’t re-
involved, going so far as to pay ally care about cars, Casebeer
their wages for a day when has grown a business into a
they are volunteering.
four-brand, family juggernaut
Each year Capitol Auto that sits atop the Salem auto
Group holds activities, con- business.
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