Dealer Spotlight: Teddy Morse, Chairman and CEO

At the Ed Morse Automotive Group, Chairman and CEO Edward Joseph “Teddy” Morse III carries forward the values established when his grandfather founded the company in 1946, building on nearly eight decades of family leadership. Teddy grew up in the business and learned early that the customer comes second and the employee comes first. With 58 dealerships in eight states, he believes that when employees know they are supported, they will take care of the people who walk through the door.

Teddy entered the business at fourteen as a porter at the Mazda store in Coconut Creek, Florida. He washed cars, cleaned service bays, moved equipment, and learned how each job contributes to a dealership’s success. Born in Fort Lauderdale and raised in Coral Springs, he now lives in Delray Beach where the company is headquartered. Over the years he has held roles as a technician’s assistant, parts driver, and salesperson, including more than four years selling cars on the floor. Those experiences shaped his leadership style and his belief that understanding the work is a prerequisite to leading the people who do it.

Illinois has become one of the company’s strongest areas of growth. The group operates a major parts center in Red Bud that moves about five hundred thousand dollars in sales each day. The facility runs a fleet of eighty delivery vehicles, with sixty to sixty five on the road daily within a one hundred fifty mile radius. The Red Bud Chevy store earned recognition as one of the top one hundred fifty dealerships to work for in America last year, and the Red Bud Ford store and two Texas locations earned similar honors this year.

Staying connected to employees is one of Teddy’s priorities. He visits stores across the country and pays attention to how people greet one another, how teams interact, and the overall atmosphere of a dealership. Teddy sees social media as a tool that helps him stay close to the team and reinforce the culture he wants to build. When he walks into a store, he looks first at people’s faces. His job is to set the tone, support his employees, and make sure they know how valued they are.

Outside of work, Teddy keeps his personal life centered on his family. He spends time with his daughters and continues his long time passion for motorcycles, which he has ridden for thirty years. He has traveled across the country on his bike, including rides from Chicago to Wisconsin and stops at company dealerships along the way.

With a lifetime in the business, a deep commitment to his employees, and strong ties to his family, Teddy is focused on strengthening operations and carrying forward the values that have guided the Ed Morse Automotive Group for nearly eight decades. He is focused on strengthening operations, supporting his team, and continuing the legacy his family built.