Howie Ruddell

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT HOWIE RUDDELL

Howie is an experienced entrepreneur and executive and is the Owner of Ruddell Auto, a Chevrolet GMC dealership in Western Washington, Liberty Bay Auto, and U.S. Auto Importing, LLC. Although small and geographically remote, his businesses have successfully navigated and thrived in the competitive and complex digital retail landscape. Among the sixty General Motors dealerships in Washington, Ruddell Auto has achieved the highest rating by Google and is the only GM store in the state with a 4.8 rating. Howie began his career as a management consultant in Detroit. Eventually he became a senior analyst, and then a manager at automotive marketing icon, J.D. Power & Associates. Rather than accept a corporate promotion, he decided control his own destiny and operate his own business. Completing the Dealer Candidate Academy in 2001, and after less than two years of managing a GM dealership, at the age of 29, he became a dealer. Social responsibility and involvement are a core part of Howie’s business and personal ethos. During his time at Gonzaga, he was was active with the Big Brothers program. Today, he is active in his local and regional community; he served for six years on the Chief Seattle Council Board of Directors for the Boy Scouts of America; he has served on the Automotive Advisory Board for the Attorney General for the State of WA; he was a board member for the WA State Auto Dealers Association. His dealership is involved in and supports numerous youth and community activities. He is the President for Port Angeles Youth Basketball.An athlete for life, Howie is a former Division I athlete and was on the Men’s Rowing Team at Gonzaga University for 4 years. At age 39, he began swimming and quickly transitioned to cold, open water swimming. He has competed in numerous open water races, including the Tampa Bay Frogman Swim for the Navy SEAL Foundation. He enjoys the mental challenge and adversity presented, along with the discipline required. He is a 1995 graduate of Gonzaga University and is a 2001 graduate of the NADA Dealer Candidate Academy. He is experienced and skilled in Business Development, Marketing, Recruiting, Leadership, Coaching, Expense control, Negotiation, Budgeting, Team Motivation, Operations Management, Fixed Operations, and Financial Services, is a licensed insurance producer, and is a federally licensed DOT Registered Importer. Along with coaching, swimming, hiking, fishing, cooking and traveling, he enjoys spending time with his six children.