History
The Schlueter Automotive Group got its start when, as a young man, Harold Schlueter began fixing cars in his spare time. That hobby eventually became a full time job in 1946 when he opened Fleetline Motors. Since then, Harold has progressed with the automotive group he founded. Today, although semi-retired, Harold remains chairman of the group, offering guidance and advice while he enjoys his golden years with his wife, Mary.
A great deal of hard work and keen business sense on behalf of Harold’s son, Dennis, has propelled the Automotive Group to the success it maintains today. Dennis joined his father in 1976 with the Chevrolet franchise and has been a key component in growing the business for over 30 years. Dennis is a past president of both the Kitchener Waterloo Automotive Dealers Association and the Ontario Automotive Dealers Association, and has been a part of General Motors’ Communication Board. In 2002, Dennis was awarded his 25 year Dealer Achievement Award from General Motors. Dennis continues as president and dealer principal to overview management and the strategic direction of the Automotive Group’s dealerships and properties.
The day after handing in her Master’s thesis at the University of Waterloo, Dennis’ daughter, Amy Schlueter, joined the Automotive Group and has been there full time for nine years. Amy is the vice president of the Group and the third generation behind the Schlueter name. Amy leads the family business through her work on marketing and internet-based projects and serves as the liaison between the family’s three franchises. Amy is most involved at Schlueter Chevrolet, where she manages to combine traditional business methods and new ideas to help drive the company forward. Schlueter Chevrolet is a leading automotive dealership in the Waterloo region.
Amy Schlueter’s list of accomplishments is stunningly impressive. In 2008, Amy was the first woman to be voted as president of the Ontario Chevrolet Regional Marketing Advisory Board, which takes care of planning marketing for the province. She has also sat on the national board of the same vein, allowing her to be involved in Chevrolet marketing across Canada. Amy is a National Automotive Dealers Association Academy graduate and has a spot on General Motors’ Dealer Training Advisory Board. Rounding out the list is Amy’s notable achievement of being named by PROFIT magazine as one of Canada’s top 100 Women Entrepreneurs in 2008; where she ranked as number ten. Not to be left out, another of Amy’s major accomplishments is that of being a working mom- Amy is a proud wife and mother of three.
Involvement in the community is a priority for Amy, who was diagnosed with kidney disease in 1999 and was able to return to her normal activities after a life-changing kidney transplant from her sister, Kelly. Amy is a part of the Kidney Foundation and the Schlueter Automotive Group is a key sponsor of the foundation’s fundraising events. Amy is also a member of the Grand River Hospital Foundation Board.
Another aspect of Amy’s community involvement can be seen in her Twitter Test Drive program, which invites the public to drive a vehicle for two whole days and “tweet” about their experience. So far, the Twitter Test Drive program has been recognized by both Automotive News and Auto Dealer Monthly. The endeavour is an awareness and education project that comes from an innovative use of the social media outlet, Twitter. This program is just one example of how the Schlueter Automotive Group is using innovation to get ahead.
Schlueter Chevrolet is a fixture of Weber Street in Waterloo. The dealership employs over ninety people through its various departments. It is a strong third generation dealership that is well equipped to continue its success in the region.
The Schlueter family has been a prominent part of Waterloo’s automotive industry for over sixty years. Today, the automotive group has three locations and franchises within about ten minutes from each other: Chevrolet, Acura and Hyundai. Their automotive group is continuously moving forward, making advances and experiencing success as its story unfolds.