Jim Xaros

He joined the Herb Chambers organization in 1992 and oversees dealership operations. In his role as Vice President of The Herb Chambers Companies, Jim Xaros is intricately involved in all aspects of the company. His industry knowledge and experience has helped the company to service their customer base and continue to grow throughout New England.

When Herb Chambers opened his first car dealership in 1985, there were 33,000 dealerships in the country, and he was among the smallest. Today, The Herb Chambers Companies is the largest automobile dealer in New England, and the 11th largest in the nation.

Xaros credits the growth of the company to the hard working employees at each dealership and to the company’s emphasis on customer satisfaction.

“Customer satisfaction has always remained our top priority,” said Jim Xaros. “We have grown the company to what it is today because of the hard work our employees put in each day to provide the best possible experience for our customers.”

In the last 2 years Xaros planned the opening of several new dealership.  Herb Chambers opened brand new Porsche, Audi and Kia, dealerships in Burlington, he also opened a new truck service and collision center in Braintree, a new Infiniti dealership in Westborough, a new BMW dealership in Sudbury, a new Kia Dealership in Worcester, and the expansion of his Mercedes-Benz and Smart Center dealership at Flagship Motorcars of Lynnfield.

Mercedes-Benz of Boston and Mercedes-Benz of Natick are also being renovated and Chambers has relocated the Providence Cadillac dealership to Warwick.

Throughout the years, Xaros has seen the industry change quite a bit. “We have seen a lot change in the industry during our time,” he said. “But one thing is for certain, The Herb Chambers Companies will be here for many years to come, offering our customers convenient and comfortable facilities to purchase and service their vehicles.”

Herb Chambers is really is a GREAT place to work! Just ask anyone in my family!

With the New Year upon us, I have been reflecting on the events of 2010. My career is a huge part of my life and I really do believe that this a great place to work. In addition to competitive salaries and an excellent work environment, we have fantastic benefits such as health, dental and vision insurance, a 401(k) and so much more.

On a personal note, the summer of 2010 was when we found out that our nearly 2 year old daughter, Genevieve, would require open heart surgery to repair her aortic valve due to a congenital heart defect. It was difficult news to receive but we had time to prepare and educate ourselves on what was to come.

Once the dust settled, my thoughts turned to how we were going to afford all of this. I placed a phone call to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts to review our benefits and coverage. They were extremely supportive. The Customer Service Representative reviewed our health insurance plan in detail and reassured me that everything would be covered with just our co-pays. I cannot express what a relief it was to no longer have to worry about the financial aspects of her medical care.

During the whole experience, I felt supported by my friends & co-workers at the Herb Chambers Companies as well as the staff at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. They even followed up with me after surgery to see how things went and if there was anything else that we needed. Thankfully our Genevieve bounced back quickly and can go back to being a toddler getting into all sorts of trouble with her twin brother, Harry.

In November 2010, the Herb Chambers Companies was recognized as being a Boston Globe Top 100 Places to Work for the second year in a row, ranking eighth in the Large Employer category and were selected from over 1,000 employers who participated. Blue Cross Blue Shield ranked at number 20 in the same category and based on my experience with them, I can see why.

As a member of The Herb Chambers Team, I want you to know that we are focused on trying to deliver 100% satisfaction for all of our sales & service clients and we are constantly looking for areas in which we can improve. Having happy clients make the days brighter, but this award is also about employee satisfaction.

In my position as Corporate Business Development & Customer Relations Specialist, I interview applicants for our Business Development Centers. In these interviews, I make a point to mention all that The Herb Chambers Companies has to offer and I constantly find myself saying that we have great health insurance.

At the end of the day, this is a family company and we have the coverage that Herb Chambers wants for himself as well as his family and his employees. I was also pleasantly surprised to find that our health insurance plan only increased about 1% for 2011. For all of this, the Norton Family is thankful.

Thank you Herb and congratulations on being a Globe Top 100 Place to work . . . Again!

