In December 2017, family, friends and colleagues were invited to Leader Auto Resources (LAR’s) headquarters in Montreal, Que. to attend a special tribute to the founders of the largest car dealer buying group in North America.
Jean-Marc Bourassa, who passed away in 2017, and Fred Pechet, were recognized for their accomplishments. Robert B. Issenman, President and CEO of LAR, addressed the 40 or so people that attended the event, including Bourassa’s children. He said his only regret was not having conducted the tribute while Bourassa was alive.
The idea to form LAR was born in the 1970s between two friends, Bourassa and Pechet. The company started off as a small group of dealers (less than a dozen), and has since extended to more than 1,800 in the six eastern provinces of Canada, and seven states in the U.S. Sales have reached approx. $200 million annually. The company’s main distribution centre is located in Pointe-Claire, Montreal, but there is another one in Saint John, N.B., and a new centre is expected to open in Delton, B.C. in the first quarter of 2018.
During the tribute, Issenman took the opportunity to unveil a commemorative plaque to celebrate the accomplishments and memory of LAR’s founders. On the spur of the moment, Pechet took the floor to say a few words about the company, which continues to evolve.
Marc Bourassa, who is very active in the automobile industry, including having recently been the President of the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association (CADA), also said a few words. “These people have been incredible visionaries,” he said in reference to the two founders. “My father would have liked to be here and see that. Thank you for this tribute Mr. Issenman.”
