Bruce Titus 2018-2019 WSADA President
Bruce Titus, Bruce Titus Automotive Group, Tacoma, was named 2018/2019 President of the Washington State Auto Dealers Association (WSADA) at the organization’s annual convention last month.
Born in Tacoma, Bruce attended St. Patrick School and Bellarmine Preparatory School before earning his BA in Finance at Washington State University (WSU). Bruce met the love of his life, Linda Mares, at WSU. They will celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary in July. Bruce and Linda have four children: Courtney (Nick Barr), Michael (Erika), Kelly, Matt, and one grandson, Collin Barr.
Bruce followed in his grandfather’s footsteps and started working in the family auto dealership business. Bruce worked his way through each department, learning the business from the inside out. In 1995, Bruce and Linda bought their first dealership, Tacoma Nissan-Subaru. In 2001, they purchased Chrysler, Jeep, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Mazda, Isuzu, Suzuki in Olympia. They bought Tacoma Chevrolet in 2004, Eastside Subaru in Kirkland in 2009, and Port Orchard Ford in 2011. Earlier this year, Bruce and Linda expanded their business and purchased Volkswagen of Palm Springs in California. Over the years, they sold: Eastside Subaru; Olympia Isuzu, Mazda, Suzuki; and Tacoma Chevrolet, Nissan.
Bruce and Linda are proud to be a family owned dealership. Courtney manages the digital marketing, Michael is a GM, and Linda manages all sponsorships. The Titus family is very active in their communities, supporting a number of local non-profit organizations, schools, and community programs. Bruce Titus Automotive Group donates approximately $100,000 each year in their local communities.
Bruce Titus Automotive Group supports Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, South Sound Care Alliance, Alzheimer’s Association, Subaru’s Love Promise program, local food banks, and numerous other charities. Bruce created the Bruce Titus Pet Project, which has donated over $42,000 to local humane societies and pet welfare organizations in the South Puget Sound. The Pet Project makes a $25 donation to a local pet welfare organization each time someone mentions the program while taking a test drive.
Bruce was the past chair and board member of the University of Washington Tacoma Business Advisory Board, past president and board member of the Tacoma Lawn Tennis Club, and he served on the boards of Bellarmine Preparatory School and Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital. Having sat on various boards over the years, Bruce encourages his stores to participate in their local Chamber of Commerce and other local non-profits.
“Having numerous employees who have worked for me over 20 years is one of my greatest achievements,” said Bruce. “Thanks to my employees, family, and a lot of hard work, I have gotten to where I am today. I am grateful for my success and love being able to give back to the communities in which we operate.”
“All franchised auto dealers in Washington play a vital role in supporting their local communities,” said Bruce. “As the new WSADA President, my goal is to help increase dealer outreach with our elected officials in Olympia. It is imperative they understand the economic issues dealerships face, and the importance of how the franchise system protects our customers and supports our communities.”
Founded in 1920, the Association’s 294 dealer members serve 70 cities and towns across Washington and are responsible for annual sales volume totaling $17.3 billion. Together, they employ over 21,000 people with a combined payroll of more than $1.3 billion. An average Washington dealership creates 70 local jobs, each paying on average over $58,000 per year plus benefits. Dealership sales total 16.4% of the state’s retail sales, generating hundreds of millions of dollars of tax revenue for state and local governments through sales, corporate, and payroll tax revenue.