In the charming and historic town of De Queen, Arkansas, right off Collin Raye Drive, you will find De Queen Auto Group. It has been at this location since 1985, and the owners, Jay Dooley and his wife, Mary Ellen, have been a constant in their community since day one.
As business owners, the couple have had a huge impact on the community — the cars they sell keep things moving, the people they employ help support families and keep the local economy strong, and their compassion for others has blessed many.
As dealers, they are strong supporters of AADA and have served in various ways. Jay served as the 2024 AADA Chairman, and as his term has come to an end, we want to thank him for his service and leadership. We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Jay and learn more about his work, his hopes for the association and the benefits of membership.
The following are excerpts from our conversation.
How did you get into the industry?
My wife, Mary Ellen, and I were neighbors growing up. We dated all through high school and then attended Louisiana Tech together. It was during this time that we were married. Mary Ellen’s father started buying dealerships in the 80s. I started working for him, which was great because I always loved cars. An opportunity opened in De Queen, and he bought the Ford Mercury dealership there in 1985. My wife and I moved there to run the dealership. He has since passed away, and now we’re the dealers.
The year after we opened for business in De Queen, we were blessed with our first child, Lindsey. We had to learn how to run a business and be parents at the same time. It was not easy, and by the grace of God, we made it. As the years went by, we learned a lot. We were blessed with two sons, Jonathan and Grant, and our business continued to grow. In 1993, we purchased the Chrysler-Dodge-Plymouth-Jeep-Eagle franchises.
Why did you join AADA, and what is the benefit?
In 2009, my friend Gary Futrell was the AADA president. One day, he said, “Hey, I want you to join AADA.” I realized that everybody should serve in some capacity, and I thought, “OK, this is my opportunity to give back.” So, I joined AADA and was astonished at the benefits and help that was available.
One time, I sold a car on Credit Acceptance. The first payment was never made, and I was getting calls from Credit Acceptance asking for the money for the car. I knew I’d never see the car again, let alone get any money for it, especially since the customer had moved to Las Vegas with the car.
For some crazy reason, I thought about AADA and Greg Kirkpatrick, so I called him. Greg immediately said, “Let me call the director of the Nevada Dealers Association.” From that call, Greg connected me with a business in Nevada called The Car Lady.
The owner was an old car person who had been around dealerships all her life. She told me, “I can fix this. I’m going to tag that car for you.” Ultimately, the car was tagged, a lien was placed, and I got out of it. That situation would have never been resolved without AADA’s help.
There are a lot of stories like this — dealers helping fellow dealers and AADA using their knowledge and connections to help members. Being an AADA member has so many benefits, and it’s just amazing what resources we have with the association.
What is your favorite quote?
My favorite quote hangs on the wall in my office. It is by Warren Buffett: “An idiot with a plan can beat a genius without a plan.” Having a plan is half the battle. Showing up and doing the work is the other half. I have tried to do both since the day I started working here, and it has paid off. We have been very blessed.
What is your favorite book?
My favorite book is the Bible, and my goal is to spread its message. As car dealers, we interact with a lot of people and touch so many lives. I have tried to make selling cars my mission field. It started out years ago. We put a small New Testament in every car we sold, and it was called the “Owner’s Manual for Life.” The company we got the scriptures from went out of business. Then, on a visit to my daughter in California, I came across a book in the airport, “Keep Calm and Trust God.” It is a small book that contains scriptures full of hope, encouragement, inspirational quotes and more. I loved the book, and that is what we place in the cars we sell now.
When you’re not working, what do you like to do?
My son and I have 50 head of cattle. My son takes care of them on a daily basis, but I enjoy helping out when I’m not at work. The way I got them is amusing. About 20 years ago, one of our regular customers, Clay Godfrey, stopped by the dealership for a visit. I said to Clay, “I think I would like some cows.” A few weeks later, he called me and said, “I have the cows you want.” I replied, “OK, good. When can I see them?” To my surprise, Clay was 10 minutes away with a load of them. The cows arrived at the dealership, and I called a friend and asked if I could borrow a pasture. The rest is history.
I enjoy hunting as well. We have deer leases with the local timber company, so we hunt on their property.
Do you have any advice for the incoming chair?
Keep focusing on bringing the dealer members together. The association is only as strong as its membership. Rely on those around you to help, including Greg, the board and even past chairs. They have many years of experience and are ready to help.
We always have issues, whether it be factory or legislative. Our network of dealers throughout the state is our most effective resource when dealing with these issues. I am proud that every new car dealer in Arkansas is a member of AADA. I want to thank Greg and the staff at AADA for the great job they do.
