#1 Cochran buys another Ohio auto group
Rob Cochran is president and CEO of #1 Cochran.
By Patty Tascarella
Senior Reporter, Pittsburgh Business Times
Pittsburgh’s biggest auto retailer has increased its presence in the Youngstown, Ohio, metro again, marking its third deal there so far this year.
On Wednesday, #1 Cochran announced that it has acquired the Flynn Automotive Group.
The Flynn transaction includes two operations in Boardman, Ohio: The Honda Store and Donnell Ford. #1 Cochran, based in Monroeville, has been building a base in Boardman.
The deal also includes Power Chevrolet, Buick, GMC in East Liverpool; and Columbiana Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac. A Columbiana collision center also is changing hands.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Prior to January, #1 Cochran had not ventured beyond western Pennsylvania. Now it has a five-store, six-brand presence along Boardman’s thriving automotive corridor.
“We are excited to expand our presence in and around Boardman,” Rob Cochran, president and CEO, said in a prepared statement. “With now six high-demand brands within minutes of one another, we are able to offer customers more choices, greater value and increased access to our signature, transparent car buying experience.”
Most of Flynn’s 225 employees are joining #1 Cochran, bringing the company’s total employee count to more than 1,800.
“We are delighted to welcome our newest teammates into the #1 Cochran fold,” Cochran said. “I have great respect for the Flynn family. David Flynn was a trailblazer with an illustrious career. The enterprise he built traces its roots to 1974, just nine years after our own founding. We are honored to carry forward his pioneering spirit and dedication to serving customers and the community.”
Founded in 1965 by Cochran’s late father as a single-point Pontiac dealership, #1 Cochran Automotive operates more than 38 new vehicle franchises representing 19 domestic and imported brands, as well as 11 Body by Cochran Collision Centers and a centralized wholesale parts distribution center. It is the 59th largest dealer group in the U.S.
It’s been a busy year and not just in Ohio as the company continued to fill in its local footprint. In June, #1 Cochran bought Monroeville Ford, located within walking distance of its corporate headquarters campus. In August, it purchased South Hills Honda in Peters Township.
Word of the company's planned expansion across state lines broke in late 2022. In January, #1 Cochran closed its acquisition of 102-year-old Sweeney Chevrolet, Buick, GMC in Boardman. In June, the company purchased Boardman Nissan.
“We had our sights set on this dynamic automotive hub for quite some time,” Cochran said. “When the Sweeney opportunity arose, we viewed it as the ideal point of entry, and we’ve been forging ahead ever since. From the day we opened, customers and the community welcomed us with open arms, and we are proud to further invest in this area.”
On Wednesday, #1 Cochran announced that it has acquired the Flynn Automotive Group.
The Flynn transaction includes two operations in Boardman, Ohio: The Honda Store and Donnell Ford. #1 Cochran, based in Monroeville, has been building a base in Boardman.
The deal also includes Power Chevrolet, Buick, GMC in East Liverpool; and Columbiana Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac. A Columbiana collision center also is changing hands.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Prior to January, #1 Cochran had not ventured beyond western Pennsylvania. Now it has a five-store, six-brand presence along Boardman’s thriving automotive corridor.
“We are excited to expand our presence in and around Boardman,” Rob Cochran, president and CEO, said in a prepared statement. “With now six high-demand brands within minutes of one another, we are able to offer customers more choices, greater value and increased access to our signature, transparent car buying experience.”
Most of Flynn’s 225 employees are joining #1 Cochran, bringing the company’s total employee count to more than 1,800.
“We are delighted to welcome our newest teammates into the #1 Cochran fold,” Cochran said. “I have great respect for the Flynn family. David Flynn was a trailblazer with an illustrious career. The enterprise he built traces its roots to 1974, just nine years after our own founding. We are honored to carry forward his pioneering spirit and dedication to serving customers and the community.”
Founded in 1965 by Cochran’s late father as a single-point Pontiac dealership, #1 Cochran Automotive operates more than 38 new vehicle franchises representing 19 domestic and imported brands, as well as 11 Body by Cochran Collision Centers and a centralized wholesale parts distribution center. It is the 59th largest dealer group in the U.S.
It’s been a busy year and not just in Ohio as the company continued to fill in its local footprint. In June, #1 Cochran bought Monroeville Ford, located within walking distance of its corporate headquarters campus. In August, it purchased South Hills Honda in Peters Township.
Word of the company's planned expansion across state lines broke in late 2022. In January, #1 Cochran closed its acquisition of 102-year-old Sweeney Chevrolet, Buick, GMC in Boardman. In June, the company purchased Boardman Nissan.
“We had our sights set on this dynamic automotive hub for quite some time,” Cochran said. “When the Sweeney opportunity arose, we viewed it as the ideal point of entry, and we’ve been forging ahead ever since. From the day we opened, customers and the community welcomed us with open arms, and we are proud to further invest in this area.”
