Mr. Hewlett Celebrates 60 Years in the Car Business

Mr. Don Hewlett with his sons David, Don Ross and Mike.

Mr. Hewlett Celebrates 60 Years in the Car Business!
by Mike Hewlett

This February marks my Dad’s (Mr. Don Hewlett's) - 60th year in the automobile business. In addition to his genuine love for family, the car business and the Longhorns, my Dad and my Mom Patti, have become true community treasures in their adopted hometown of Georgetown. Dad's success in the car business can be attributed not only to the relationships he has built with his employees, friends and customers but also in the philosophy that he believes truly works:  'Treat others like they are your family and give back to the community which has been so good to you.'

My folks have lived in Georgetown for close to 50 years now and during that time Dad has served our community in many high impact ways and capacities. Notable among these include the GISD school board, the Georgetown Hospital Authority board, First Texas Bank board, Central Texas Chevy Dealers, Wesleyan Foundation, FUMC Board and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce board of which he was president in 1978. A lifelong commitment of service to others has motivated my Dad to actively participate in local service clubs as well. The Rotary Club of Georgetown, The Lions and San Gabriel Shrine clubs have all claimed Don Hewlett as a proud member.

In addition to giving of their time and talents, my folks continue to support their interests financially.  Over the years, the Hewlett’s have given generously to the Georgetown Public Library, The Wesleyan Foundation, the Capital Area Council of the Boy Scouts, the Rotary Club of Georgetown, virtually every school district and youth organization in the Central Texas Area, The Caring Place and many national health related associations in our area.

When you stop and consider a career spanning 60 years, you can't help but appreciate the vehicle technology changes that my Dad has seen and experienced.  The 1950’s were an exciting time for the automobile business and Dad was there when industry changing technologies first appeared. Current standard vehicle items like: air conditioning, power steering, seat belts and the game changing overhead valve V8 engine all made their debut as upgrade options during this decade. Direct fuel injection wasn’t a thing yet for vehicles, and the cars still had carburetors – remember carburetors?  These vehicles were made of real metal and fuel economy took a back seat to style and horsepower.* To put things in perspective, our industry has progressed to the point where today your vehicle constantly monitors the major systems of your car and, if properly enrolled, will then send you and our dealership an email with diagnostic information about the status of these various systems. Now that’s an example where technology can truly enhance your peace of mind.

With a dedication born out of strong faith, tenacity and an unparalleled work ethic Don Hewlett was able to grow both our family and our family businesses over these many years. His original namesake dealership – Don Hewlett Chevrolet-Buick – which began with just over 40 employees has now blossomed into numerous successful businesses proudly claiming close to 300 employees. As great as his successes are, my humble father is quick to share the praise with the many quality employees he has worked with over the years. One of my Dad’s favorite sayings comes from an old English proverb: ‘A man is known by the company he keeps.’ Don Hewlett adds to this by saying, ‘A company is known by the ‘people’ it keeps.’

While it is hard to adequately sum up a lifetime of hard work and heartfelt giving it is exactly for these reasons that my Dad - with my Mom by his side - is deserving of recognition as we celebrate 60 years of leadership, integrity and faith. Thank you Mr. Hewlett for continuing to provide such a wonderful example to us all. 

*Don Hewlett has accumulated some iconic vehicles from his first decade of service and these are proudly on display in the Museum section of our new Xpress Oil Change Plus center. The next time your vehicle is in need of maintenance service we invite you to spend some time walking amongst these wonderful examples of classic Americana.