Rita Case is the President, CEO, and owner of the award-winning Rick Case Automotive Group, the largest female-owned and operated automotive dealer group in America. With 12 dealerships in Florida and Georgia, her group represents many top brands. Her Honda and VW stores rank #1 in America for operational excellence, earning factory awards for their outstanding performance.
Rita Case | President, CEO, & Owner | Rick Case Automotive Group
Rita was honored as the 2024 TIME Dealer of the Year, a prestigious recognition from among 16,000 dealerships nationwide. This accolade marks a proud milestone in her automotive career. As a 2022 Horatio Alger Award recipient, she shares her passion for the auto industry with a diverse group of national business leaders. At EliteX, we are proud to have Rita Case as part of Elite League of Business Leaders, 2024.
Rita’s journey in the automotive industry began at a young age. Her father opened a Honda motorcycle store when the brand first came to the U.S. in 1959, becoming the first Honda car dealer in the country in 1968. Rita started working in her parents’ dealership at the age of 10, learning every position with the goal of becoming a dealer herself. After graduating from college, she took over the leadership of the store from her parents in 1977. Eager to expand her knowledge, she contacted the National Automobile Dealers Association to start a Honda 20 Group for U.S. dealers. It was through this initiative that she met Rick Case, an Ohio Honda dealer, and together they built the Rick Case Auto Group over their 40-year marriage.
“Over the past 44 years, our efforts have continued to be life-changing for those in the community who need a hand up.”
Throughout her career, Rita has celebrated numerous successes. From pioneering new auto brands in the U.S. to consistently holding national sales records, her dealerships are recognized as top performers year after year. Achieving high volume sales along with awards for customer satisfaction and operational excellence is a testament to her leadership. Rita and Rick Case have received many industry, business, and charity accolades, with perpetual awards named in their honor for the American Heart Association and Boys and Girls Clubs.
Rita and Rick have developed innovative strategies over the years that have driven the Rick Case Automotive Group’s continued success. In 1996, they proposed a 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty for Hyundai’s 10th anniversary, along with a $100 down payment and 10-minute approval campaign. Although initially met with resistance, they convinced local South Florida dealers to support the idea, leading to a dramatic increase in sales. When Hyundai adopted the warranty nationwide in 1998, it became a turning point for the brand. They also introduced the “double the factory warranty” benefit for every car sold and a five-day money-back guarantee. Additionally, the Rick Case Rewards Card allows customers to accumulate points for service discounts and vehicle purchases, while offering gas discounts and free car washes. Rita’s latest strategy, the “sign and go” guarantee, ensures customers can complete their car purchase in 90 minutes or less, or the first payment is on the dealership. Her innovative approach and dedication to excellence have solidified her as a leader in the automotive industry, inspiring many and leaving a lasting legacy.
“To be a successful entrepreneur requires the highest level of work ethic, innovation, and commitment to develop and execute ideas that solve problems in record-setting ways.”
Rita, along with Rick, have always placed a strong emphasis on building and maintaining a robust company culture. In 2011, they co-authored a book titled “Our Customers, Our Friends: What 50 Years in Business Has Taught Rita and Rick Case About Sales Success and Community Service.” This book highlights their philosophy of providing excellent customer service as the cornerstone of their business. They believe in treating every customer as they would their best friend, always considering things from the customer’s perspective.
Rita emphasizes the importance of dedication, hard work, and a passion for sales. She believes that to be a successful entrepreneur, one must have a high level of work ethic, innovation, and commitment. This means developing and executing ideas that solve problems in record-setting ways. The company culture at Rick Case Automotive Group is built on treating associates as family, customers as friends, and the community as home. This approach attracts individuals who want a career with Rick Case Automotive Group. Their commitment to associates includes showing a clear career path through training, respect, and appreciation, all built on a foundation of business integrity, exceptional benefits, and qualified leadership. This operational focus has led to tremendous longevity within the company, with many associates choosing to build long-term careers there.
Rita Case is also deeply involved in community service. Over the past 44 years, her efforts have been life-changing for many in the community. Together with Rick, she has created, developed, and led fundraising initiatives that have raised more than $125 million for organizations in South Florida. Some of the nonprofits and initiatives they support include the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County, the American Heart Association, Habitat for Humanity of Broward, college and vocational scholarships for deserving students, and the Community Foundation of Broward, among others.
In 1982, Rita and Rick launched Rick Case Bikes for Kids, a program that has distributed more than 100,000 gently used bicycles to children in need during the holidays. Rita also founded 4EveryKid in Broward County in collaboration with Soles4Souls. This initiative, in partnership with the Broward County Public Schools Homeless Education Assistance Resource Team, provides new brand-name athletic shoes to students facing housing instability.
In 2015, Rita partnered with Habitat for Humanity of Broward to establish the ‘A Rick Case Habitat Community.’ When completed, this community of 76 homes will be the largest affordable homeownership community in Broward County’s history. This project reflects her ongoing commitment to making a positive impact on her community and providing opportunities for those in need.
“Providing excellent customer service is our foundation. We have built and maintained a culture of treating every customer just as we would our best friend.”