Rod Ricciardi - A Successful Career

Rod Ricciardi is an automotive industry professional who has worked at dealerships all across the country. He has developed an impressive and consistent track record to leading dealerships to record sales levels, profits, and market share.

"I am particularly strong in quickly assessing talent, systems and procedures to drive dramatic improvements in sales and customer service," Rod Ricciardi says. During the course of his career he has held General Manager positions at Chrysler, Mitsubishi and Ford dealerships, where he has successfully turned around under-performing operations.

Among his numerous achievements at automotive dealerships, he has taken a last-place dealership in the Los Angeles area and turned it into the area's #1 Chrysler Dodge Jeep and RAM store. He took a failing Dodge store and improved its average unit sales by a whopping four hundred percent. "I also built a dealership from the ground up and, within thirty days, earned the Top Sales position in the Birmingham [Alabama] district and held it for two years."

All of this success drew Rod Ricciardi a lot of attention within the industry, and in 2013 he was courted by California Superstores Van Nuys to become the Director of Operations at Van Nuys Chrysler Dodge Jeep & RAM, and Fiat of Van Nuys, a position he accepted and remains in.

With all of his success, Rod Ricciardi has learned that it is important to give back to the community that has provided him with so much. He established the nonprofit Find A Dream organization to provide mentoring and guidance to young people at risk, and give them a healthy place to build self-esteem and scholastic levels with after-school study areas, computer labs, and martial arts and boxing programs.

Rod Ricciardi - The Find A Dream Program

Rod Ricciardi is a proven leader who has turned around the sales performance of automotive dealerships all across the country. He is skilled at Sales Training and Development, Product and Sales Presentations, Portfolio and Account Management, and Marketing and sales, among many other core competencies.

With all of the success he has had in life, Rod Ricciardi has learned the importance of giving back to the community. He is the Managing Director of Find a Dream, a non-profit he established to provide mentoring, guidance, resources, and a safe and supportive environment for young people. He partners with professionals from many walks of life to serve as role models for the young people involved in the program, and does whatever he can to produce a positive change.

"Our students will achieve a solid foundation in the pursuit of their dreams," Rod Ricciardi says. "Our program has already demonstrated that hands-on and personable coaching will enable our students to become future mentors and leaders in the community."

Through the efforts of Rod Ricciardi and his Find A Dream colleagues, he has been able to provide a way to build self-esteem and scholastic levels in the young people in the program. He and the Find A Dream program provide after-school study areas, computer labs, music and martial arts programs, techniques that build self-discipline, and much more.

"Find A Dream reaches out to community children and provides them a healthy channel to find and work towards fulfilling a dream," Rod Ricciardi says. "It provides a popular, structured program to children of all ages and adults at no charge."

Rod Ricciardi: Deep and Rich Knowledge

Rod Ricciardi has many years of experience in the automotive industry. He has managed or owned auto dealerships from coast to coast. He was the General Sales Manager at Pistilli Ford in Paramus, New Jersey from 1996 to 2000, and is currently the Director of Operations at the Van Nuys Chrysler Dodge Jeep & RAM, and Fiat of Van Nuys dealerships in Van Nuys, California.

In between he has been the General Manager of Rockville Mitsubishi in Rockville, Maryland, the General Manager of the Greater Birmingham Chrysler Dodge Jeep Corporation in Birmingham, Alabama, and the General Manager of the Bessemer Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Corporation in Bessemer, Alabama. Rod Ricciardi has also been the General Manager and owner of the Ricciardi Nissan Olds Hyundai dealership in Milwaukie, Oregon, among many other positions.

Throughout, Rod Ricciardi has developed a deep and rich knowledge of the automotive industry. His strategic business sense and uncompromising work ethic have enabled him to build a record of sales success in every dealership he has been associated with. His natural ability at rapport-building have helped him to create consistent profits and have won him the loyalty of his customers, employees, and suppliers.

Rod Ricciardi has demonstrated an ability to build and train outstanding sales teams that consistently deliver the goods, earning recognition for among the best in production and customer satisfaction. He has always led by example, allowing his personal characteristics of integrity and honesty to help him keep top employees and maintain an industry-low turnover rate.

How Rod RicciardiAnd Matinee Idol Cyzy Crossed Paths

Rod Ricciardi is a top automobile dealership manager who has made his mark turning around dealerships all across the country. He is also the Managing Director of Find a Dream. Founded in 2010 by Rod Ricciardi, Find A Dream aims to help keep kids heading on a good path and off the street. They do this by teaming up with trainers, teachers, and mentors to give kids the tools they need to succeed. Some of the notable board members that are a part of Find a Dream include, Sifu John Bruce Daniels, Don Steele and Bobby “Matinee Idol” Czyz.

