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.

Rod Ricciardi’s Relationship with the DRG

Rod Ricciardi knows that one person cannot do everything. He understands that when you are trying to resurrect an underperforming automobile dealership that a general manager needs as much help as he can get. So hiring the right people plays a key role in that process.  Rod Ricciardi has referenced the Dealer Resource Group many times to help attain quality personnel for the dealerships he ran.

The Dealer Resource Group is a group of automotive industry experts. The group mostly focuses on staffing. They are one of the leading companies to provide a sales force for the auto industry. Utilizing what they call their “21st Century Sales Training Program," they get jobs posted and conduct screening interviews for the dealerships. Then the dealership can decide who it wants to hire. After those people are hired, Dealer Resource Group trainers like John Fuhrman will conduct a three-day training seminar. After two days for interviewing and three days for training, dealerships have a very well trained sales force delivered to them in less than a week.

Rod Ricciardi also understands that to be a top car dealer you will need to maintain your online presence and have a strong social media program. The Dealer Resource Group can handle those two things as well. Their social media training program, called “Social Media Made Simple”, takes the power of social media and places it in the hands of the individual sales person. The eDirector service offered by The Dealer Resource Group does a full analysis of the dealership’s online presence while evaluating the impact of the site on customers.

Rod Ricciardi Rescues Dealerships

Rod Ricciardi is a well-known expert of automobile dealer rescues. He has revived dealerships all across the country and found ways to make them profitable. One of the most-recent dealerships he turned around was Addy’s Harbor Dodge Corp. in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It was a single-point dodge store, which can often be the most-difficult stores to save.  A “single-point dealership” means that it only carries one brand. In this case, it is a Chrysler Dealership, and although Chrysler owns Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Chrysler and other brands, this dealership only sold the Dodge brand.

That did not stop Rod Ricciardi from making another incredible turnaround.  A large part of that success was restructuring operations and dividing its staff of 85 people across the five main departments: New Cars, Used Cars, Service, Parts, and Finance.

At Addy’s Harbor Dodge Corp, Rod Ricciardi reversed an average $100k monthly loss and achieved profitability with a $200k bottom line profit.  Rod Ricciardi also improved the sales average and delivered 300% MSR up from 60% MSR. For the first time, the store led the South East district of six states. It ranked among the top 20, and as high as number five in overall progress.

Rod Ricciardi also knows that media buying can really help or hinder business. He was able to gain a significant reduction of 45% on media rates through intelligent media buying, earning an exceptional return on investment. His ability to analyze cost efficiency while driving sales is unparalleled.

Rod Ricciardi is a Respected General Auto Manager

Rod Ricciardi consistently reminds others why he is one of the best at running automobile dealerships.  In 2008, he was brought into  the struggling Bessemer Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Corp. in Bessemer, Alabama; a challenge he had taken on with confidence and diligence.

While at Bessemer Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Corp., Rod Ricciardi pursued the reconstruction of the dealership for over three years and overcame multiple challenges that included a disorganized management structure and lack of resources. He was able to turn around the dealership to achieve an unprecedented leading rank in the Birmingham district for retail sales volume. In 2008 and 2009 the dealership was ranked #1 in retail sales in the state of Alabama, and delivered an unprecedented 298% Market Share Retail.

Another challenge that Rod Ricciardi faced while at Bessemer Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Corp, was the inexperienced staff. He restructured the staff while also hiring and training top-quality managers and other personnel. While there he instituted a proactive culture supported by processes for driving sales, customer service, and satisfaction. He also taught the team to pursue solution-driven results while actively partnering with their clients and prospective clients. Rod Ricciardi established marketing and advertising plans while motivating the sales team to be proactive about bringing business through the door.

Overall Rod Ricciardi revamped all of the operations of the dealership and worked hard to create systems and processes that improved sales. His team became known for their ability to  deliver top closing rates and greatly increase the average gross profits of the dealership.

Rod Ricciardi in Automotive industry

Rod Ricciardi has spent twenty years in the automotive industry. Now he is determined to give back some of his contacts and knowledge by sharing it with young people.

