On the latest episode of Diversity in Automotive, Bridget Fitzpatrick sits down with Mitch Mitchell, Executive Director of the Chrysler Minority Dealers Association (CMDA), who reflects on his 30-year journey in the automotive industry and the CMDA’s ongoing mission to elevate minority dealership ownership. As the organization nears its 40th anniversary [in 2026], Mitchell shares the CMDA’s multi-pronged approach to advocacy, development, and mentorship—while sounding the alarm over threats to diversity initiatives and dealership access.
According to Mitchell, his journey to the CMDA began with a background in finance, first as a CPA in Detroit and later in roles at Ford and Chrysler. His pivot into dealer development came when Chrysler needed someone with both financial and operational insight to manage its dealership investment portfolio. That role then introduced him to minority dealer initiatives and laid the groundwork for his current leadership position at CMDA, where he’s served for over seven years.
Mitchell outlined the three core pillars of CMDA’s mission:
- Advocacy: Ensuring ethnic minorities have access to dealership franchise opportunities.
- Support: Helping current members improve and sustain their dealerships.
- Development: Building the next generation of minority dealers through outreach to experienced personnel and university students.
As the auto industry rapidly evolves, minority dealers face compounded challenges. While they share common pressures with all dealers—such as adapting to EVs and navigating legislative changes—Mitchell emphasized that minority-owned businesses face unique obstacles, particularly access to capital. OEM-sponsored dealer development programs have historically played a crucial role, but Mitchell noted that “they’re not as robust as they used to be.” Traditional lenders and floor plan providers are pulling back their support for smaller dealers, many of whom are minority-owned.
However, industry consolidation poses another hurdle. As large dealership groups acquire smaller stores, they increasingly edge out minority dealers, many of whom operate single locations, in competitive markets.
In addition, recent political shifts have raised concern, with the rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives casting uncertainty over programs that have supported minority dealers for decades. Mitchell stressed that the benefits of dealer diversity aren’t about charity—they’re about performance. “If you look at the statistics across the OEMs, you’ll find that minority dealers perform just as well, if not better, than the overall dealer body,” he said. Moreover, the CMDA is working to maintain ongoing conversations with Stellantis and other OEMs to ensure that diversity programs remain a priority.
Mitchell also shared inspiring success stories, such as Jared Carver, a Virginia-based dealer who entered the business through CMDA’s support and now owns two Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram stores. Another standout is Damien Mills, who began with CMDA’s help and has since grown to more than 20 dealership points across the country.
Looking ahead, Mitchell hopes minority dealers will become even more embedded in the retail automotive landscape. He envisions a future where diversity isn’t a point of differentiation—it’s simply part of doing good business.
“A lot of people don’t understand that DEI efforts, they work to lower barriers, but not necessarily to lower standards… When you look at doing business with minority dealers, we really want you to focus on the fact that it’s not charitable business—it’s good business.” – Mitch Mitchell
