This story is part of our November 2024 issue. To subscribe, click here.

This story is part of our November 2024 issue. Click here to subscribe.

Steve Pleau’s father opened his first car dealership in 1963. Over 60 years later, it has grown into the empire that is Future Automotive Group, which includes 23 franchises across 16 locations in California, with over $1.5 billion in revenue and 1,200 employees.

“It’s been a good adventure for us,” says Pleau, the CEO of Future Automotive Group and the driving force for its aggressive growth. “My goal wasn’t a one-man store. I wanted to expand.” And despite turning 78 this year, Pleau still heads to the office every day to rally the troops, monitor customer satisfaction, and follow his North Star: “My real focus is on expansion,” says Pleau. “I’m not done.”

Favorite to-do list system: “I’m a little old fashioned. I carry a hand calendar and notepad, and I keep a list of things I need to do.”

Best life advice: “I knew a lady who was skiing in the Sugar Bowl until her 90s. One time I asked her, ‘What’s your secret?’ She said, ‘Don’t ever stop moving.’”

6:00AM – Wakes up, grabs a cup of coffee and then the newspapers — a total of six newspapers including The Sacramento Bee, Fresno Bee and Wall Street Journal. “I’m a news junkie. I want to know what’s going on in all the markets we’re in.”

7:00AM – Gets a full report on the daily sales of all 23 franchises; scours the report to understand trends.

7:30AM – Eats a light breakfast — healthy cereal or yogurt with fruit.

8:30AM – Drives from his home in Sierra Oaks to the company headquarters in Roseville; he’ll either return calls or listen to the news; he toggles from Fox to CNN for a balanced perspective.

9:00AM – Walks the halls to greet the staff, which includes his son Geoff Pleau, the COO and president. 

9:30AM – The gauntlet of meetings begins, and it’s a wide range of topics. “Automobile dealership is comprised of almost every business you can imagine,” says Pleau. “It’s involved in retail, finance, insurance, marketing, real estate. It’s a very broad business.”

10:00AM – Closely monitors the daily customer satisfaction reports — a key for their business. High customer satisfaction translates to repeat business which translates to revenue. “If we see a particular service writer, or a salesman, or a dealership that isn’t achieving a level that we expect, those people will get counseling right away.”

11:00AM – As always, he thinks of expansion. Pleau fields regular calls from automotive brokers (who have leads on dealers looking to sell), and even now, in his late 70s, he’s happy to roll up his sleeves for that oldest of sales tactics: “I’ll make cold calls to people.” 

11:45AM – Declines every invitation for lunch. “I’m really protective of my time.” Pleau is happy to meet for coffee in the morning or afternoon, but he firmly tells folks, “I don’t do lunch. I go to the gym.”

12:00PM – Hits the gym for a hardcore session: 35 minutes on the elliptical, 20 minutes weight training, jump rope, stretching and balance work. Pleau is an avid skier —  including heli-skiing — so this regimen keeps him prepared for the slopes. The full routine takes 75 minutes.

1:30PM – Eats a light snack (such as fruit) at his desk for lunch.

2:00PM – The conference calls often include board meetings; Pleau has sat on over 15 boards including the Greater Sacramento Economic Council, Sacramento State (he’s an alum) and the River City Bank board. 

3:00PM - Sometimes he’ll go off-site to visit the dealerships, and when Future Automotive Group absorbs another dealership, they tend to keep most of the staff. “Generally speaking, they start making more money than they have in the past.” 

4:00PM – Skims reports from the manufacturers, staying abreast of trends and developments. Catches up on email. 

5:00PM – Heads home. The evenings are now very different for Pleau. Around 16 months ago his wife, Vicki Pleau, passed away, and he’s still trying to figure out his dinner routine. “My wife did most of the cooking,” he says with a soft laugh. “I haven’t turned the main oven on since she passed away. Everything I do is on a barbecue.” 

6:00PM – Some nights he’ll have dinner with a friend or his grandkids. 

8:00PM – Maybe wind down by watching sports, such as the Niners or Raiders football. “I’m a sports nut. If there’s something good on, I’m glued to that.”

9:30PM - Heads to bed.  

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