During his career in the automotive industry, Rod Ricciardi has worked at dealerships for Ford Motors, Mitsubishi, and the Chrysler Corporation. He first demonstrated his skills as the General Sales Manager for Pete Ellis Auto Group in Anaheim, California, before moving on to his own Nissan, Olds, and Hyundai business in Oregon. In 1996 be became the General Sales Manager at Pistilli Ford in Paramus, New Jersey. Over a four years period he lifted monthly gross sales from $100,000 to $400,000, and boosted monthly car sales from eighty to 150 units. He also increased Pistilli Ford gross sales per unit by $2,700.

In 2000, Rod Ricciardi became the General Manager of Rockville Mitsubishi in Rockville, Maryland. He was recruited to the position by Herson’s Auto Group, and more than doubled the size of the dealership. Under his direction, Rockville Mitsubishi became the most profitable Mitsubishi dealership in the United States, ranking #1 in the northeast region, up from #51. Rod Ricciardi increased new car sales at Rockville Mitsubishi from 500 to 1,300 units per year, the top sales status in the entire country.

Rod Ricciardi is the founder of a nonprofit organization called Find A Dream in order to give back to the community. Find A Dream provides mentoring, guidance, resources, and a safe and supportive environment for young people. The organization partners with professionals to serve as role models, and is committed to delivering on its promise of positive change in young lives.

Rod Ricciardi: Bringing Experience and Skill to Management

Professional teams need professional guidance and leadership in order to succeed. As someone with multiple organizational, business and leadership skill, Rod Ricciardi has set himself apart in the automotive industry. With a background in results-oriented team leadership, Rod Ricciardi has become one of the most trusted faces in automotive dealership management.

Rod Ricciardi understands how to develop and implement training programs that give sales professionals the education they need to succeed. He has worked with countless automotive sales professionals to improve their approach to the sales process, ensuring they get the most from their strengths and improving their opportunities for sales successes. Rod Ricciardi also understands how to manage a budget; eliminating organizational waste and inefficiency while streamlining organizational processes and facilitating the professional-to-customer interaction.  

Rod Ricciardi is also skilled in organizational restructuring, and isn’t afraid to take any step necessary to improve both the profitability and effectiveness of his employer’s company.  He is an expert on competitor and market analysis; the need to both identify and analyze information that provides both him and his team with the best possible competitive edge. Rod Ricciardi not only knows how to build an effective business and sales strategy, but also how to execute that strategy with precision and expediency, creating almost immediate turn-arounds in both profit and performance.

With experience working for numerous professional organizations, Rod Ricciardi is no stranger to effective team management. His experience and expertise has served many dealerships well throughout his career, and has provided management teams across the country with a solid source of inspiration.

Rod Ricciardi and Find A Dream: Help the Youth Succeed

Find A Dream looks to instill a sense of self-worth into children who may not otherwise have a source of support or hope. As an invaluable community organization, Find A Dream, along with founder Rod Ricciardi, depend on the support of others to continue to make a difference.

With the support of financial contributions, local sponsorships and the generosity of local volunteers, Rod Ricciardi and the Find A Dream foundation are able to provide the programs and services young people need to become self-sustaining leaders of their local communities. Rod Ricciardi encourages both individuals and businesses alike to consider becoming a part of the Find A Dream difference, and to be a voice for both change and for good in young people’s lives.

Young people are often subject to the intense pressures of the streets, their peers and other influences that can carry them down a dangerous path of destruction. Through Rod Ricciardi and Find a Dream, these children are provided an outlet of hope; a place where they can escape the negativity of their lives and find the mentorship and influence they need become constructive and independent. Rod Ricciardi has developed an organization that does more than just talk about solving societal ills. Find a Dream fights to provide local youth with empowerment, offering a variety of character-building activities and programs that instill a sense of accomplishment and provide direction to children’s lives.

Rod Ricciardi and Find A Dream fight to keep the local community strong, which is only possible through the generosity of their contributors.

Rod Ricciardi: Community Leadership Begins With Young People

Community strength begins with the young. Instilling the values of community, charity and positivity into our younger generations, says Rod Ricciardi, ensures the development of strong and compassionate adults; people who genuinely care for and are invested in the health of the local community.

