Haig Partners LLC, a leading buy-sell advisory firm to auto, heavy truck and RV dealers in the US, served as the exclusive sell-side advisor on the sale of Galeana Kia of Fort Myers and Galeana Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-RAM-FIAT of Fort Myers to Bill Nero Automotive Group. The team at Haig Partners has advised on the purchase or sale of 97 dealerships in Florida, far more than any other buy-sell advisory firm. In July, Haig Partners also advised on the sale of Galeana Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-RAM of Mount Pleasant, SC to Jack Salzman and Conrad Letson. Salzman previously owned CDJR of Lake Norman and CDJR of Gastonia. Letson was previously a partner in several dealerships with Greenway Auto Group.

Galeana Auto Group was formed over 40 years ago by Frank Galeana when he bought Van Dyke Dodge in the Detroit area. It expanded to include seven dealerships across FL, MI and SC. Frank Galeana was also one of the first Saturn dealers. Galeana Auto Group was named as the fifth largest Hispanic-owned business by revenue in 1988 by Hispanic Business Magazine. “Mr. G,” as his teammates called him, started as an accountant before becoming an entrepreneur. He passed away in 2010. Several family members have worked in Galeana Auto Group over the years, including his sons Frank H. Galeana, President and Carl Galeana, Vice President, his daughter Roseann McBain, Vice President, and his son-in-law Rusty McBain. The Galeana family is retaining ownership of Van Dyke Dodge RAM in Warren, MI.

“We selected Haig Partners because of the firm’s reputation as the leading sell-side M&A advisor in Florida and the Southeast. Last year, we sold another dealership that we owned without an M&A advisor, and I can confidently say Haig Partners made a significant difference in achieving a better outcome. There is a lot of work in selling dealerships, and we thought it was important to have a seasoned team on our side of the table. Alan Haig and Derek Garber orchestrated two sales processes that attracted attention from many leading buyers, and gave us expert advice along the way,” said Rusty McBain of Galeana Auto Group. “They earned our team’s respect for their knowledge, professionalism and results. They did maximize the value of our dealerships in these transactions.”

Alan Haig, President at Haig Partners, shared, “It was a pleasure representing Galeana Auto Group. The dealerships brought strong interest. Florida remains “on fire” in terms of demand for dealerships from groups looking to expand, and the Carolinas are also highly desirable. These areas enjoy high population growth and business-friendly environments, allowing dealerships to generate outsized profits. We congratulate Bill Nero, whom we have known for many years. He has had great success in his stores in Orlando, and we expect he will enjoy more success in Fort Myers.

We are also happy for Jack Salzman and Conrad Letson of MP Automotive on the purchase of CDJR of Mount Pleasant. We had the good fortune of representing Jack and Robin Salzman in the sale of their two CDJR dealerships in the Charlotte, NC area two years ago when we set a record high value for a CDJR dealership. We wish them the same results in Mount Pleasant.

These sales underscore our belief that deep relationships with a wide variety of buyers are critical to finding the most motivated buyer for a particular dealership, and that sometimes the best way to maximize value for our clients is to sell a group to multiple parties. These sales are part of a broader series of transactions that will continue into the fourth quarter of this year, and we look forward to bringing additional opportunities to market as dealership values remain about twice as high as they were worth prior to the COVID pandemic.”

The Galeana Kia and CDJR dealerships in Fort Myers are being acquired by the Bill Nero Auto Group, headquartered in Orlando, Florida. Mr. Nero has more than forty years of hands-on experience in automobile retail. Over the course of his career, he has earned a reputation as a highly respected, well-capitalized dealer with a record of operational excellence. His leadership is defined by strong, long-standing manufacturer relationships, a deep commitment to his employees and customers and a consistent track record of investing in the communities his dealerships serve. Mr. Nero believes this transition will elevate the Fort Myers stores to new levels of success while honoring and building upon their proud legacy.

Jack Salzman, CEO of MP Automotive Group, shared, “I thought my days as a franchised dealer were behind me, and then this opportunity came up. CJDR in Mount Pleasant feels a lot like CDJR in Lake Norman 20 years ago, so Robin and I are excited to rejoin the auto retail business. We have kept in touch with Alan and Derek over the years since they sold our dealerships, and when they brought the opportunity to us, it just made sense.”

Also advising the Galeana Auto Group were John Youngblood of Dawda, who provided legal counsel, and Brian Luallen of Rehmann, who provided tax and accounting services. Frank Killgore provided legal services to both MP Automotive and Bill Nero Automotive Group. Jordan Argiz of BDO advised on tax and accounting matters for Bill Nero Automotive Group. Jim Godfrey of TSS provided tax and accounting services to MP Automotive.

With this transaction, the team at Haig Partners has advised on the sale of 38 dealerships so far in 2025.

About Haig Partners

Haig Partners is a leading buy-sell advisory firm that helps owners of higher-value auto, heavy truck and RV dealerships maximize the value of their businesses when they are ready to sell. The team at Haig Partners has advised on the purchase or sale of over 530 dealerships with a total value of over $10.7 billion. It has represented 30 dealership groups that qualify for the Top 150 Dealership Groups list published by Automotive News, more than any other firm. Clients of Haig Partners benefit from the group's collective experience as previous executives with leading companies such as Ally Financial, AutoNation, Bank of America, Credit Suisse, Deloitte, FORVIS, J.P. Morgan, the Sewell Automotive Companies and Toyota Financial Services. Leveraging its unmatched expertise and extensive relationships, Haig Partners guides clients to successful outcomes through a confidential and customized sales process. The firm authors The Haig Report®, the longest-published quarterly report that tracks trends in auto retail and their impact on dealership values, and co-authors NADA’s Guide, “Buying and Selling a Dealership.” Haig Partners team members are frequent speakers at industry conferences and are regularly quoted in reputable media outlets, including Reuters, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, CNBC, BBC, Automotive News, Wards, CarDealershipGuy and CBT News. For more information, visit https://www.haigpartners.com.

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