Talk about baptism of fire. In spring 2008, when Preston Q=Petersen became general manager of Team Automotive Group, the national recession was gathering steam. “There were significant concerns about the future of our lenders and their lending practices,” he says. Within the year, the group—which comprises Team Honda, Team Toyota, Team Honda South and Team Collision— also encountered fallout from the “Toyota pedal recall.” A shortage of parts and a surfeit of misinformation were among his team’s daily challenges, Petersen recalls. Six years later, he prizes the achievement of weathering that uncertain period. “Our organization came though it all much stronger, more focused, and more capable in the end,” he says. The TCU grad brought a special range of experience to his role as GM. His father had created Team, purchasing Baton Rouge Honda in 1988 and Levis Toyota in 1993, and Petersen had worked in every one of its departments. Perhaps as important, he was trained in wilderness leadership and had spent two years as a trip director and instructor after college. “I think about the basic principles of outdoor travel and awareness in almost all my daily challenges,” he says.
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Shreveport
My dad purchased Baton Rouge Honda in December 1988 and Levis Toyota in 1993, and at that time changed the name to Team. My grandfather was a car dealer when I was growing up, and my dad was a professional racecar driver, so I’ve always been in a car-crazy family. Today my family owns the Team Automotive Group 100%.
I am the GM of the entire group: Team Honda, Team Toyota, Team Honda South and Team Collision.
I am officially in my seventh year as GM and dealer operator, and it has been an extremely rewarding ride. To see our management team grow and develop such quality employees who truly care about taking care of our customers and doing business the right way has been the most rewarding.
I was a business management major. Living in Texas was great, but I missed the good times and great people of Louisiana. I think I attended more LSU games than TCU games in college and ended up meeting my wife in New Orleans. I remember Texas as a progressive pro-business state with a lot of pride. Today, Louisiana seems to have the same growth vibe I remember in the DFW area.
I participated in a semester-long NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) course in the Yukon and Northwest Territories my junior year. I loved being in the mountains with friends but wanted to learn the appropriate skill set to travel in the backcountry for extended periods safely. The leadership skills acquired and experiences I had were life changing. I think about the basic principles of outdoor travel and awareness in almost all my daily challenges.
My time as a Moondance instructor was extremely rewarding. I led groups of teenagers around the backcountry of Colorado throughout the summer and did the trip development and route planning in the winter for the upcoming season. Being responsible for taking someone else’s child into the wilderness for the first time in his or her life for weeks on end can be a little nerve racking. I learned that preparation, keeping a level head and having a good plan B were critical to having a successful trip.
I spent some time working in Texas with a large Toyota dealer before starting with Team. I have spent time working within every department during my years with Team Automotive.
I officially moved into the role of general manager and dealer operator of Team Automotive Group in the spring of 2008, just a few months before the recession really got rolling. Within a year the seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) had been cut in half, and there were significant concerns about the future of our lenders and their lending practices.
About this same time, 90% of Toyota’s new cars were put under a stop sale because of the pedal recall and lack of parts available to make necessary repairs. There was a lot of misinformation going around during the Toyota pedal recall. We extended our shop hours and staffed up to minimize wait times as best we could.
Navigating this uncertain period was a bit overwhelming at times, but our organization came though it all much stronger, more focused, and more capable in the end.
My core monthly and annual objectives revolve around long-term market share growth, customer satisfaction, employee development, retention and increasing profitability. We couldn’t achieve the levels of experienced success without the leadership team we have in place. Everyone sees the big picture and truly believes in the future of the organization.
“Sleep on it.”
Growing our business during the uncertain, recessionary period. We did not have one layoff or expense reduction that involved our pay plans.
Today, the number of recalls issued by original equipment manufacturers, or OEMs, has exploded, and it’s hard for customers to identify what recalls may be more critical than others. Sometimes they are as simple as a computer update on your car, similar to an update to your home PC.
I try to exercise 4-5 days a week before work. I love to ride my bike before any traffic develops or go for a paddleboard on the LSU lakes as the sun is coming up.
I really don’t unwind; it’s kind of a joke among my family. I have always been passionate about the outdoors and try to stay active in whatever hunting or fishing season might be happening. Right now chasing marlin across the Gulf is my favorite weekend escape. The only time I can truly unwind is on my annual heli-ski trip to British Columbia with some of my best friends every January.
Heli-ski guide
Mountain biking and snow skiing have always been my go-to sports. I spent several years living in Colorado in the summers while I was in college and moved to Crested Butte for two years after graduation. Most every day started with a mountain bike ride in the summer and skiing all winter season.
Team Honda has won the President’s Award 11/14 years and has received a perfect score the last four years. The awards are based on a number of factors, with heavy emphasis on customer reviews and expressed satisfaction. Team Honda has now received the elite ranking of Honda Masters Circle, being a top CSI national recognized dealership. Our management team and employees truly care about our customers and have built genuine relationships that are reflected in the feedback we get from our customer base.
If you search the Google reviews of the three Toyota dealers in the Baton Rouge market, Team Toyota has the highest score at 4.8 out of 5 stars with 168 active reviews. We are extremely proud of the unique VIP buying and servicing experiences our customers enjoy in the store.
I met with coach Jerry Stovall six years ago and told him we had a desire to become more involved in supporting youth sports in Baton Rouge. He introduced us to the Baton Rouge Soccer Association, and we have been a title sponsor ever since. Seeing so many kids enjoying the soccer complex with the Team Toyota and Team Honda jerseys competing against one another is great!
The director of the Sportsplex, Brock Kantrow, was my high school basketball coach and a longtime friend. He knew of our partnership with BREC and the Baton Rouge soccer association and asked if we were interested in supporting a similar program but with basketball and volleyball. One of our core philanthropic beliefs revolves around youth sports and activities; the Team Sportsplex was a perfect fit for us.
Success can be defined in so many ways. I think it all comes down to feeling a sense of accomplishment and finding happiness within your life.
Bill Murray, Condoleezza Rice and Will Ferrell
Fletch, Caddyshack and The Big Lebowski
Unbroken
Uber
DiGiulio Brothers
Baton Rouge has been blessed with many great leaders who truly believe in the future of the city. I feel Adam Knapp, president and CEO of BRAC, and the Baton Rouge Area Foundation have done an excellent job of exposing Baton Rouge on an international level but have also kept in mind what the citizens are looking for in a great Southern city.
The effort to clean up the LSU lakes for good.
My full last name is Qvistgaard=Petersen handed down from my great-grandfather Aage of Denmark. This obviously takes up a lot of space when signing your name, goes against everything you are taught in second grade with a V following a Q, and makes things pretty confusing at the doctor’s office. Over time my family migrated to Q=Petersen to shorten and simplify whenever possible.
Staying actively engaged in life and finding the appropriate balance with family, work, friends and the outdoors.
