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STAMFORD, Conn. Curtis Riley is a self-described gearhead. With six dirt bikes and four wheelers, two cars and a boat, it would be hard to deny that. "I love anything with a motor," he said.
That's understandable. His family has owned a car dealership in Stamford for more than a half-century, and Riley has worked there since he was a teenager, as a mechanic's assistant and mechanic. When the group opened a Mazda dealership four years ago, he moved inside and became a sales consultant, eventually moving up to sales manager. But Riley hasn't left his gearhead roots behind: When a customer has a question about what's under the hood of a potential purchase, Riley knows the answer from firsthand experience.
Even more important is his connection with the community and its residents. "They say Stamford is the biggest small town around," Riley said. "I was born and raised here, so it seems like many of our customers are people I know, either directly or indirectly. They might be parents of someone I went to school with. There's always some kind of connection. That gives them a level of trust and comfort when they're buying a car."
With that communication channel established, Riley can get down to talking about his favorite part of the business the gears and belts and hoses that hide beneath the shiny metal exterior. "I'm a fully involved car guy," he said. "That's why I love the business as much as I do."
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