Leadership

Larry Morgan is the Chairman of Morgan Family Ventures, a high growth group of companies spanning multiple industries.

From humble beginnings on a farm in Northeast Missouri, Mr. Morgan worked his way to and through the University of Missouri where he graduated with a BS in Business Administration. After graduating, he served, was honorably discharged from the US Army, and accepted a position with The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company where he flourished until 1972. For the next 18 years Mr. Morgan built a small 7 store tire dealership into a 137 store chain. In 1990 he developed his own tire company, Tires Plus. Within a 10 year period, Mr. Morgan built his business to 603 locations in multiple states. He was inducted as a Member of the Tire Industry Association’s Hall of Fame in 2008. He also served as President of The Tire Industry Association.

In 2000 Mr. Morgan sold his Tires Plus business and began dabbling in the automotive industry with a 50% interest in a dual Honda/Volkswagen dealership. Embracing this industry, Mr. Morgan began building his automotive empire with the purchase of Toyota of Tampa Bay in 2005. To date he has amassed 20 franchised dealerships under the Morgan Auto Group umbrella located from Lake City to Sarasota selling Honda, BMW, Ford, Lincoln, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Toyota, Lamborghini, Mini, Buick, GMC, Chevrolet, Cadillac, KIA, Volkswagen, and Mercedes Benz car lines. In September 2015, a KIA store was added in Columbia, Missouri. Recent acquisitions include Sun Toyota in New Port Richey, FL in February 2016, the Rountree Moore dealerships in June 2016 which include five locations in Lake City, FL, Mercedes Benz of Gainesville in December 2016 and Naples Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram and Mazda in February of 2017. Highly recognized in the automotive industry, Mr. Morgan was named Florida’s 2009 TIME Dealer of the Year by the Florida Automobile Dealers Association. His stores have been separately honored as well for their individual positive performance.

Morgan Family Ventures also owns Morgan Construction Mgmt Services, a building contractor; Beth Ingram & Associates, Inc. and Integrity Therapy Solutions which are large therapy providers; Compark 75, a warehouse and office Commerce Park; Creative Sign Designs, Inc.; and HR Hernando, LLLP, real estate holding entity. Mr. Morgan serves as a member of the Board of Directors of USAmeriBank and is a Board Member of SunTrust Bank of Tampa Bay. He has been honored by the Tampa Bay CEO Magazine as CEO of the Year and 100 Most Influential Business Leaders. In 2004 he was inducted into the Tampa Business Hall of Fame, in 2012 received the Golden Flame of Philanthropy Award and in 2014 won the prestigious Entrepreneur of the Year award.

Mr. Morgan takes an active part in our community and is past Chairman of the Board of Directors of BayCare Health Systems, Inc. and The Florida Automobile Dealers Association. He is the Past Chairman of the Board for Morton Plant Mease Health Care where he also contributed 5 million dollars to build the new Morgan Heart Hospital. He is a Member of the Board of Directors of the Florida Council on Economic Education, past Chairman of The Valspar Championship, the annual PGA golf tournament played at Innisbrook each year for the benefit of area charities and is a member of the Pasco Economic Development Commission.

Mr. Morgan’s hobbies include golf, travel and philanthropic activities. He has two children, Brett and Lauren and lives in Clearwater Beach.

Brett Morgan has been involved in the automotive industry from his youth when he worked summers as a staff member of Tires Plus.

After receiving a BS in Business Administration at the University of Richmond in 2001 Brett was able to try out a passion working in radio for Clear Channel’s Richmond cluster. As the Executive Producer of “Richmond’s Morning News” at Newsradio 1140 WRVA, Brett became experienced in all facets of broadcast journalism and was able to report and produce segments during the 9/11 disaster and the Beltway Sniper. Under his helm the show won the Virginia Association of Broadcasters “Morning Show of the Year.”

