Don has spent over 25 years directly serving automobile dealers. Don traces his interest in leadership to his youth when he became an Eagle Scout. He joined George B. Jones & Co., P.C. as a staff accountant in 1976 upon graduation from The University of Memphis. George B. Jones was a CPA firm working exclusively with car dealers across the country. He became a partner in George B. Jones in 1985 and the managing partner in 1994. In 2002 George B. Jones merged with Dixon Hughes, PLLC (then Dixon Odom) and Don was the co-managing member of the Dealer Services Group. Don stayed actively involved in the accounting, audit, tax, and dealership management services Dixon Hughes provided its clients until his retirement in 2005. Until his retirement, he spent much of his time on dealership buy/sell transactions and interacting with various industry experts. After his retirement from Dixon Hughes, Don joined the DCH Auto Group as its CFO and Senior Vice-President until he resigned in 2007. In 2007 Don joined AutoStar as Senior Vice-President and served in that capacity until December 2008. He is now pleased to be associated with The Rawls Group offering succession planning and coaching to automobile dealers and their families and mangers.

He has been a consultant to Toyota Motor Sales, General Motors Corporation, Ford Motor Company and DaimlerChrysler Corporation regarding retail operations. Also, Don is a frequent speaker to various dealer and automobile manufacturing groups throughout the country. These groups have included various twenty groups along with the Texas Automobile Dealers Association, General Motors Minority Dealers Association and J.D. Power International Automotive Roundtable. Don has been published and quoted by several national automotive publications and the Wall Street Journal. He has also appeared in a satellite television series for automobile dealers. Don is constantly abreast of the trends in the automobile business including innovative tax ideas, buying and selling of dealerships, reinsurance companies, captive finance companies, buy-here pay-here operations, sub-prime financing and public stock trading of automobile dealerships. Don is also the author of a regular column in Ward's Dealer Business on dealership business practices and is sought out for advice by dealers and other industry people.

Don is a charter member of the Automotive Retail Expert Alliance which is composed of experts from the automotive OEM’s and the dealership space including the finance side, the vehicle sales side and the fixed operations (parts and service) side. Don currently serves on the Board of Directors of the International Succession Planning Association, Youth Leadership of Memphis, a non-profit benefiting the inner city youth of Memphis along with Blues City Thrift Stores, a non-profit providing financial support to selected Memphis charities. Don is also active in his church, Independent Presbyterian Church, a member of the Presbyterian Church in America. Don has been married to his wife Sharon for over eighteen years and has five children.

Don E. Ray, CPA, CSP
4710 Princeton Road
Memphis, TN 38117
(P) 901.907.0134
(M) 917.359.5128
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