The Find A Dream foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by Rod Ricciardi, works to build strength of character in the young people of the local community. As a source of mentorship, character-building programs and healthy activities, the Find A Dream foundation’s primary goal is to give struggling youth an opportunity to participate in positive things; to be a source of inspiration, as well as a foundation, for those who may be lost without it. Rod Ricciardi wants every kid to know that they too have a friend at Find A Dream, an organization that seeks a better future for both them and for the community.

Rod Ricciardi, the Managing Director of Find A Dream, wants children to realize their full potential. As the organization’s leader, Rod Ricciardi has developed an environment that is conducive to confidence-building and mentorship. Find A Dream, in concert with both local professionals, as well as boxing legends Ray Mercer and James Walter “Buddy” McGirt, wants to inspire local youth to pursue more for both their lives and their communities. With an emphasis on personal achievement and competition, Find A Dream and Rod Ricciardi work to create a sense of personal and civil pride into their members, and to create a generation of leaders that work towards a better and more positive future for all.

Rod Ricciardi: Building Character

Character isn’t something you’re just born with. Good character is built through years of hard work, determination and through positive interaction with others. Rod Ricciardi understands that strong character and value can’t be built overnight, which is why he and the Find A Dream foundation strive to be a source of the character-building programs and mentorship youths need to become a productive, compassionate and successful adults.

Find A Dream foundation was created by Rod Ricciardi in order to empower local youths with the foundation they need to make better life choices, and to become more involved in their local communities. Rod Ricciardi understands the value of mentorship, and he knows that many children may not have access to strong and positive role models. The Find A Dream foundation is his way of reaching out to struggling youth of all incomes and backgrounds, and to show them that they do indeed have someone ready and willing to be there when they need it the most.

Find A Dream and Rod Ricciardi make an effort to partner with professionals in the local community, people with the resources, the care and the sincere interest in making a real difference in young people’s lives. Rod Ricciardi works with these professionals to create a network of support and hope for the disenfranchised, disillusioned and/or disadvantaged youth of the local community. His organization has made a tangible and lasting difference in many young people’s lives through invaluable character-building programs and constructive lessons in decision-making and community participation. Rod Ricciardi lives to serve his community, and wants to see every young person by empowered with the knowledge and experience needed to become successful adults.

Rod Ricciardi: Creating Better Customer Service

Rod Ricciardi is a firm believer in creating the best customer service experience for every potential client. As a proven automotive industry professional, Rod Ricciardi truly understands how important the experience is, not only to the completion of a successful sale, but also to heightened customer retention. His hope is to provide every management and sales team with the tools they need to give the individual customer the most attentive service possible.

Rod Ricciardi has an abundance of experience leading dealership teams toward success. As a team leader throughout the course of his 20 year career, he believes that sales potential depends on the customer experience, and works towards instilling that same passion into his employees. Rod Ricciardi understands how to make a customer’s experience easier, faster and more productive, and has restructured organizations in way to places the customer at the center of company philosophy.

Customer service, as Rod Ricciardi knows, is much more than sharing than a sales pitch. It requires a concerted effort by the customer rep or sales professional to listen to the customer’s needs, and to provide every individual with the knowledge they need to make the decision that best meets their needs. Good customer service, believes Rod Ricciardi, involves anticipation by the sales professional; the ability to know what a customer may be looking for before directing them towards the product. This helps to improve customer satisfaction, address issues before they have the opportunity to grow, and create a better chance for the sale to succeed.

Rod Ricciardi: Restructuring for Success

As a General Manager for Bessemer Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Corp, Rod Ricciardi was able to effectively reorganize the store’s management structure and turn the local dealership into one of the best and highest performing in the local automotive sales industry. His work at Bessemer helped to transform the once-fledgling dealership into one of the most successful in the state of Alabama, creating a culture of positivity and profit.

Rod Ricciardi achieved much as team leader at Bessemer, restoring the store’s prominence and empowering the sales team with the tools it needed to improve their opportunities for success. Rod Ricciardi instituted a proactive sales culture at Bessemer, providing the organization’s sales professionals with the guidance, support and improved process efficiency necessary to create better solutions and exceed both customer and company expectations. Sales cycles and operational efficiencies at Bessemer were drastically improved under Rod Ricciardi’s watch, leading to an eventual number one ranking in Alabama retail sales in both 2008 and 2009.

