Salt Lake City: Livability in the 21st Century

Not only are the Strong dealerships an
important part of Utah’s history from a
business and economic standpoint and as
an early provider of personal vehicles,
but they have received numerous regional
and national awards. A few examples:
Time magazine named Dave Strong with their highly
prestigious “Quality Dealer for Utah Award” in 1997 for
“outstanding performance as an automobile dealer and a
valued citizen in the community” in recognition of the
Porsche, Audi and Volkswagen dealerships. This honor is
part of a permanent display in the National Automobile
Hall of Fame in Dearborn, Michigan. In addition, Audi, Inc.,
ranked Strong Audi Number 1 among all U.S. Audi
dealerships in customer loyalty. Finally, during Volkswagen
of America’s fiftieth anniversary in 2005, Strong VW was
one of only thirteen dealerships in the country still owned
and operated by the original founding family.
From its humble beginnings, the Strong dealerships
have grown from ten employees to over
170 as each location continues to thrive due to
outstanding leadership and the teamwork of every
single person in their various departments, including
sales, service, parts, administration, and yes,
car washers, too. Other members of the family,
including the fourth generation of Strongs, work at
the dealerships and at their newest venture, Porsche
Design, a retail store which opened in 2012 at the
City Creek Center and features everything from
fashion to eyewear to luggage and more.
Involved in the larger community, the Strong
family of dealerships is continually interested and
active in community development and a huge supporter
of the University of Utah sports programs, the
Utah JAZZ, the Real, and Bees as well as Ballet West,
Big Brothers Big Sisters and more. They also sponsor various
5Ks and other events in support of an impressive number
of nonprofit organizations and youth sporting groups.
Today, Strong Automotive Group, headed by Brad and
Blake, is thriving and consistently among the top dealerships
in the nation in sales volume and customer loyalty, despite
being a small family-owned business rather than a multistate
or national corporation. From its humble beginnings
during the Great Depression through today, Strong has
remained one of Salt Lake City’s most dependable employers
and an example of what a family owned and operated business
really means.
T H E M A R K E T P L A C E
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