I am married to my wife Julia of seventeen years and have three children, Hugh (14), William (12) and Eliza (9) and we live in Locust Valley. I grew up in Oyster Bay and graduated from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Penn., where I earned a B.S. in finance and received my M.B.A. from Columbia University in New York, New York, in 2004.
Additionally, I studied automotive management at the NADA Academy to prepare to oversee my family’s auto group. I serve on the Board of Directors for the Glen Cove Boys and Girls Club and I am a member of the Vestry of St. John’s Church in Cold Spring Harbor. I serve on many professional boards including the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association and the Cadillac National Dealer Council.
I own and operate the Weidinger Auto Group consisting of North Bay Cadillac Buick GMC in Great Neck, Jaguar Land Rover Freeport in Freeport, and other automotive operations on Long Island.
My grandfather started the business in 1938 and I took over from my father in 2008 after starting with him in 1996. As a third-generation dealer, the keys to running a successful business and continuing our family tradition have been ingrained in me.
Our team prides itself on being honest, respectful, and attentive to the needs of everyone who comes through our dealerships and we treat everyone the way we want to be treated. We actively give back to our communities through various charitable organizations such as The INN in Hempstead and the Glen Cove Boys and Girls Club.
My team and I work toward the long-term success of our brands and our employees by continually evolving the way we operate our business and by investing in innovations in technology, consumer preferences and tastes, and employee retention strategies. W
ith the move toward new automotive propulsion technologies such as electric, hydrogen and synthetic fuels, the retail car industry has never been more exciting.
My largest challenge being both an entrepreneur and the head of a company with 180 employees is finding the balance between taking risks to grow the business in the face of changing conditions while keeping the long-term success and stability of the company in mind.
I would encourage other owners to constantly evaluate their decisions in terms of both short- and long-term success, which is not easy.
