MONEY

Q&A with John Hinderer Honda owner John Hinderer

Maria DeVito
Reporter

HEATH - John Hinderer grew up in Marysville, but he’s made a home out of Licking County.

He has been the owner of John Hinderer Honda since he purchased the Honda and Volkswagen dealership in 1991. He said the support from Licking County residents has been a major part of the dealership’s success.

“We have made a lot of friends over the years that we’ve been in business here and this community has been really wonderful to us,” he said. “I didn’t grow up here ... and yet we’ve enjoyed a lot of growth and seen a lot of positive things happen in the community.”

Because the community has treated him well, Hinderer said he wants to treat his customers well. The dealership was the first in the county to be open late and on Sundays to meet the needs of people.

Hinderer wasn’t always a car salesman. After graduating from Ohio State University, where he majored in marketing, he worked in banking and was an account executive for WBNS-TV in Columbus.

He had a desire to own his own business, which was what lead him to purchase the dealership.

But as a kid, music was his passion. He played piano, string bass and sousaphone and was part of band during his college years.

The dealership has grown since Hinderer purchased it. At the time it had about 18 employees. Now it employs 130 people. The growth is too much for the current dealership, which was built 15 years ago, to handle.

“We’ve run out of places to have people sit,” he said.

A nearly year long remodeling project is starting in August to expand the showroom and add a second floor.

Hinderer said he’s very proud the dealership gives back to the Licking County area. The company donates to the American Red Cross, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Licking County United Way, Ohio Cancer Research Associates and many more causes.

Seriously ...

Q.What do you enjoy most about your job?

A. “I like the engagement with the customers mostly. ... They need a place to go just like you go to Wal-Mart because you know you can find just about anything. Well when ... people think of cars we want them to think about whatever they need, tires, collision repair, you know, service and obviously replacement and things like that, but we want to be that dealership.”

Q.What are you most proud of about this company?

A. “We have really, really good people and we’ve seen people be successful here and leave here and be successful elsewhere too. We really feel that’s valuable for us as a company to be able to do that.”

Q.What has been the biggest challenge in leading this company?

A. “I think managing the ups and downs of the economy. When I first started the airbase closed … but look how that’s turned out. Boeing has created another business there. This industrial park back here has developed … There’s a lot of positive things in this community and it’s enjoyed good growth while other communities haven’t had that.”

Q.What would you like people to know about this company they may not know?

A. “We’re most proud of the fact that we give a lot back to the community. ... We support a lot of community efforts and I think that’s part of our stewardship is that we are responsible for that since our livelihoods come from the community that we feel that need to return things to the community too.”

Q.What long-term goals do you have?

A. “I think the long-term is right now is … to get through this expansion. Honda has a wonderful growth plan, that’s why we’re doing our part with our facilities.”

On the lighter side ...

Q.What is your favorite movie?

A. The “Star Wars” franchise and historical movies

Q.Who is your favorite actor or actress?

A. Denzel Washington and Julia Roberts

Q.What is your favorite TV show of all time?

A. “MASH”

Q.Who is your favorite musician or entertainer?

A. The band Train

Q.What is your favorite book?

A. “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” series by Stieg Larsson

Q.What is your favorite sport or activity to participate in?

A. Golf, hunting and anything else outdoors

Q.What is your favorite sport to watch?

A. College football, especially Ohio State University

Q.What is your favorite pro basketball team?

A. Cleveland Cavaliers

Q.Who is the person you most admire in your life?

A. His father

Q.Who is the celebrity you most admire?

A. Ronald Reagan and Muhammad Ali

Q.What is your favorite vacation destination?

A. Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Q.What was your favorite class in high school?

A. Music

Q.What was your least favorite class in high school?

A. Chemistry

mdevito@gannett.com

740-328-8513

Twitter: @MariaDeVito13