| David Karangu is not only an entrepreneur, but has worked at every level of the car business. He understands his business. He studied Marketing at Morgan State University, and thereafter joined General Motors Corporation as a summer intern. This enabled him to develop a passion for the automobile industry and ignited his resolve to excel to the top of his career in the business.
Upon graduation, at the age of 20, he joined Ford Motor Company in Jacksonville, FL where he spent the next 8 years honing his skills and rising through the ranks in dealerships across the state. In 1995, Karangu took a risk with the goal of accomplishing his dream. He left the comfort of Ford to attend the NADA Dealer Academy while working as a Sales Manager at a Lincoln Dealership in Melbourne, Florida. On November 1, 1997, Fairway Ford of Augusta opened its doors under David’s ownership. At age 30, and within ten years of setting his goal, became the youngest Ford Dealer in the United States. Not only was this a notable feat coming from someone who had lived less than twenty years in the United States, but an extraordinary accomplishment for a young man who doubled as a college student and dishwasher at IHOP just over a decade prior. With this accomplishment, David understood that the sky was the limit, and furthered his quest for continued success.
With the opening of Mercedes Benz of Augusta, Georgia on July 1, 2005, Karangu became 1 of 5 African Americans in history to own a Mercedes Benz dealership. Just 2 years later, on April 2, 2007, he acquired BMW of Columbia in South Carolina, and along with it came Ivory VW and Ivory Subaru under the umbrella of Ivory Group of Dealerships. Black Enterprise Magazine ranked the Ivory Auto Group the 26th largest minority owned Dealership in the United States with Sales over $100 million annually.
With success come options and in December 2007 Karangu sold Ivory Group of dealerships to Group 1 Auto Group, retiring at 40 to pursue his lifelong dream of world travel. He also became a chef and a luxury homebuilder. His retirement did not last long. Less than 3 years later, he purchased a Chevrolet dealership in Union City, renaming it Ivory Chevrolet. On April 2, 2012, he bought a Mazda dealership in Buford, GA at the Mall of Georgia, renaming it Ivory Mazda Mall of Georgia.
David Karangu has accomplished every goal he has set through focus and hard work, and embraces the responsibility that success brings. He believes in motivating and inspiring others to succeed and enjoys giving back to his community. Although he has received several accolades like the David Karangu Day in Augusta, Georgia, selection for service on the board of the Medical College of Georgia (MCG), being named Ebony Magazine Dealer of the Year, and Black Enterprise Top 50 Dealers in the United States, what matters most to him is giving back to his community in Atlanta and in Kenya. He has continued financial support of his favorite charities which include many Churches in Atlanta and Kenya. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Kenya Diaspora Advisory Council- Georgia where he meets with Kenya government officials to ensure the needs of Kenyans abroad are addressed. |
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