Tina Norton

Herb Chambers is proud to join the noble cause led by Mayor Menino, which helps needy children in the Boston area have toys for Christmas.

Herb Chambers donated $50,000 to Mayor Menino’s Toy Drive which helps distribute toys to children in Boston’s lowest income neighborhoods.

This collaborative effort will help hundreds of children have toys under their Christmas trees.

Shown in order Herb Chambers and Boston’s Mayor Menino

Herb Chambers is an automotive dealership group based out of Somerville Massachusetts.

For decades Herb Chambers has provided New England car buyers with high quality automobiles including those from BMW, Porsche, Ford, Lexus, MINI, Chrysler, Scion, Honda, and many more.

As one of the most trusted brands in New England, Herb Chambers is known to local buyers as the region’s premier automotive dealership group.

The Herb Chambers Companies remains committed to and engaged with the Worcester community.

The 200 Foundation, Inc. is a group of Metrowest business and community leaders who collectively use their talent and experience to raise money for programs that assist families and individuals in a number of cities and towns. Its mission is to provide the greatest assistance to those most in need.

The 200 Foundation have several locations in the New England area, not only do they feed and house many veterans in need but they also provide have a food pantry for families serving 400-500 per week. The 200 Foundation for the past several years has given the Veterans Inc a grant.

This is just one example of the 40 grants given this year by The 200 Foundation.

With the continued support of many individuals and companies such as The Herb Chambers Companies the foundation has been able to flourish and help many others in need. Attached are a couple of pictures of today’s events.

Shown in order Robert Abrams , President of The 200 Foundation, Daniel Bortolussi, The Herb Chambers Companies, Vincent Perrone Lt Colonel USAF(retired) President & CEO Veterans Inc, Denis Leary Executive Director Veterans Inc, Allison Alaimo Director of Finance & Development,Veterans Inc and Jennifer Allen Human Resources Mananger Veterans Inc

Herb Chambers is an automotive dealership group based out of Somerville Massachusetts, we care about creating a positive car buying experience. For decades Herb Chambers has provided New England car buyers with high quality automobiles including those from BMW, Porsche, Ford, Lexus, MINI, Chrysler, Scion, Honda, and many more.

As one of the most trusted brands in New England, Herb Chambers is a proud member of the Better Business Bureau. Featured in a number of area media publications like The Metro West Daily News, The Providence Journal and Boston.com, Herb Chambers is known to local buyers as the region’s premier automotive dealership group.

Boston Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis recently signed a two-year endorsement deal with Herb Chambers Companies. Pictured left to right is: Audi Burlington General Manager George Chambers, Kevin Youkilis, and Herb Chambers.

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“I am excited to be working with the Herb Chambers Companies and their 46 dealerships throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Herb and I share the same tenacity, passion and hard work when it comes to business. It’s a natural fit for me to be partnering up with him and his dealerships.”

~Kevin Youkilis, Boston Red Sox

Herb Chambers

Kevin Youkilis has been a loyal customer of Herb Chambers, having previously acquired a Jeep from the dealership group and most recently an Audi A8 from Audi of Burlington. Youk will now display his enthusiasm for The Herb Chambers Companies by participating in upcoming advertising campaigns.

“Youkilis is a well-respected fan favorite who leads by example; I respect what he does both on the field and off the field with his Hits for Kids organization. He is a perfect fit for our brand, and Red Sox Nation along with our loyal Audi fan base will love to see Youk in our new ads.”

~Herb Chambers

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AP Photo/Nati Harnik

* Kevin Edmund Youkilis

* Position: First Baseman

* Bats: Right, Throws: Right

* Height: 6’ 1”, Weight: 220 lb.