In 2004 he began working in the family’s newly acquired dealerships and after two years in sales at Kuhn Honda/Volkswagen in Tampa transitioned to Toyota of Tampa Bay. At Toyota of Tampa Bay Brett flourished at every level of retail management. During his tenure in Tampa Brett was acknowledged by the Tampa Bay Business Journal as “30 under 30” to watch in the area. In 2009 he took his first General Management position over the group’s struggling Wade Raulerson Buick GMC store (now Gainesville Buick GMC) in Gainesville, FL with great results.  Comparing the store’s previous 15 months to Brett’s first 15 months, net profit experienced a $1.4 million swing into profitability.  In 2010 expenses were cut 6% and gross increased 112% on fewer vehicle sales during the recession. The dealership also received GMC’s Mark of Excellence Award for CSI/Sales for the first time in seven years.  Brett currently serves as CEO for Morgan Auto Group residing over their 40 plus dealership franchises in Florida.

Brett went to high school in the Tampa Bay area where he graduated in 1997 from Berkeley Preparatory School. Brett received varsity letters in baseball and football all the while holding the seat of Class Officer three of his four years. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing from the University of Richmond in Richmond, VA and also completed the yearlong NADA Dealer Academy program in 2009.

In 2013 Brett founded an internal Social Media division inside of MAG known as “whitehat three60” and received Automotive News “40 under 40” designation at the age of 33. In 2015 Brett served as the President of the Tampa Bay Area New Auto Dealers Association and was also active in the Pinellas County Chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters. Brett is also a part of the Copperheads, the charitable driver of the PGA’s Valspar Championship held at Innisbrook Country Club each year. In 2016 Brett became a board member of the Gasparilla Music Festival, a local non-profit music event held annually at Tampa’s Curtis Hixon waterfront park. Brett resides with his wife Ashlee and daughter Tegan in St. Petersburg, FL. In his free time Brett enjoys playing his guitar and hanging out with his two dogs. He is avid supporter of the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Tampa Bay Rays. In 2013 Morgan founded “Top Off The Trop” an event that drives awareness to the Tampa Bay Rays attendance challenge through a discounted group ticket offer. He is also a fan of London based soccer club Fulham FC owned by Jacksonville based entrepreneur Shahid Kahn (also with automotive industry ties).

Kelly Ross began her career in the auto industry in 1985 as the nighttime receptionist of a Maryland dealership. Within months, she was training sales departments nationally with a nationally recognized automotive consulting corporation. Then in 1988, she became an Accounting Supervisor for Carlisle Lincoln Mercury in Clearwater, FL. She earned her first controller position in 1992 at Langdale Ford in Valdosta, Georgia. Her controller skills took her to AutoNation for four years until she was recruited by Morgan Auto Group in 2005 with their first purchase of Toyota of Tampa Bay. Kelly became Chief Financial Officer for Morgan Auto Group in 2009 when the company had six dealerships. Since then she has been an integral part of its growth to 41 dealerships in Florida, a car wash, and is the managing partner of Morgan Insurance Services.

Kelly is an active member of many industry and community organizations. She is a current member of the Florida Automotive Dealer Association, and the National Automotive Dealer Association as well as a past member of the South East Toyota Controllers Association. She volunteers for the Children’s Cancer Center, the Helping Hands Fund, she is the founder and president of Charity Polo Classic and the founding board member and treasurer for KNOW CARES. All together giving back over 3 Million dollars in her philanthropy efforts

Not only is Kelly one of the few females in a traditionally male dominated industry, she is able to maintain the necessary balance between professionalism and kindness that makes her an invaluable, well liked, and respected member of the team.

When she is not at work (which is rare!) Kelly spends her time as a arm chair coach for Florida State and the Washington Redskins, Kelly loves to travel and above all, she enjoys her work and treasures opportunities to encourage her colleagues to be their best!

After serving in the United States Air Force, Tom Moore immediately began a career in the retail
automotive industry. After 40+ years, Tom has held nearly every position within a dealership from a
Sales Consultant to Dealer Principal, as well as various corporate positions such as Director of Variable
Operations with a large private group, which later went public.
Tom currently serves as Chief Operating Officer for the Morgan Auto Group. He has been with them
since 2009, helping the company grow to 59 dealerships, and over $8 billion in total sales, and with no
signs of slowing down. Morgan Auto Group is listed in the top ten dealerships, as recognized by
Automotive News, and ranked as the number one private dealer in Florida. They represent over 30
manufacturers.
Tom’s success can be contributed to his in-depth knowledge of the industry and his unique ability to
adapt to the ever-changing industry that continues to reinvent itself as more advanced technology is
created. Tom currently resides in Ocala, Florida, the “Horse Capital of the World.”

