Mike Anderson selected Herman R. Goodin Civic Dealer Of The Year

Jan. 19, 2013 - PRLog -- Michael C. "Mike" Anderson, Mike Anderson Auto Group based in Logansport, Indiana was recently selected as the Automobile Dealers Association of Indiana's 2012 Herman R. Goodin Civic Service Award winner.  

The Herman Goodin Civic Service Award was established in 1952 in memory of Mr. Herman R. Goodin, who was the first president of the Automobile Dealers Association of Indiana.  Mr. Goodin died while serving our county as a Colonel in the United States Army Transportation Corp during World War II.  His many business, civic and patriotic activities formed the model for annually choosing a dealer to be recognized for similar accomplishments.

The retail auto business has always been in the blood of the Anderson family, starting with Mike's father, Bob Anderson, who was the Pontiac dealer in Crown Point, Indiana.  Mike went out on his own in 1980 moving his family to Logansport and purchasing controlling interest in a Pontiac-GMC dealership.  Mike turned the dealership around and by the late 80's began thinking about how to repeat the event.  He found a small struggling Chevrolet dealership in Gas City to purchase and turned it around.  In the years that followed, Mike found his commitment to the smaller community-style dealerships rewarding and continued with acquisitions in Marion, Rochester, Ossian and another Logansport store.  It is quite impressive that a competitor, Jim Hayden of Cass County Ford in Logansport, nominated Mike for this honor.

Mike has always enjoyed the relationships that are established with the smaller community dealerships - the involvement in Chamber of Commerce events, 4-H fairs, kids sports, and the many fund raisers that drive smaller community charities.  It is important to Mike that each of his dealerships are Chamber of Commerce, Rotary and Kiwanis members.  Mike has been a member of the Cass County Kiwanis International, United Way, 4-H, Red Cross, and Salvation Army.  He is a founding member of the Little Turtle Waterway in Logansport and Youth leagues of all kinds.  Over the years, Mike has discreetly assisted many local charities, churches, foundations, scholarships, families and individuals in times of financial crisis.  Mike has been a member of the Automobile Dealers Association of Indiana since 1984 and is a member of the National Auto Dealers Association.

With the addition of his stores in Merrillville and Chicago, the group has begun to grow in a new direction.  A third generation Anderson, Michael J. Anderson, has been instrumental in bringing the smaller town mentality to the larger dealership atmosphere and has created very successful operations.  With his father as a mentor in these stores, the group has once again proven that commitment to community can be successful even in the larger markets.  Each of his dealerships sponsor events, is involved with local charity, and is a partner with the local community.

Mike has three children: sons Michael J. and Daniel C. Anderson; and daughter Kathryn L. Props.

Congratulations to Mr. Anderson for this, the most prestigious award given by the Automobile Dealers Association of Indiana, Inc.