Deborah Laverty In Business Correspondent
The grandson of the late John Bosak affectionately referred to his grandfather as the “original car flipper.”
“He left the factory and opened a used car dealership in Gary,” Skip Bosak said of his grandfather.
This used car lot, where John Bosak started selling cars in 1926, planted the seeds for what would become Bosak Auto Group.
The legacy of this business continues to this day and includes nine dealerships throughout northwest Indiana. Bosak Auto Group was inducted into the Northwest Indiana Business & Industry Hall of Fame for this year's Enterprise of the Year.
Although a 100th anniversary celebration has not been scheduled for 2026, the Bosak family will undoubtedly honor its founding and originators.
“This is such a great milestone and something I'm looking forward to,” Teresa Bosak said of the anniversary.
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Teresa, Skip and Greg Bosak are all grandchildren of the late John Bosak Sr. and children of the late John “Jack” Bosak II.
Another brother, Cary Bosak, was an integral part of the business until his death in November 2021. His brother credits Cary with being the driving force behind the dealership expansion in 2019 and 2020.
“It was definitely a shock to all of us. It was very unfortunate,” Teresa said of her late brother's death.
Jed Jordan, 49, joins the Bosak brothers in 2015 as CEO. Although Jordan is not part of the family, Theresa, Skip and Greg say he has easily integrated into the Bosak family and has become an important addition.
Mr. Greg (60 years old) will serve as president, and Mr. Skip (65 years old) and Teresa (57 years old) will serve as vice presidents.
“We've spent our entire careers collaborating with each other, so we needed an outside perspective and some extra energy,” Skip said of Jordan's addition.
“His experience was helpful to us. … He was willing to tell us what we were wrong and what we were right,” Teresa said.
Greg said he and all of his siblings learned most of what they know about surgery from two people: their father and Uncle Punk.
Jordan had previously served as general manager at several dealerships in Illinois, but Gregg said he was able to bring a “fresh perspective” to the Bosak table.
“Jed has made me better at what I do,” Teresa added.
The first dealership was started by my grandfather, John Bosak, a Pennsylvania coal miner, and was taken over by his three sons, Michael R. “Bud” Bosak and John “Jack” Bosak. II, it was Emmett “Punk” Bosak. We moved our business forward.
After Bud's untimely death in 1973, Jack moved Bosack Chrysler in a new direction, taking advantage of the burgeoning US 30 corridor and building a flagship Bosack Chrysler in Merrillville in 1978.
We have long-standing beliefs about how to treat people that have been firmly reinforced and continued from the 1970s until the 1980s, when the current generation of Bosaks entered the family business.
After Jack Bosak passed away in 1994, Cary became president and vice president of Skip, and Greg assumed control of the newly acquired Bosak Honda. It also included welcoming Jack's daughter Teresa into the business as vice president.
The Bosaks expanded further in 1995 by adding the failed Jeep franchise, and sales increased 400 percent over the next three years.
In 2009, Bosak Automotive Group added Dodge to the Bosak Chrysler Jeep Store in Merrillville, and in 2010 opened a second Honda dealership in Michigan City.
In 2016, Bosak Auto Group acquired the Arnel Chevrolet Kia dealership in Burns Harbor.
Bosak Chevrolet Buick GMC of Michigan City and Bosak Nissan of Burns Harbor both entered the business in 2019.
Additions in 2020 were Bosak Toyota and Bosak Ford in Burns Harbor.
The company has approximately 400 employees, up from 280 employees in 2016.
Skip, Greg and Teresa said they and their younger brother, Cary, were part of the family business early on, washing, detailing and selling cars in the summer and after school.
“We did it all,” Skip said.
Of the three remaining siblings, Teresa was the only one to be out of the business for a short period of time.
“I worked in car advertising for about seven or eight years, but I wanted to return to my family,” she said.
The Bosak brothers admit it took some time to figure out which brother did what, but each found their own niche. A few years ago, the company hired consultants to help define their roles and responsibilities.
The consultant also suggested that each member provide updates during weekly meetings.
“What's unique about us is that we're not all about individual roles, we're about a common goal. We're not about titles.” Teresa said.
Bosak's grandchildren all agree that if their grandfather, father, and uncle were still alive, they would be satisfied with the results of the business they started.
“I hope they will be very proud that this is the seed they planted and the lessons they learned and the culture they created is something we try to emulate in our employees. I hope so,” Teresa said.
She said the relatives who founded the company would be amazed at the changes in technology and proud that the family has continued to give back to the community.
“I wish they could see this,” Teresa said.
The importance of taking care of the customer was instilled in the brothers by their grandfather, father, and uncles.
Customers like Chesterton resident Mary Carol Puntillo bought a Honda family minivan in the 1990s that has been sold under the Bossack brand ever since.
“This was a 'cool' car to have,” Puntillo said.
Since then, Puntillo said her family, including her adult children in their 20s and her sister, have purchased more than 10 cars from the Bosak dealership.
“When you walk into their dealership, you still have the same great culture you've always had. They're honest, knowledgeable people,” Puntillo said.
Her son, who lives in the northern suburbs of Chicago, always returns to northwest Indiana to get his recently purchased Honda repaired.
Then, her daughter, who lives in Texas, called Teresa and asked for her opinion on the best dealers in the Dallas area.
“I am very impressed with the Bosak family and the empire they have built. … We love the Bosak family,” Puntillo said. “When I go to the dealership, I trust them. They listen to me and respect me.”
As for whether there is a fourth generation to lead the family business, two of Greg's sons, Nick and John, currently work for the company.
Theresa also said that family members are not only automatically hired, but also have to spend at least two years working in a different location and in a different job to hone their skills.
“No one is born for business,” she says.
The Bosaks also give special praise to their mother, Barbara Bosak, 93, who ran a solid family business rather than a dealership.
“Her honorary title is chair of the board,” Teresa said.
Regarding future expansion, everyone agrees that there is no clear yes or no at this point, as growth has been so rapid in recent years.
“If the right opportunity presents itself at the right time, it could be,” Teresa said.
Greg Bosak added, “Our main focus is to get better at what we do. We will remain flexible, but we are not actively seeking expansion.” Ta.
Skip said one of Bosak Auto Group's main goals was to have a diverse portfolio of domestic and imported vehicles, and that goal has been achieved.
“Now I need to hone it,” he said.
As for the future of electric vehicles, “Electric vehicles are not going away,” Gregg said, adding, “We're committed to giving our customers what they want.”
Still, the trend at Bosak dealerships is to sell hybrid vehicles rather than fully electric vehicles.
“The biggest problem is the lack of infrastructure,” Skip said of the slowdown in electric vehicle sales.
All agree that customers who purchase electric vehicles tend to be those who drive short distances and do not use their mode of transportation for long-distance road trips.
“Car sales are customer-driven, not government-driven,” Skip said.
Giving back to the community was important to Bosak when he founded the company, and it's still important to him today.
The Bosaks are grateful for the many areas they have contributed to Northwest Indiana over the years and will continue to give back, including educational programs, athletic programs, community centers, and the people they serve and protect.
“We've been taught to leave a place better than we found it. It's important to give back,” Teresa said.
Greg added, “The community has been good to us.”