Charles Barker. If you are from Hampton Roads that name should sound familiar. Synonymous with car dealerships, Barker has owned franchises in the area for over 25 years. Born in Norfolk, his family moved away from the area at an early age. He returned to Hampton Roads in 1962 and has been based here ever since.
After he married his high school sweetheart Susan, Barker started working for the City of Virginia Beach's
Department of Parks and Recreation. As an avid sports enthusiast his job of helping to maintain the city's athletic fields was a perfect fit.
A few years later Barker found himself working in the insurance industry. He then made the transition to
selling cars. When asked what inspired the change, Barker said, "Some friends of mine were selling cars at
Colonial Chevrolet and they were making more money than me, so my wife encouraged me to make the switch."
Since then, selling cars has become a passion for Barker. It all started with his first sale, which he cited as his most memorable. "It was a 1971 Chevrolet Camaro. I didn't know what I was doing and my sales manager, Tom Riddle, walked me through it. It was a great experience and that's when I knew I loved the car business. He made it fun", Barker recalled.
It is clear that Barker has had many positive role models throughout his career and their influence has shaped him into the businessman he is today. "I had great mentors who took their time in teaching me the business," said Barker. "The biggest role model in my life was without question Josh Darden. I worked for him for over 20 years and could write a book on what I learned from him," Barker said. "His leadership, character and philanthropic attitude taught me how to live my life and how to give back to the community. I will forever be grateful."
Barker attributes the success of his dealerships to both the people that buy from him as well as the people who work for him. "The people are the foundation of our business. We have some associates who have been with us for 30 years. It's easy to attract new employees when you have folks who have been here for decades." said Barker.
Mr. Barker has used his selling expertise to create one of the strongest dealer groups in the region. His brands include Nissan, Scion, Toyota, Infiniti and Lexus. "I love all the products. We have some of the best in the world," Barker said, noting how proud he is to represent so many brands.
In addition to the great brands, Barker's philosophy is to build trusting and caring relationships with his
customers and all his associates. Barker has received many awards as a result of offering excellent customer service. Of all the accolades he can list, winning Time Magazine's Dealer of the Year in 2007 is his career highlight. Charles Barker firmly believes that his tag line, "Delivering Great Car Buying and Service Experiences Everyday" is more than just a slogan, it is his mission.
