Chevy dealership head lauded by General Motors for 50 years of service

General Motors Co. last week honored Lawrence Dimmitt III, who represents the third generation of the Dimmitt family to lead the 98-year-old Dimmitt Automotive Group, with an award recognizing his five decades of representing the Chevrolet brand in the Tampa Bay area.

Dimmitt Automotive Group was established in 1924 in Clearwater by Lawrence Dimmitt Sr., and his son, Lawrence Dimmitt Jr., took over the business in 1933. In addition to Chevrolet, the company sells and services a wide range of leading automotive brands, including Cadillac, Toyota, Land Rover, Rolls-Royce, Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar.

According to a news release, Dimmitt Chevrolet, which employs 128 people, was awarded the brand’s Dealer of the Year Award in 2015. In 2016, both Automotive News and the Tampa Bay Times named it a Top 100 Place to Work.

“I’m so proud of all we have accomplished over the years at Dimmitt Chevrolet,” Dimmitt states in the release. “I’m proud of our team, both past and present, and I’m grateful to work with some of the best people in the automotive industry. We have built an extremely special company and our growth demonstrates that treating people right results in extraordinary business outcomes.” 

Dimmitt, the release states, is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and serves on the board of directors of Bok Tower Gardens and the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust.

(An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Lawrence Dimmitt IV, the son of Lawrence Dimmitt III, is an owner and operator of Dimmitt Chevrolet; however, he died on Aug. 24, 2017.)