Chuck Fortinberry is an unabashed ‘car guy.?
He is also a community guy.
The owner of Clarkston Chrysler Plymouth Jeep in Springfield Township is currently busy with his duties as senior co-chairman of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
While his business is important, he also makes time for charitable activities out of a sense of duty to the Clarkston area.
‘This community supports my business and my family, and I think every member of a community should give back to that community. I don’t think you can live in a community that has a sense of community and not give back.?
Fortinberry bought the dealership 18 years ago, after having worked in the Chrysler corporate office the previous six years.
‘I’ve been in the car business since I was a little kid,? he said, with his father in the advertising business working primarily with automotive accounts. ‘I’ve always loved cars, and I’ve always loved selling stuff.?
Fortinberry began buying and fixing old cars while in high school, and worked in a garage while attending college.
When he bought the dealership, Fortinberry and his wife, Dana (now a district judge), also made a commitment to make the Clarkston area their home.
‘We knew this market was going to grow, and we loved the community,? he said. ‘We decided to put some roots down.?
Fortinberry’s involvement with the auto show started around 1996 when he was elected to represent Chrysler dealerships on the executive committee of the Detroit Auto Dealers Association, which runs the auto show.
Thus began ‘a six-year tour of duty,? which involves holding several positions of leadership and eventual promotion to one of two co-chair positions. (Next year, Fortinberry will become a ‘chairman emeritus,? still being available to help with the show.)
‘There’s a significant learning curve,? he said. ‘You don’t just wake up one day and want to run one of the biggest auto shows in the world.?
His involvement has taken him to other international auto shows in Paris, Frankfort, Geneva and Tokyo, but he said the Detroit show is the only one to try hard to fairly represent all the international manufacturers.
The challenges of coordinating the auto show (which is really three ‘shows,? one each for the media, industry and the public), is illustrated by the fact that it took 82 proposed floor plans before everyone was happy with the 700,000-square-foot layout at Cobo Center.
‘It’s a lot of space, but it’s not enough for what we want to do,? he said, and he supports a plan to seek regional support for expansion of the convention center.
Fortinberry said the auto show is important not only for the industry, but for southeast Michigan, with a projected $536.8 million coming to the region.
Fortinberry admits a bit of selfish motivation for his involvement in the auto show.
‘I get to see all this stuff before anybody else does,? he said. ‘That’s the main reason I do this. I love cars.?
When he’s not working with cars, Fortinberry fills his schedule with work for charity events, especially while riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
A major event is the Dave and Wanda Harrison Memorial Ride for the Children’s Leukemia Foundation of Michigan. Fortinberry’s father died of leukemia in 1993, and he is motivated to help the foundation.
‘I have kids. I love kids. My wife and I decided this was going to be the charity we were going to be most involved in.?
He also hosts a golf outing in memory of his father to benefit the leukemia foundation.
‘Those events take a lot of time to put together,? but he believes it is time well spent.
Along the way, he is also a member of the board of the Clarkston Foundation, and he has supported Clarkston Area Youth Assistance, parks and recreation and other local entities with hole-in-one sponsorships and in other ways.
He appreciates his family’s support in his various endeavors. The couple’s three teenage sons help with some of the charity events, including a Halloween ‘Boo-Ball? event at Oakland University (also to benefit the leukemia foundation).
‘They’re always very immersed in whatever we do,? he said. ‘They also love cars. They’re afflicted with the virus like I am.?
The full schedule of activities has two-way benefit, he said, both for his family and the ‘sense of community? present in Clarkston.
‘People care about their neighbors and they’re involved in their lives,? he said. ‘If my kids are goofing off or doing something stupid, somebody’s going to call me. I don’t have to wait for them to get in real trouble.?
When the rare concept of spare time becomes reality, Fortinberry finds his motorcycle to be an escape vehicle. In addition to participating in charity rides, every so often he enjoys going north, where he has a boat and can ‘just disappear.?
‘When I don’t have time to go up north, I’ll get up early on a Saturday or Sunday morning and go out for coffee and just go for a ride and air my head out.?