Billionaire philanthropist Jim Moran remembered as 'genius of marketing and innovation'

By Marcia Heroux Pounds
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted April 25 2007


James Moran, 88, an innovative marketer who drove U.S. customers to Japanese cars, died on Tuesday.

Mr. Moran, a billionaire who was a major philanthropist in South Florida, founded automotive distributor JM Family Enterprises of Deerfield Beach, a company that has routinely ranked as one of America's "100 Best Companies to Work For" by Fortune magazine

"He was at first and last a salesman," said long-time friend Arnold Grevior of Fort Lauderdale. "Giving people service, that was the secret to his success."

Mr. Moran built an automobile empire that today ranks as the 18th largest privately held company by Forbes magazine with annual revenues of more than $11 billion. JM Family's Southeast Toyota is the world's largest independent distributor of Toyotas.

Along the way, Mr. Moran collected awards that included the Horatio Alger in 1996, for his triumph over adversity, and in 2005, was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame. But Mr. Moran was most proud of his family, "associates" as he called his employees, and of his work and support of children in the community.

Business and community leaders lauded Mr. Moran on Tuesday for his big heart.

"No leader in our industry or community has ever been more accomplished, respected or beloved than Jim Moran," said JM Family CEO Colin Brown in a statement from the company.

In Tallahassee, state Rep. Jack Seiler, D-Wilton Manors, led the 120-member chamber in a moment of silence to honor Mr. Moran. "This individual was one of the most generous, and one of the most philanthropic persons," Seiler said. "He spent his whole life giving back to others."

Noted entrepreneur H. Wayne Huizenga said he knew Jim Moran since his early days as "The Courtesy Man" in Chicago -- the first to advertise new and used cars on television. "That tagline fits so well and epitomized the Jim Moran I knew, respected and will always remember," said Huizenga, founder of Fort Lauderdale-based AutoNation Inc., the nation's largest auto retailer.

"Jim was not only a gifted entrepreneur, but more importantly a wonderful person who cared deeply about his employees, customers and community. He will truly be missed but his legacy will surely live on," Huizenga said.

Mike Jackson, AutoNation's CEO, added that Moran was an inspiration for the industry. "Until a few weeks ago, he loved to walk the stores and meet his employees. He had a charisma and charm that couldn't be denied."

Al Hendrickson Sr., owner of a Coconut Creek Toyota dealership, noted Tuesday's news that Toyota had surpassed General Motors in sales to become the No. 1 automaker. "That would have never happened without Jim Moran," he said. "In Japan, they called him the engine that ran the train."

Mr. Moran fought for Toyota to upgrade radios and air-conditioning in its cars to better compete with American automakers. Hendrickson said it was Mr. Moran who suggested that Toyota launch Lexus. "He was a genius of marketing and innovation."

Even in his 80s, Moran went to the office every day. He often swam in the company pool. But he left the operations of JM Family to his daughter Pat Moran and today, to CEO Colin Brown and other top executives. Pat Moran recently retired as chairwoman of JM Family.

Mr. Moran notes in his own book that while his life had high and low points, perhaps his best accomplishment came out of a low point. He was referring to the Youth Automotive Training Center, a Deerfield Beach center for at-risk youth that he started in 1984 as part of a court-ordered community-service sentence after pleading guilty to evading income taxes. Long after that sentence expired, Mr. Moran continued to support the center, which has more than 400 graduates.

"He was more than just a name. He was really involved," said Terry Routley, executive director of the Youth Automotive Training Center. "We're going to miss his vision and his direction."

Community Foundation of Broward CEO Linda Carter notes that it's difficult to find a charitable organization in South Florida that was not touched by Jim Moran. "He sat through 6 million chicken dinners," Carter said. "Here they had the resources to do other things and they embraced our community and we're better for that."

Mr. Moran was the 1996 winner of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Excalibur Award, recognizing his business success and charitable contributions. In 2002, Northeast 12th Avenue, outside his Deerfield Beach corporate headquarters, was renamed after Mr. Moran.

At JM Family, Mr. Moran called his employees "associates" because he considered them part of his family. He disliked the word "employee." The company also became known for the benefits and perks it offered employees, including on-site heath care, fitness centers, day care center, and a hair and nail salon. Mr. Moran preferred his associates use corporate aircraft to conduct JM Family business so that they could be back in time for dinner with their families.

Before his success with Japanese cars, Mr. Moran had built a successful business selling Fords and other American cars.

He borrowed $360 to purchase his first Sinclair gas station in Chicago in 1939. After serving in World War II, Mr. Moran purchased his first used car lot. That developed into Courtesy Motors and Courtesy Ford, which became the world's largest Ford dealership.

By the time Mr. Moran had turned 30, dealership sales topped several million dollars. With a knack for showmanship, his commercials made him a celebrity throughout the Chicago area where he was recognized as TV's "Jim Moran the Courtesy Man."

Mr. Moran came to Florida to "retire." At age 46, he had been diagnosed with cancer and was told he had six months to a year to live. He fought a difficult battle with the disease, but returned to his passion of selling cars. In 1968, he opened Jim Moran's Pontiac City in Homestead. He then was awarded the franchise for the Pontiac dealership in Hollywood, which became JM Pontiac.

But the business transaction that changed his career was in 1968, when Toyota Motor Sales contacted him with the possibility of distributing Toyotas. Mr. Moran was awarded the franchise to distribute Toyotas during his first visit to Japan in October of that year.

In 1969, Southeast Toyota had just 42 dealers in the five-state region. By the next year, Southeast Toyota was selling 20,000 Toyotas a year. In 2003, Southeast Toyota marked its 35th anniversary, selling its 5 millionth Toyota.

James Martin Moran was born on Aug. 8, 1918, in the Near North Side of Chicago to parents James and Anna. His only sibling to survive beyond infancy was his older sister, Genevieve. His parents and sister preceded him in death.

Mr. Moran is survived by his wife, Jan; daughter and son-in-law, Arline and John McNally; daughter, Pat Moran; son and daughter-in-law, Jim Moran Jr. and Wanda; seven grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. A private ceremony will be held as well as two public "Celebration of Life Gatherings" -- one at JM Family's Corporate Headquarters in Deerfield Beach, and one at Southeast Toyota's Westlake Vehicle Processing facility in Jacksonville.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The Jim Moran Foundation, 100 Jim Moran Boulevard, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442 or to the Youth Automotive Training Center, 399 SW Third Ave., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441.