John A. Perez - Chief Executive Officer, Global Vehicles U.S.A., Inc.
A visionary leader, John Perez is achieving his longtime dream of bringing high-quality, high-value vehicles to U.S. consumers. Mahindra’s imminent arrival in the U.S. is the culmination of years of work identifying the right vehicle and the right partner. It is also the culmination of more than 35 years of work in the automotive industry that saw Perez rise from sales representative to one of the nation’s most respected dealer turnaround specialists – and now to premier vehicle importer.
Born in Cuba, Perez earned a business degree from the University of Georgia and served overseas in the U.S. Army from 1967 to 1969. Returning to civilian life, he began selling cars at a major dealership in Washington, D.C., before moving back to Georgia to manage a large Pontiac dealer.
In 1975, Perez moved to an underperforming Dodge dealership in Atlanta. In just three short years it became the second-largest dealership in the Southeast.That success provided him the opportunity to add Chrysler brand, which quickly became the largest Chrysler store in the Southeast. In 1986 he sold to a dealer group.
Realizing a need for his talents in the automotive sector, he founded his own consulting company to assist U.S. dealers with turnaround management services, by operating as a consultant for nearly 13 years.
In 1999, Perez founded Global Vehicles U.S.A., Inc. to bring high-quality, affordable vehicles to South America, which he did until 2005, In 2006 he identified the ideal partner for his current venture, the Mahindra Group, which has recently been ranked by Forbes as one of the World’s 200 Most Reputable Companies.
Mahindra awarded Global Vehicles U.S.A., Inc. the exclusive rights to import and distribute Mahindra vehicles in the U.S in 2006. With a vast network of premier dealers poised across the country to sell Mahindra trucks and SUVs beginning in the 2010 the United States will soon see Perez’s vision take shape on America’s highways.