Joerg started his career working at a gas station while attending Lincoln Technical Institute for Automotive and Diesel Technology. Upon graduation Joe’s dealership career began and 38 years later it continues as the Vice President of Fixed operations for the Morgan Auto Group to include Service, Parts and Collision center businesses.

Joe has worked in all service department positions and prides himself on training and coaching his team mates to be equally successful in their careers. Joe spends much of his time visiting with students in Automotive technical training facilities promoting their career paths and opportunities.

Joe enjoys his personal time with his dogs. He is a classic car enthusiast and enjoys fishing, golfing and the outdoors.

Bennett is the General Counsel and Executive Vice President of Legal for the Morgan Auto Group. He is responsible for all legal matters and regulatory compliance inside of the organization. Prior to joining Morgan Auto Group, he practiced with Hill Ward Henderson in Tampa and focused primarily on automotive law. As outside counsel, he represented dealerships throughout Florida and the country—including the Morgan Auto Group. He is actively involved in the National Association of Dealer Counsel and the Florida Automobile Dealers Association.

Mr. Santos received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Florida in 2006. Following his undergraduate studies, Mr. Santos earned his Juris Doctor degree from Emory University Law School in 2009, where he served as an editor for the Emory Bankruptcy Developments Journal, and was the recipient of the Keith J. Shapiro Award for Best Bankruptcy Comment.

In addition to his practice, Mr. Santos served as an appointed member of The Florida Bar’s Young Lawyer’s Division Board of Governors and has been recognized by Florida Super Lawyers as a Rising Star consecutively from 2013-2017. Travis spent over 10 years at Hill Ward Henderson where he was elected as a shareholder in 2018.

Kim Derryberry’s interest in business piqued while independently running the cash register at her family’s successful restaurant at only seven years old. Her automotive interest developed when her dad taught her how to work on car engines and she excelled at tuning dual carbs. She even holds a degree in Psychology. Kim began her career as a bookkeeper at a small mortgage company, from there she went on to hold various positions such as accountant, manager at a collision repair shop, executive assistant, as well as wearing multiple hats at numerous non-profits. These professional and personal experiences have prepared her to join Morgan Auto Group’s team as Larry Morgan’s executive assistant.

Born and raised in Southern California, she and her husband relocated to Virginia in 2010 and then found their way to wonderful Florida in 2016. While in Florida they sampled living in Naples, the Keys, and the Orlando area. They settled on the Tampa area and she joined the MAG team. Kim is a classic car enthusiast, passionate about her family, and enjoys outdoor activities in her spare time

Tanner Boyle is the Chief Information Officer for the Morgan Auto Group. Tanner is a graduate of the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL with a degree in accounting. Fresh out of college Tanner began his automotive career working for the Lockhart Automotive Group in Indianapolis, Indiana. In 2010 Tanner had an opportunity to return to the state of Florida and began working with the Morgan Auto Group as a Senior Accountant. Tanner is an essential teammate who does a great deal of custom benchmarking and reports for the Group. He takes the lead in general financial analysis and dealership budgeting.

In his spare time Tanner is an avid Gator fan and has a burgeoning career as a regional musician. Tanner has played many venues in the Tampa Bay area both solo or with his band “Statler and the Waldorfs.” Tanner has recently relocated to St. Petersburg, FL with his wife Traci and their various furry children.

Wendi Linton began her career 30 years ago in automotive car sales and finance with Hoffman Enterprises in Farmington, CT. After 5 years in the sales department, Wendi decided to try the accounting side of the business. She immediately knew she had found her niche. Wendi relocated to Tampa, FL in the summer of 1996 when she was recruited as a Controller by AutoNation, Inc. Over the next 19 years, Wendi managed the accounting operations for Autoway Used Vehicle Mega Store, Autoway Nissan of Brandon then ultimately Lexus of Tampa Bay and Lexus of Clearwater. Wendi joined the Morgan Auto Group as Vice President of Accounting in October 2016 and is proud to be an integral part of our growth today. In her spare time, Wendi enjoys RVing with husband Rick and the family’s two Labradors to the Carolina mountains (and beyond) where one of their daughters and her family live in Carolina Beach, NC.