Rod Ricciardi understands what dealership sales teams need to optimize their opportunities for success, and is not afraid to implement drastic changes in organizational structure and style to get the job done. The organizations under the watch of Rod Ricciardi have experienced unparalleled growth in terms of both performance and profit, and have gone on to become leaders in their local sales and automotive industries. A consummate management professional, Rod Ricciardi has always striven not just to turn dealerships around, but to also empower them with the structure and tools needed to endure and succeed in what can be a highly competitive industry.

Rod Ricciardi: Success Story

Rod Ricciardi has many years of experience in the automotive industry. He has worked at auto dealerships across the country in managerial and ownership capacities. His presence on the staff was typically followed by impressive sales increases.

At each dealership where Rod Ricciardi worked, Rod Ricciardi oversaw increased unit sales, front and back-end gross profit, finance penetration, MSR, CSI, fixed operations, and all measurable variables. He achieved these improvements even in fluctuating economies.

Rod Ricciardi possesses personal traits that contribute to his success. He has a strategic business sense, an uncompromising work ethic, and natural rapport-building skills. These have combined to help create consistent profits and have won the loyal support of customers, employees, and suppliers. 

Rod Ricciardi has consistently demonstrated the ability to build and train quality sales teams that earn recognition as among the best in production and customer satisfaction. His management style is to lead by example. He is sure to retain top employees, and has had an industry-low turnover rate.

Because he has been such a success, Rod Ricciardi has begun to give back to the community that sustains him. He established a non-profit organization called Find A Dream to provide a safe and supportive environment for youth and young adults of diverse social, economic, and ethnic backgrounds. While interacting with positive role models, the students taking part in Find A Dream achieve a solid foundation in the pursuit of their dreams. The program has already demonstrated that hands-on and personable coaching will enable its students to become future mentors and leaders in the community.

Rod Ricciardi: Find A Dream

Rod Ricciardi established the Find A Dream organization in order to have a positive impact on the lives of young people.

“While interacting with positive role models, 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.”

Rod Ricciardi says that his passion has always been to lead a team helping children and young adults to realize their potential. He has donated his time and money to build Find a Dream, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, into a strong resource for children looking for mentorship.

Find A Dream encourages young people by providing after-school study areas, computer labs, and training in music, martial arts, and boxing. There is also instruction in cardiovascular exercise, and techniques on discipline.

Rod Ricciardi brings over thirty years of entrepreneurial and marketing / sales experience, and most of all, people skills, to Find A Dream. He has a deep knowledge of the automotive industry and has spent many years in it as a working professional. Rod Ricciardi has held managerial positions at auto dealerships from New Jersey to California, where his industry knowledge and business sense have vastly improved the bottom line for his employers.

His passion has always been to lead a team helping children and young adults to realize their potential. He has donated his time and money to build Find a Dream into a strong resource for children looking for mentorship.

Rod Ricciardi: Automotive Success

Rod Ricciardi has had a long and successful career in the automotive industry. Now that he has time  , he is determined to help out younger people who need a break in life.

Rod Ricciardi has worked at automotive dealerships for the Ford Motor Company, Mitsubishi, and the Chrysler Corporation. He was the General Sales Manager at Pistilli Ford in Paramus, New Jersey, for four years, where he lifted monthly gross sales from $100,000 to $400,000, and boosted monthly car sales from eighty to 150 units. He also increased Pistilli Ford gross sales per unit by $2,700.

In 2000, Rod Ricciardi moved on to become the General Manager of Rockville Mitsubishi in Rockville, Maryland. He was recruited to the position by Herson’s Auto Group, and more than doubled the size of the dealership, from forty to ninety-five employees. Under Rod Ricciardi’s direction, Rockville Mitsubishi became the most profitable Mitsubishi dealership in the United States, ranking #1 in the northeast region, up from #51. Rod Ricciardi increased new car sales at Rockville Mitsubishi from 500 to 1,300 units per year, the top sales status in the entire country.

Rod Ricciardi had similar successes at dealerships in South Carolina and Van Nuys, California. Because he has experienced so much success, he has established a nonprofit organization called Find A Dream. Find A Dream provides mentoring, guidance, resources, and a safe and supportive environment for youths and young adults. The organization partners with professionals to serve as role models, and is committed to delivering on its promise of positive change in young lives.