Rod Ricciardi understood that with Sifu John Bruce Daniels on, he was bringing a highly qualified martial arts trainer onto the Board of Directors.  Sifu John Bruce Daniels is a 7th dan Black Belt in ArnisDemano as well as a certified JeetKune Do instructor. Having trained with the legendary Sifu Dan Insanato, John Bruce Daniels is a certified expert in martial arts.  He has also trained and learned from the great Roberto Presas who is the founder of HinigaranArnis de Mano and a trainer of numerous police forces in the Philippines.

Another one of the all-star board members that Rod Ricciardi brought on is Bobby “Matinee Idol” Czyz. Bobby “Matinee Idol” Czyz is a retired professional boxer who really made his mark in the 1980’s by putting together an impressive streak of victories. In 1986 he won the World Light Heavy Weight Title by beating the formerly unbeaten Yugoslavian Olympic Gold Medalist, Slobodan Kacar.

Rod Ricciardi Teams Up With Buddy

Rod Ricciardi has made a great career as a successful manager of numerous car dealerships. As he continues that career, he also pushes his Find a Dream Program. One of the main all stars that Rod Ricciardi has teamed up with to make Find a Dream a reality is James Walter “Buddy” Mcgirt.

Buddy Mcgirt is a great choice for the board of directors of Find a Dream. As a former world champion and current trainer, Buddy Mcgirt understands what it takes to make young boxers successful. Buddy Mcgirt became a professional at the age of 18, although at the time everyone said he was too small. Buddy Mcgirt would not let the naysayers get in his way. He instead became a pro by the age of 18, effectively shutting down all the negativity from his peers that he had to carry throughout his adolescence.

In 1988, Buddy Mcgirt won a world championship by defeating Frankie Warren, who, at that point, had never lost a fight. After winning the IPF Light Welterweight title, Buddy Mcgirt continued to box and win. By 1991, he beat Simon Brown to take two more titles, this time in the welterweight division. Going through and beating some of the greatest boxers of that time, Buddy Mcgirt held onto his title until 1993. Buddy Mcgirt tore his shoulder while training and it became virtually useless for his next two championship fights. He still managed to win the first one, but then in 1993 he lost to future hall of famer Pernell Whitaker.

Rod Ricciardi Hosts an All-Star Cast

Rod Ricciardi is the Managing Director of Find a Dream. He has helped create an incredible board of directors full of renown athletes that have pushed Find a Dream’s mission of helping young people have a safe and supportive environment where they can pursue their dreams.

Ray Mercer is one of these pivotal board members involved with Find a Dream. Mercer won the Olympic Gold Medal for Heavyweight Boxing in the 1988 Seoul Olympics after compiling 64 wins and only six losses. A former member of the United States Army, Mercer held the United States Amateur Championship at Heavyweight.

Another one of the incredible board members that Rod Ricciardi has assembled is Michael Moorer. Michael Moorer won the World Heavy Weight Championship three times, and also won the light heavyweight championship once. Michael Moorer has boxed against some of the greatest boxers of all time including Evander Holyfield, Francis Botha, David Tua, George Foreman and Axel Shulz. In 1943, Michael Moorer won a 12-round majority decision when he boxed against Evander Holyfield. Michael Moorer thus became the first southpaw boxer to win the World Heavyweight Championship.

Rod Ricciardi understands that having these types of incredible people there to help is what makes Find a Dream a success. Children are often in awe of the celebrities that come to play with them, and young aspiring boxers are quick to ask for professional advice. This star-studded board of directors is one of the great draws for young people to get involved with Find a Dream.

Rod Ricciardi and Find a Dream

Rod Ricciardi is one of the top auto sales experts and managers in the country and has been brought in by many companies to help turn around their struggling dealerships. He spends what little free time he has working with Find A Dream. Find a Dream is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization that works to help bring positive change for the next generation.

Find a Dream has partnered with professionals from a variety of areas to help bring positive change in young lives by providing mentorship and constructive character-building activities. Find a Dream is focused on redirecting and shaping the lives of young people from any socio-economic background. They recognize that every young person has the right to learn, grow and thrive.

Rod Ricciardi and Find a Dream have teamed up with top athletes and public figures such as “Merciless” Ray Mercer, James Walker “Buddy” Mcgirt, Jeff Youngman, Bobby Czyz, Michael Moorer, Don Steele, and Sifu John Bruce Daniels.  This incredible group of professionals has joined Rod Ricciardi in working to make Find a Dream a success.

In addition to the all-star Board of Directors, Rod Ricciardi has gathered some very impressive sponsorships such as Crowne Plaza of Beverly Hills, Anderson Brothers Bank, the Automotive Development Group, House of Blues, Jagermeister, and more.

Find a Dream has been a great influence on many young people and looks to help more. You can find more information online at findadream.org. The organization is always looking for more people to become involved and would love to hear from you.