Justin’s automotive career started in 2000 on the sales floor of a Ford Lincoln Mercury store in his hometown of Meadville, PA. During his 22-year career, he has spent 15+ years of that time in the retail space serving in every position from EM down to sales. Justin spent almost 5 years working directly for Easycare as a dealership performance manager & regional trainer. After completion of the NADA Academy in 2018, Justin has served in several executive roles focused on driving financial services at a group/enterprise level.

Timothy Desmond is the Vice President of Human Resources for Morgan Auto Group. As a member of the Executive team, Timothy leads the HR function including compensation and benefits, talent acquisition, inclusion and diversity, corporate culture, community outreach and Federal and State compliance across the Groups more than 19 dealerships in two states. He has 15+ years of experience in Human Resources, with over 10 of those years in the automotive industry.

During his career, Timothy has led Human Resources and Dealership Compliance Programs for several notable automotive groups including Lehman Dealership Enterprises, World Ford, Rick Case and Potamkin Mazda. Prior to that, he managed staffing and recruiting for financial organizations including CoreStates Bank, Citibank, First USA Bank and ING Direct where he was brought in specifically to implement and run the bank’s new US Human Resources function, a critical part of their strategy to establish their presence in the US.

Timothy is a graduate of Florida Southern College with a BA in Communications and Advertising. He is very active in community outreach and corporate citizenship and has created and launched numerous programs including Community in Schools Student Mentoring Program that received recognition from Miami Dade County Schools and the National Community Schools Program.

Jason Hillman was born in Tampa, Florida, He went to work for TECO Ocean Shipping for 13 years before starting his career in the Automotive Business with Morgan Auto Group. Jason’s success can be contributed to his in-depth knowledge of the industry and his uncanny ability to adapt to the ever changing industry that continues to re-innovate itself as more advanced technology is created. Jason currently serves as the Human Resources Director for the Morgan Auto Group.

Jenay Rhoads has 20 years of automotive dealership experience. Her social personality and love of the industry steered her focus to Human Resources. Jenay is PHR certified and graduated from the University of South Florida with a BA in Economics and International Studies, minoring in General Business Administration.  She grew up in the automotive industry at her father’s dealership in the Clearwater, Florida area and spent her career working with her father at his dealership before joining Morgan Auto Group in
2018.

Tampa Bay native Michelle Whidden has been bringing together satisfied customers and the businesses she represents through social media for more than a decade. Michelle was the first member of the digital media internship program at USF, which granted Communications graduates the opportunity to gain insight into the burgeoning world of digital marketing. After graduating with a degree in Mass Communications with a focus on Television Production, she became a center assistant with Simon Properties (then Taubman). She worked closely with the marketing department, creating digital marketing copy for one of the most profitable centers in South Florida before making the transition to working full-time in digital media. As Team Lead with Digital Mavericks, she oversaw a team of more than a dozen writers, created developmental plans with celebrity clients to direct their blog content, sourced viral content, and leveraged all of these resources for maximum impact and exposure. At Morgan, she oversees client satisfaction for over 50 dealerships, in addition to optimizing and maintaining their presence across multiple social media platforms.

Brianna Bean is the Community Affairs Manager for Morgan Auto Group. She enjoys spending time dedicated to her community. Brianna was a TBBJ Up and Comers Award recipient, featured in Tampa Magazine’s 40 Under 40, and engages as an active member of Know Women Tampa.
Brianna has a heart for philanthropy and community service. She is an active Board Member for Morgan Auto Group’s Charity Polo Classic and has served on many local committees here in Tampa Bay. She enjoys connecting with young women who strive to be successful in their own right and does so through speaking engagements, mentorships and building relationships. Brianna graduated from the University of South Florida in 2008 with a Communications degree and from the University of Florida in 2011 with a Master of Science in Entrepreneurship.

