Karl Chevrolet founder, Carl Moyer, dies at 83, leaving a legacy of success in Ankeny
(This story has been updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.)
Carl Moyer, the Ankeny businessman who founded Karl Chevrolet, died Saturday.
Moyer, who grew up on Des Moines’ east side and dropped out of East High School in the 10th grade, got his start in business while working at a gas station near Lincoln High School, where he sold cars on the side.
At 19, he worked as a sales manager at a dealership in Cedar Falls. He returned to central Iowa and worked for dealerships in Winterset and West Des Moines before starting his own in Ankeny.
In 1978, Moyer bought out his brother to start Karl Chevrolet, then a one-car showroom in Ankeny.
“I didn’t have an employee,” Moyer told the Register in 2003, when he received the prestigious Jack Smith Presidential Award from Chevrolet. “I didn’t have a car (to sell). I had a building with a Chevrolet sign.”
Karl Chevrolet moved to its current location at the intersection of Oralabor Road and Delaware Avenue in 1983.
Moyer was meticulous about the grounds of the dealership, ensuring that the grounds were carefully maintained and that cars were perfectly lined up, according to a news release from the dealership announcing his death.
He also prioritized the customer, trademarking the phrase “your dealer for life.”
That approach has kept the dealership in the top 3% of Chevrolet dealers, the company said. Karl Chevrolet also holds the record for being named the top certified used car dealership in General Motors 13 times.
Moyer grew the business significantly in the last eight-plus years, according to the news release. His auto group includes 10 companies and more than 800 employees across Iowa.
He earned a reputation for community involvement and donations. In 2018, Moyer provided a $1 million donation to Des Moines Area Community College to renovate and expand what is now known as the Karl Automotive Technology Center.
Other donations have included sponsoring the Kiwanis Miracle Park Project in Ankeny, Ankeny YMCA, Ankeny SummerFest and Variety – The Children’s Charity of Iowa.
Moyer, who was 83, is survived by his wife, Penny, sons Brad and Bret and a daughter, Pam. A cause of death was not shared. Funeral arrangements are pending.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article inaccurately described the location of Karl Chevrolet. It is at the intersection of Oralabor Road and Delaware Avenue.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Karl Chevrolet founder, Carl Moyer, leaves legacy of success in Ankeny
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