One of North America’s largest auto dealership brokerage firms is expanding into Canada, entering what it calls an “unprecedented time for stores changing hands.”
The Tim Lamb Group will open offices in Edmonton and Toronto while 20-year Canadian auto dealership veteran Gordie Gerbrandt assumes the role of director of Canadian operations.
“It has been on our mind for quite some time to provide our services in Canada but struggled to find the right person to handle it,” said company president Tim Lamb. “We have found the perfect guy to add to our team.
“Gordie is a former dealer operator in Canada that just sold his stores in the Fall of 2018. He not only thoroughly understands the retail car business but just went through the entire process of selling his own stores.”
Gerbrandt was mostly recently dealer, operator, and president at Summit Auto Group. He is also the former owner of branded Volkswagen and Kia franchises.
Gerbrandt will split his time between Toronto and Edmonton.
“My dealership history and Canadian network fits nicely with the strategic focus that has made Tim Lamb Group a leader in North America,” Gerbrandt said in a statement.
The Canadian expansion gives the Tim Lamb Group offices in 12 North American cities.
Lamb said he expects the sales pace of Canadian stores to quicken.
“Like the U.S., we feel that we are entering an unprecedented time for stores changing hands. As much activity as there has been over the past few years, we expect it to accelerate over the next few years,” he said. “We are seeing dealers in Canada that want further growth in Canada and several dealers in Canada also pursuing stores in the U.S.”
The Tim Lamb Group has “orchestrated billions of dollars in transactions for multiple dealer operators in the United States and has been the leading U.S. auto dealership brokerage firm for over a decade,” according to a company statement.