* Born: March 15, 1979, Cincinnati, OH

* School: University of Cincinnati

* Drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the eighth round of the 2001 amateur draft

* Signed June 11, 2001

* Debut: May 15, 2004

* Team: Red Sox 2004-2010

AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

League Leaders – 2010 Kevin Youkilis

* Ranks 11th in AL in Batting (.319)

* Ranks 1st in AL in Walks (32)

* Ranks 8th in AL in Slugging Percentage (.572)

* Ranks 1st in AL in Runs (33)

* Ranks 2nd in AL in On Base Percentage (.458)

* Ranks 3rd in AL On Base Percentage and Slugging Percentage (1.030)

* Courtesy ESPN Sports

TOP PLACES TO WORK

CLICK HERE for the Complete Article.

Herb Chambers – The Value of Confidence

Workers want a leader they can believe in

By Elizabeth Cooney, Globe Correspondent

HERB CHAMBERS WAS in the middle of expanding his car sales business when the recession hit, but he kept right on going with plans to open new dealerships and expand others. Now Chambers is hiring, and employees are glad they’re at a company that’s growing while their industry is gasping.

When the climate is gloomy, employees want company leaders to offer confidence, communication, and a sense that a bright future is being built.

Workers at these companies believe their professional fate is in good hands:

Herb Chambers Cos.: Twenty-five years ago, it wasn’t the norm for an auto dealer’s service department to wash the cars before returning them to customers, but Herb Chambers did it. “My feeling was a clean car always ran better than dirty one did,’’ said Chambers, head of his namesake business.

This year, going against the grain meant completing $50 million in new facilities. It’s that kind of thinking that has allowed Chambers auto dealerships to grow while other dealers are struggling or even closing down.

That sits well with employees, especially in the high-pressure world of auto sales. “I think it gives our people a great deal of confidence,’’ Chambers said. “They feel good about our company. They believe they are in the right place.’’

One after another, Chambers employees surveyed for Top Places cited the boss himself and the company’s growth as reasons for their satisfaction.

Not that Chambers has escaped the recession entirely. Sales are down 19 percent this year compared to last year, when the expansion was planned. But national numbers are down even more: from 30 to 34 percent.

“We never had a doubt about the future,’’ said Michael Hannafin, service director at Flagship Motorcars, a newly refurbished Chambers dealership in Lynnfield. “He’s a guy who believes in what he is doing. That trickles down.’’

Hannafin said Chambers recently pulled aside a manager who had reorganized a parts department, saying he wanted the rest of the company to copy the system. “You can’t measure what that does for an employee,’’ Hannafin said. “That guy was on cloud nine and the rest of his team was motivated, because he was singled out in a positive way by the CEO of the company.’’

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Herb Chambers Cos. announced the official opening of Herb Chambers Cadillac of Danvers, the company’s first Cadillac dealership in Massachusetts.

Herb Chambers Cadillac will join the company’s Chevrolet, Buick, Pontiac, and HUMMER dealerships at 90 Andover St. 114 in Danvers, said a company press release, which added that it now has a total of 47 dealerships, including another Cadillac dealership in Rhode Island.

In a statement, owner Herb Chambers said: “There continues to be strong demand for the Cadillac brand, and by expanding our presence in New England, we are able to better serve the needs of our growing customer base.

With the addition of this dealership, we will become the largest Cadillac dealer in New England, something that we are very proud of.”

Herb Chambers Wins Again!

Proudly displaying the prestigious Mercedes-Benz Best of the Best award are (left to right) James Xaros, Executive Vice President, Herb Chambers, CEO and Mark Hoch General Manager of Flagship Mercedes-Benz.

LYNNFIELD, Ma.-May 25, 2006-Flagship Motorcars Mercedes-Benz was recently honored with the prestigious Mercedes 2005 “Best of the Best” dealer award. This award is given to only a select amount of dealers in the United States and places Flagship Motorcars in the top twenty percent of Mercedes dealerships throughout the entire United States.

The “Best of the Best” award recognizes automotive dealers for their outstanding vehicle sales, service and most importantly customer care. It is presented annually to the top 20 Mercedes-Benz dealers who are the highest performers based on a combination of unit sales, customer relationship management, new passenger car and light truck sales, Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned vehicle sales, parts operations, and guest service satisfaction.

