Family Values, Business Sense

A life choice sometimes keeps nudging, and no matter how much the pull is ignored, eventually it’s leading the way. Dwight Everett, like many boys, dreamed of becoming a professional sports star one day. He would fantasize away as he rooted for the Cleveland Indians, Arkansas Razorbacks, Dallas Cowboys, and of course, the Benton Panthers. After marrying the love of his life, Susie, in 1977, reality set in and he began working in the real estate sector. He would stop by to have coffee with his friend and leader in the auto industry, Steve Landers, who frequently asked him to join the business.

“I repeatedly told him, ‘No, thank you,’” Dwight recalls. “But after five months in the real estate business, being married and having bills that needed paying, I went to work for Landers in 1978. I fell in love with the car business.” Now, the Everetts – along with their sons-in-law Chad Hendrix and Brandon Hudspeth – own the No. 1 GM dealer in the world. In addition to the record-breaking Bryant dealership, the Everetts own Chevrolet, Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram, and Buick GMC dealerships in Northwest Arkansas. They most recently acquired the Infiniti of Little Rock dealership.

Dwight never regrets accepting his business calling. The first car he sold was a Chevrolet Nova – not exactly his dream car, but at least in the same family as a Chevrolet Camaro. “At first, I just loved having that paycheck on Friday, but it soon became about much more than that,” he says. “Everything we touched worked, and I realized how much I love interacting with people.”

Growing up in Benton, Dwight admired the family-owned car dealerships and their community involvement. As time went on and he watched and personally experienced dealerships being bought by outside entities, Dwight says he longed for that family-owned business model. “That’s how our slogan came about,” he adds. “We wanted to bring back family-owned to Benton and be very involved as a family in the community. I learned that way of business from John, Bob, and Steve Landers – we were very tied to the community when we first started growing.”

Dwight bought the Bryant dealership in 2006 from the Penski Group. When he retired from Landers in October 2005, he was vice president overseeing 11 dealerships. “I had never done it for myself, and I thought, ‘I don’t want to be 75 years old sitting in a rocker wondering if I could have done it on my own,’” he says. “When I first started in the car business, I had some great teachers who taught me the business, and now, my sons-in-law and family inspire me and motivate me every day to keep excelling.”

Dwight is a “true business leader,” his wife and business partner says. “He knows how to deal with the employees and customers. He stays even-tempered and is able to communicate clearly. His integrity is what I admire the most. This characteristic is always present as I have watched him run our businesses.”

Susie is the face of the family-owned business, often appearing on billboards, TV commercials and other media with her dog and grandchildren. “Family-owned means there are people in the business who have a vested interest,” she says. “Not only for the business to succeed but also to have the best reputation a business could possibly have. It means the owners truly care and want to take care of our customers. Our name is being represented. We value what we stand for and stand behind what we do and say.”

Dwight adds, “It’s not what you get but what you give.” He recalls when the family first opened for business, “we went to area superintendents, athletic directors and organizations and asked ‘what can we do for you?’ We want to support you and be a good partner with you.” A quick look on their business Facebook page and it’s immediately clear how much they give back to the community.

The Everetts employ about 500 people statewide. “Everyone is important and has a role to play,” Dwight says. Susie’s brother, Joe Brumley, and Dwight’s nephew, D. Everett, also work for the family enterprise. Susie’s mother, Louise Brumley, was the first “lounge lady,” Dwight says, offering cookies, coffee and making sure everyone in the customer lounge is comfortable. She’s busy with personal obligations now but occasionally makes it back to share her warm hospitality.

Owning a business is “more fun and less stressful” than working for someone, Dwight says. His typical morning starts at 6 a.m. followed by coffee and personal reading time on the back porch. First order of business is a morning phone call with his managers. “It keeps us all accountable,” he notes. “One thing we have that sets us apart from other businesses is the accountability we have with each other. Every day has a new certain level of excitement. Getting to come to work with your family every day is a good experience.”

With tremendous success and growth, Dwight narrows it down to one idea. In all his years of business, the one thing Dwight recommends is to “seize the moment when opportunities are placed in front of you.”