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New Jersey Dealer Recognized In Automotive News’ 40 Under 40 List

Jul 31, 2017

NJ CAR would like to congratulate Joe Wajda, Executive Manager of World Subaru in Tinton Falls, NJ and World Jeep-Chrysler-Dodge-Ram in Shrewsbury, NJ for being featured in the Automotive News’ sixth annual 40 Under 40 list of up-and comers in the automotive retailing industry. Joe was selected from several hundred candidates nominated, and is the only New Jersey retailer on this years’ list. Automotive News staff reviewed career information supplied by the nominees and created its list.

Before working in the auto retail industry, Joe was a professional musical director, working in various theaters in the greater New York City area. Although he grew up passionate about the arts, Joe eventually took a friend up on an offer to spend a summer selling cars.

Joe started working at a Saturn store in 2002 and, three years later, landed at World Jeep-Subaru as a Sales Manager. He was promoted to General Sales Manager within the year and, by 2014, was named General Manager of World Subaru and World Jeep-Chrysler-Dodge-Ram.

Joe has found a way to innovatively use some of his previous theater experience within the dealership environment, realizing that the collaborative effort and teamwork needed to run a successful dealership is not too far removed from a theatrical production that requires many different people (with a variety of talents) collaborating to produce a successful production.

Joe is focused on his employees, working to keep turnover within the dealerships to a minimum. He credits the fact that customers “see the same face” when they return to both World stores with helping to push overall Subaru sales up 30% and Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram sales up 20% since he became General Manager in 2014.

In January 2017, Capstone Automotive Group purchased the two dealerships and promoted Joe to Executive Manager, giving him a 5% ownership stake in each store.

Please join NJ CAR in congratulating Joe on his inclusion on the Automotive News’ 40 Under 40 list.