Amy Ferrera has been in the automotive industry for 25 years. In that time, she has held multiple roles. She spent 15 years in operations, with the last 10 years dedicated to talent acquisition, culture, retention, training and development. Amy is passionate about assisting and growing team members through internal growth opportunities. She is a born and raised Floridian, has been married for 26 years and has 3 adult children (twin daughters and a son).

Victor Young is currently the president and co-owner of Lamborghini Sarasota, BMW of Sarasota, Land Rover Ocala and Jaguar Ocala. He is also the founder and CEO of Human Technology Solutions, Media & Management Global and Victor Young Productions.

Mr. Young has spent over 23 years in the automotive industry after starting a career in radio and television in 1989. He moved up the corporate ladder within several nationwide public automotive groups including AutoNation, the largest
public auto group in America. Victor teamed with Lamborghini Automobili to develop dealer benchmarks for
U.S. Lamborghini dealers. He has been considered a turn-around specialist in the automobile industry and has resurrected profits, market share and client satisfaction within several Florida markets and automotive brands. Young’s vast insight of the automobile industry led to a great number of professional relationships with automobile manufacturing executives around the world. In 2006 he partnered with founder and former CEO of Tires Plus, Larry C. Morgan and they began to identify markets and brands that fit their expansion and acquisition model. In January 2008 they completed their first acquisition in Sarasota, Florida and the rest is history.

Young has also spent over a decade in the film and entertainment industry. He has directed, produced and written feature films and documentaries. Young produced the award winning film Paradise FL, Stratosphere Movie and Crazy Lake. All three films will be distributed via video on demand throughout the United States in 2016 and international distribution in 2017. Young developed a new innovative method to improve employee retention, develop leaders and allow employees to self-manage their success through technology. This development led to the creation of Human Technology Solutions and The Daily Life Coach. TDLC launched in 2015 with a blog and the podcast followed in 2016. Human Technology Solutions will introduce its first business application in 2017. HTS will launch five new technologies by 2025.

Community involvement has been a critical component in Victor’s life. He has volunteered with nonprofit organizations that provide entrepreneurial skills and financial assistance to economically challenged families as well as at-risk youth. As president and co-founder of Florida Youth, Inc., he created initiatives and secured funding for an amateur boxing program, a youth entrepreneurship program and a faith-based marine mentoring program that served hundreds of youth in the Tampa Bay area. Young has served on the board of directors for The Sarasota Economic Development Corporation, Tampa Bay Academy of Hope, Manatee Rural Health Care System and is currently a member of the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Advisory Board. He also served as a trustee for the Southeastern Guide Dogs Endowment Fund. Young served on the Board of Trustees for Pasco-Hernando State College and is currently on the advisory board for SCTI’s film program..

The Automotive Industry has always been a part of Matt’s life, like his Grandfather and Father before him. He got his start in their family-owned Independent Repair Facility at the age of 15. Through that experience, Matt learned valuable first-hand knowledge about the Fixed operations side of the business and most importantly, how to foster an environment to create a customer for life. Over the past 15 years, he’s had the opportunity to work within the Penske Automotive Group which allowed him to gain progressive responsibility and a strong understanding of dealership operations. Matt feels extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to blend his passions with his career. As a life-long learner, Matt always enjoys brining curiosity and enthusiasm to such a rapidly changing and exciting industry. He is honored and excited to be a part of the Morgan Automotive Group as Morgan represents the leading brands in the best markets in the country.

Shane Taylor has served as a Regional Director with Morgan Auto Group since July 2021. Shane spent over 20 years with Kody Auto Group where he worked his way from washing cars to a General Manager position in his childhood hometown in southern Maryland. Shane left Maryland in 2017 where he joined the Krause Auto Group helping manage multiple stores and became a partner with the group. Shane enjoys working with multiple stores and brands. He attributes his success to his constant education of the industry and related topics that keep him current and relevant when it comes to his business, most recently enrolling in Harvard Business School. Shane is a resident of Jupiter, FL and enjoys taking advantage of good golf in that area.