Customer Spotlight:
Ed Martin Automotive Group
Indianapolis, Indiana
For more than a century, Zurich has worked alongside dealers to understand their needs, aspirations, opportunities, and challenges. Each customer is unique, and the relationships we form help dealers across the U.S. overcome obstacles and prosper in challenging times. The valuable relationships we share are reflected in the stories of our long-standing customers. The Ed Martin Automotive Group is a great example of a growing family business that prioritizes support in its community, gives generously to the communities they serve, and continues to grow and thrive.
History of Ed Martin Automotive Group
Ed Martin began selling and wholesaling used cars in 1955. He purchased his first new car store, an Oldsmobile dealership in Shelbyville, Indiana. In 1960 Ed became the youngest Ford Automotive dealer in the United States. In the years that followed, the Ed Martin Automotive Group expanded with the additions of Nissan, Honda, Acura, and finally, Pontiac and GMC.
When Ed passed in 2005, his daughter and son-in-law Kathy and Mark Harrison took over. With Ed’s legacy in mind, they continued to seek expansion opportunities, adding two new dealerships in 2022, reaching 11 total dealerships that sell 1,200 to 1,500 cars per month.
Growth and acquisition
Mark described how the 2022 acquisition came about, “We have had dealerships in Anderson since the 1970s, and I’ve gotten to know the family that owned two dealerships there. I maintained a great relationship with the owners, and I frequently reminded them that we’d like the opportunity to purchase the dealerships when they were ready to retire. So, last summer, the owner called and invited me to lunch. We made a little small talk, and then she slid me a piece of paper and said, ‘You always said you wanted to buy the dealership; here’s what it would take.’, I put the paper in my pocket and said, ‘done deal’. As part of the transition, Mark and Kathy moved the business to Zurich’s F&I products. He added, ‘We retained 90% of the existing team and trained them to sell Zurich’s products, which they did fairly easily, and they’re doing a great job! This acquisition means a great deal to us because Kathy’s dad had a Ford dealership from 1960-83, and we made a commitment when we took over that we would obtain a Ford dealership to honor his memory and his legacy, so we’ve accomplished that.”
Community Involvement
The Ed Martin Automotive Group and Kathy, in particular, lend generous personal and financial support to a variety of community groups, supporting and sponsoring a wide range of organizations. Kathy said, “I’ve been involved in relationships in the community since I was a kid. I love being involved, and I love giving back to the community that gives so much to us as a business. We’re heavily involved in the schools around Indianapolis, central Indiana, and in the surrounding counties where we have dealerships. We graduated from the Lawrence township schools in Indianapolis, so we’re super involved there and have been for at least 30 years.”
Kathy was a founder of Indy SurviveOars, an organization in its 16th year that supports breast cancer survivors through the sport of Dragon Boat Racing, offering hope, inspiration, and camaraderie to survivors while focusing on health and physical activity.
Kathy is also on the board of trustees for Butler University and sits on the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) Board of Directors. Kathy said, “I am very involved in the BSA, I’m very proud of this organization, and I’m a strong proponent of the future leaders -- the boys and girls who graduate as Eagle Scouts in this organization.” Kathy added, “We’re also huge animal people, and we support a variety of animal welfare and rescue organizations. Zurich has been very supportive in this area. For example, in the past few years, we’ve held a fundraiser called Rock the Dock for the Hamilton County Humane Society, and we raise money with a concert at the lake. Zurich has been instrumental in those for us, and then Zurich has also been an important contributor to Wine, Wags and Whiskers, another fundraiser for the Hamilton County Humane Society as well.”
About the relationship with the Zurich team.
Zurich’s relationship with the Ed Martin Automotive Group first began with garage keepers’ coverage through Universal Underwriters. When Zurich acquired Universal, Ed decided to stay with Zurich because of the strong relationship. Mark said, “We’re big on relationships. We look to do business with companies where we feel it is a partnership, and we’ve always had a great relationship with the entire Zurich team. There have been many reps over the years, everyone we’ve worked with has been very good to us and to our team.
Kathy added, “It’s all about the relationship. I love my rep; I love what he’s done. He’s there for us all the time, and that means a lot to me personally.
One of the most important services Zurich provides the Ed Martin Auto Group is F&I training. Mark says, “Zurich has always been there for us, whether it’s with our existing team or when we hire a new person. Zurich delivers the training we need to develop our people and be most effective in selling F&I products. At least one person from the Zurich team is in our stores every week. They’ve been critical to our success, especially in the F&I department.”
Mark explains that part of the advantage Zurich has over others is in the coverage. Mark explains, “On the F&I product side, Zurich offers great products, and provides excellent support. They’re also competitive in price. On the P&C side, hail damage has probably been our biggest problem over the years, and whenever we’ve had an issue, it’s always been taken care of right away. Zurich has people on site right away to ensure we don’t experience any business interruption.”
“We appreciate Zurich for providing the products that provide value to our consumers and we appreciate Zurich for all the support and training. We’ve seen immense progress when our team goes through Zurich training,” Mark added. Zurich is excited about the future and remains steadfast in our commitment to the success of your dealership. We are grateful for our business relationship!
