Mark P. Ragsdale

As an ex-car dealer from a car dealer family, Mark brings 25 years of experience to his insightful new book, Car Wreck. Passionate and articulate, he enthusiastically lays out the “fixes” for the car industry, which is currently being hammered by decades of accumulated financial abuses, unholy political motivations, and unadulterated greed.

After earning a journalism degree from the University of Massachusetts in 1988, Mark graduated from both industry and manufacturer-sponsored car dealer schools. In 1989, he rejoined his father’s Chevrolet dealership, where he had dedicated his Saturdays and summers from the age of seven. By age 24, he ran a Pontiac-Cadillac dealership on behalf of his father and a partner. By 30, he purchased the majority share of the store. Over the next twelve years, he proceeded to purchase or construct five additional franchised automobile dealerships and three motorcycle stores. He has represented Chevrolet, Pontiac, Cadillac, Kia, Honda, Excelsior-Henderson, and Indian Motorcycle.

His experience in the industry is broad. He has served on the Kia National Dealer Advisory Council, as chairman of a National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) 20-Group, as director of the Massachusetts State Automobile Dealers Association, and as president and/or director for several different dealer marketing associations.

In 2008, Ragsdale sold his dealerships. He now writes, speaks and consults with car dealers, policy makers, and other industry professionals. He resides in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, with his beautiful wife, Lauri, and their two children, Wyatt and Isabella.