“Exceptional performance, attention to detail and innovative thinking do not just apply to our brand; they also apply to our dealers. And when we are seamlessly linked together – manufacturer and dealer – we have something really powerful to offer our customers. This is what sets Mercedes-Benz apart,” says Paul Halata, president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA. In the past, Chambers Motorcars has also been a recipient of the Mercedes “Best of the Best” award.

The last 4 years have ushered in a wide variety of new beginnings at The Herb Chambers Companies.

We have opened no less than seven new or completely renovated dealership facilities.

Here’s a list of some of our newest facilities & current projects:

Our 47 existing dealerships enhanced by these new facilities, containing over 10,000 vehicles, staffed with over 1,600 hundred exceptional employees coupled with our steadfast commitment to 100% guest satisfaction– are all great reasons to say, if you’re looking for a new or pre-owned certified vehicle, @ Herb Chambers: “We’ve Got it!”

BMW of Sudbury/Foreign Motors West BMW	A brand new 70,281 sq. ft. dealership featuring a 12 car two-story showroom, a 4 car exterior display canopy, a three-lane drive-in service reception area with 60 service bays, and a car wash situated on 6 acres. Opened Spring 2009.
Herb Chambers Infiniti of Westborough	A brand new 37,000 sq. ft. dealership featuring a suspense-building “art gallery” style layout to showcase new vehicles—complete with a coffee bar and customer lounge with plasma TVs. Opened Spring 2009.
Porsche of Burlington/Audi Burlington	A brand new 40,000 sq. ft. dealership built to house some the world’s finest luxury sports and performance cars. NOW OPEN!
Herb Chambers Lexus	Recently completed…A brand new 110,000 sq/ft. super luxury showroom! A vast entrance canopy – 40 car showroom with 50-foot windows. Including 50 service bays, a customer lounge with complimentary coffee and food bar, Internet access, flat screen TVs, a fireplace and children’s play area.
Flagship Motorcars/smart center Lynnfield	A brand new 18,000 sq. ft addition to this dealership will include a 2,400 sq. ft. showroom for smart center Lynnfield. Completed Spring 2009.
Mercedes-Benz of Boston/smart center Boston	A significant renovation adding over 7,000 sq. ft to this dealership include customer sales, lounge & service areas. Complete the summer of 2011.
Herb Chambers Ford Truck Center	An all new 70,000 sq. ft. truck service center & state of the art body shop. Opened December 2008 in Braintree, MA.
Mercedes-Benz of Natick	A Complete 50,000 sq. ft. renovation of the entire Mercedes-Benz of Natick Facility is now open and complete.

Advantage Construction recently broke ground on the new Herb Chambers Audi of Burlington and Porsche of Burlington.

The new 36,000 SF state-of-the-art auto dealership is located at the intersection of Route 128 and Route 3A in Burlington, MA.

The multi-level structural steel building will have a combination of glass curtainwall, an Exterior Insulation Finish System and ACM (Aluminum Composite Metal) Panels to provide a clean, crisp imagine. It will be equipped with 19 service bays, enclosed
service drives and 210 exterior parking spaces. The interior of the building will feature a main floor showroom able to accommodate 12 vehicles and a second floor mezzanine consisting of a training room, office space and conference rooms overlooking the
showroom. Completion is schedule for October 2008.

“We are happy to be working on our first project with the Herb Chambers Companies and third project with Regent Associates. We look forward to building a solid, long term relationship as they continue to grow.” said John Kelly, President of Advantage Construction.

Representing The Herb Chambers Companies at the groundbreaking was Mr. Chambers himself, along with Vice President, Jim Xaros. Many representatives of the Porsche and Audi corporations as well as members from the Town of Burlington including Ann Cummings, Chair of Planning Board, Sonia Rollins Chairman of Board of Selectmen, Al Fay, Board of Selectmen, and Robert Mercier, Town Administrator.

The architect, Regent Associates, was represented by Irwin Regent along with members from Advantage Construction.